Frustration in Projects

Today, I got a little frustrated with something simple. I could not get the pictures to load correctly for a LinkedIn post. Try and try and try. No matter what I did, I could not get the result I was hoping for. Finally, I grumble, grumble, grumble, and was given wise advice to walk away for a moment. Taking the advice, it inspired me to write this, my very first blog post. For a second, think about what happens when we as PMs get frustrated in and with our projects, our teams, or our stakeholders. Is it as simple as walking away? Yes, it is. Notice that I didn’t say quit or give up or give a piece of your mind to the nearest listening ear. Just step away from the scene for a moment to gather your thoughts. Sometimes a change of scenery is all we need to get refocused on the plan. Grinding hard on projects and in the trenches can take a toll on the mind, body, and spirit. As the leaders, there is an expectation that we don’t show frustration and set the bar for everyone else to meet. When things don’t go well, it affects our attitude and mindset. And if we can not snap out of it quickly enough, it can contaminate the atmosphere and direction of our project, our team, and our stakeholders.

Here are a few tips the next time you sense a frustration moment coming:

1.      Step away for a moment. Take a short walk down the hall or even go outside. Fresh air does wonders, and giving your eyes and mind a new target to focus on for a few minutes helps generate new energy.

2.      Close your eyes and take a few deeps breaths. It helps to count to a high number (up or down, works either way).

3.      Work on something else for a while. Similar to the first tip, changing the subject gives you a new focus and direction and keeps your frustration from building up on a subject too long.

4.      Realize that you can do more with a cooler head. When we are seeing red and using all our emotions to make decisions, we can sometimes be headed down the wrong path. Focus your energy and push towards the goal.

I hope this helps you the next time you get frustrated in your next project or just life in general. By the way, a few hours later, I was able to successfully upload my pictures to LinkedIn and create a successful post.

About the author: Eric James, PMP has 20+ years in project management is the CEO and Founder of STEP Management which is a project management consulting firm. He is also the co-founder of The Ellis McCarthur Foundation which helps to equip disadvantaged youths for successful school years to adulthood. If you want to contact the author or find out what projects he is working on now – reach out at https://stepmanagementinc.com/ and ellismccarthurfoundation.org.