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Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers

by David Ashley

Research and empirical data shows that leadership intelligence skills play a crucial role in creating and sustaining strategic success in organizations. (Chuang, 2013) (Alon, 2005) (Leban, 2004) Since project managers are often on the forefront of executing strategic initiatives, the Project Management Institute (PMI) included leadership knowledge in their Talent Triangle.  The three legs of this triangle are: Leadership, Technical Project Management, Strategic and Business Management.  The triangle defines the knowledge required to obtain and maintain, through education hours, a professional project and program manager certification through PMI. (Project Management Institute, 2017)

One leadership intelligence skill touted in more recent years is “emotional intelligence”.

When I first heard this term, I thought it was a bit of an oxymoron. We’ve all seen that intelligent decision making can be difficult when emotions run high. There are brain science studies that explain why this happens. It’s all about an overactive limbic system where emotions happen in the brain and weakened activity in the frontal lobe where reasoning happens. (Gutnik, 2006) (Lerner, 2014)

Studies also show that the measure of intelligence (Intelligence Quotient) is wholly distinct from Emotional Intelligence. An intelligent person may have low emotional intelligence. The two are in no way interrelated.  (Goleman, 2011)

So, this term is a bit of a misnomer for me. But I’ll refrain from this minor dissension to address the central topic: how emotional intelligence might serve to better the project manager.

It seems emotional intelligence with regard to leadership skills suggests an understanding and management of internal and external moods and emotions. Internal refers to the project manager him/herself. External refers to those who may be stakeholders or project team members.

More specifically, project managers should be able to understand internal and external:

• expressions of emotion
• the effect of emotions on cognitive processes and decision making
• coping mechanisms and managerial methods for various types of emotions

Consider that emotions are part of the human experience, and because projects are accomplished by humans, emotions are naturally infused as part of every project experience. We simply cannot escape the necessity of learning how to manage emotions within our projects.

Researchers estimate that emotional intelligence skills contribute to being effective as a project leader as demonstrated by: (George, 2000)

•  helping teams collectively agree on goals and objectives
• building a team that has an appreciation for the importance of project activities
• creating enthusiastic and optimistic teams that are cooperative
• keeping the team flexible with change and decisions

All this brain study and psychology background is a bit ethereal and entirely too complex to cover in a blog post.  And coincidently, a blog post no matter how informational, is not where one gains higher emotional intelligence skills. You will get better at this only through experience. So, I’ll just point out a few things that I’ve learned (the hard way) in my professional and project management experience about how to convert emotions into promotions – that’s fancy talk for making crazy emotional events work to your advantage. Here’s a simple three step process:

1. Keep Calm and Win.  There is nothing like emotions to elevate emotions. Getting all worked up because someone else is doesn’t help. Reacting in an equal and opposing way might make things even, but it will rarely make things better. The goal is to have a productive conversation between two reasoning adults. Even when it seems some people can’t be unemotional, keeping calm is always best, because it is better for you, physically and mentally. Take a deep breath and move on to number 2.
2. Don’t let your emotions shut off your ears. Listen for the underlying reason for the emotion, then respond. Avoid reacting. Definitely do not overreact. Emotions are real and have a reason or a source. Take a few minutes to understand and listen for the reason(s) for the emotion. Then move on to number 3.
3. Respond calmly with thoughtful words. Acknowledge the emotion, then try to deescalate the emotion by asking if it would be OK to spend some time to reason out a logical and cooperative solution. This step is especially important on a biophysical level.  By responding calmly and asking to reason with the person you are helping to reduce the sensory neutrons wildly triggering in the limbic system, specifically in the amygdala and hippocampus, and encouraging more activity in the frontal lobe where rational and unemotional thinking happens. The most effective decisions are ones that have an emotional component (to drive passionate support) but are logical and commonsensical.

Obviously, in this process I am referring to an escalated emotional situation. This is just one of very many types of emotional situations a project manager will encounter. Some emotions will be very positive and encouraging. These should be encouraged. Some will be very subtle (think: passive aggressive). These are the most difficult to manage because they are hidden, deeply personal, and can be subversive. Each type of emotion is handled differently.

There are a gross number of books are the market today that dive into this topic in excruciating detail.   Some of the more popular ones are by Travis Bradberry (Emotional Intelligence 2.0 or The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book) and Daniel Goleman (Working with Emotional Intelligence or Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence). 

Leadership knowledge necessarily includes the skills required to motivate humans, with all their accompanying and complex emotions, toward accomplishing common goals. A working knowledge of what we’ve come to know as emotional intelligence will help toward that end.

References

Alon, I. H. (2005, November-December). Global Leadership Success Through Emotional and Cultural Intelligences. Business Horizons, 48(6), 501-512.

Chuang, S. (2013). Essential Skills For Leadership Effectiveness in Diverse Workplace Development. Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, 6(1), 1-23. Retrieved from http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1133&context=ojwed

George, J. (2000, August 1). Emotions and Leadership: The Role of Emotional Intelligence. Human Relations, 53(8), 1027-1055.

Goleman, D. (2011). The Brain and Emotional Intelligence: New Insights. Florence, MA: More Than Sound.

Gutnik, L. H. (2006, April 7). Methodological Review, The Role of Emotion in Decision-Making. New York, NY, USA: Columbia University.

Leban, W. Z. (2004). Linking emotional intelligence abilities and transformational leadership styles. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 25(7), 554-564.

Lerner, J. L. (2014, June 16). Emotion and Decision Making. Annual Review of Psychology.

Project Management Institute. (2017). CCR Handbook. Project Management Institute Inc.

How to Get Project Teams to Respond

by David Ashley

Real-world project management doesn’t always conform to the path prescribed in best practices, such as the PMBOK Guide. That’s probably a gross understatement for some work environments. Logical or not, those of influence within organizations tend to get their way. Here’s my war warn advice: don’t fight it. Instead, work with it.

Here’s one common example: amidst the flurry and weight of operational demands, something as simple as getting project team members to respond to basic information requests can be extremely frustrating to the project manager and the project timeline. Since management approved and prioritized the project, one would think that the demand to execute the project (under the authority of management) would be met with at least the same urgency of any other equally important operational request. But, that’s not always the case. Since it’s “only” a project, it’s somehow less important. Such is the common battle between operations and projects.

I took over one project in which the business lead was at her wits end. A priority project has been approved (a project manager had yet to be assigned), but no one was providing the information she needed to determine the scope of the work to be done by a very specific date. This date could not move because it was governed by an outside audit agency. And so with every passing day she became even more frustrated.

I discovered that she was new to the organization and her only mode of requesting the information she needed was through a very brief initial meeting and a series of email follow-ups to an initial email. The people to provide the information worked just down the hall from her. They were in the middle of a massive operational workload and the team was understaffed.

We can surmise from this that it was a complex situation:

• The business lead was new to the organization and had yet to understand the culture or establish a working relationship with the teams.
• Low-impact communications channels rarely get the job done.
• It is unreasonable to expect more output from overworked staff.
• It is challenging to compete with real-world operational work.

All these might be reasons that make this type of situation challenging. However, there are techniques that can minimize the effect of even the most difficult situations. Here are a few:

Start Smart. Start by setting expectations at the onset of the project. This should include a communications plan. This should also include an honest risk analysis - a realistic understanding of potential blockers, team challenges, and competing work priorities. Meet with key team members prior to project kickoff to discuss anything that may prevent the on-time completion of the project. And more importantly, begin to establish a partnership to overcome these things. Ask: How can I help make this work? Transparently put all these things on the table during the kickoff meeting.

Make Fast Friendlies. Don’t just be a task master. Get to know your team members. Understand what motivates them and how to best work together with them as individuals in various situations. It’s easier to inspire a friend than an adversary. This takes time, which isn’t an abundant commodity. So, do it quickly. Forward positive statements followed quickly by positive actions usually does the trick. For instance: “Mike I would like to create some time for you to work on this. What if I talked with Kathy to get what you need from her? Then I’ll stop by in an hour so I can pick up the information I need from you. Does that work?” Create opportunities to do favors, work together, and demonstrate the concept of teamwork.

Communicate Broadly. Include managers of project team members in all communications. Consider including everyone in your communications who has the power to motivate a successful ending. Be constructively annoying. However, be sensible. Don’t break protocol – you probably don’t want to involve VPs in routine tasks. Your relationship building will help you understand how to best communicate with and gain cooperation from individuals. Talk face-to-face if that works better. Call them if that works better. Meet them for lunch or coffee if that works. Send friendly instant message reminders. But don’t be or nagging. Inject humor. A sincere smile goes a long way. Figure out what method of communication works for each individual and use it. On any particular project you may have multiple methods of communicating with each team member.

Specificity is a Necessity. Plainly broadcast the work to be done, who is expected to do the work, and when it is expected to be done. These three elements leave no question in anyone’s mind about expectations. A brief note: don’t make up dates. As much as possible, dates should be given to you by the person expected to do the work. Sometimes they don’t have much of a choice, but give them as much authority as you can to determine the pace of work and target dates.

These are a few ways to get teams to respond. Use them in combination with any other best practice that works within your organization to help reduce frustration on teams and projects. How can you get teams to respond? It’s pretty simple: be a team member.

Managing Dissonance

by David Ashley

Project managers are charged with the responsibility of leading and managing teams to achieve predefined goals. Creating a carefully constructed plan and executing to that plan is central to what separates effective project managers from those that are not. Simple, right? Not quite.

Here’s the thing: executing a great plan relies on people. People have a propensity to shift between two opposing ideas. They do this when it makes them feel better. It can happen at any time. In psychology this is referred to as cognitive dissonance. (McLeod, 2008)

A few examples:

• We might think that killing is bad, but not as an act of war.
• Many who believe that personal debt is disadvantageous will have credit card balances.
• People who commit to a project plan will decide not follow the plan.

Most people have an innate need to avoid inner conflict, to keep harmony between attitudes and beliefs and to avoid imbalance between values and actions. When faced with two opposing ideas we naturally need to deconflict. We generally have three approaches to maintaining inner harmony.  

• We change or reverse our attitudes
• We gather more information to sway the attitude in favor of one of the ideas
• We decrease the importance of one attitude in a way that favors the other

All of these types of actions involve rationalization. Rationalizing is not always a negative behavior, but in this context we are defining it as the act of convincing ourselves that it’s reasonable to discredit one idea to favor another. We do this even if we had previously favored the now discredited idea.

There have been studies on the origin of cognitive dissonance. One research article talks about how children and monkeys both used decision rationalization when given the option between two choices of equal value. (Egan, 2007) I have seen evidence of a similar type of rationalization behavior in adults during some of the projects I’ve managed; between choices that could be understood as equally valued. For instance, the choice between performing a task to resolve a real-world operational priority and a high priority project task.

When after establishing a high value on following a project plan (from the earlier example), a team member chooses not to follow the plan because they have rationalized a different attitude about the value of following the plan in favor of another option for that moment or in a given situation.

People rationalize behavior. You might say, “Of course we do.” But if it is a matter of course then why do we still struggle with this behavior in projects? If we understand it so well, then why do we not immediately recognize it for what it is and adjust accordingly as if it's normal or expected?  

Realistically, these situations can be very complex with many interrelated contributing factors. But for the sake of understanding some basic managerial approaches we will keep this simple. The question we will attempt to answer here is: what is a project manager to do about the disruptive nature of cognitive dissonance during a project?

What happens psychologically to a team member who chooses against following the project plan (again, from our example)?  They have either (or in some combination):

• Changed their attitude toward their commitment to the project
• Received information that led them to believe something else was more important than the project
• Decreased the importance of their commitment to the project

In any of these situations there is a cognitive process, perhaps some rationalization.

Here are a few suggestions for the project manager:

• Formulate a realistic risk management plan. Take some time at the beginning of the project to understand and openly discuss the risk of losing commitment to the project. Consider other scheduled tasks and the likelihood of unscheduled tasks. Talk through how the team will handle these situations before they happen. (Raydugin, 2016)
• Use the risk management plan to the advantage of the project without minimizing the value of other choices. During project status checks, specifically ask if the team knows of anything that may block the accomplishment of upcoming tasks. If any are identified, refer to the risk management plan and exercise the resolution documented in the plan. This will strengthen the relationship between team members, respect the value of other demands, and eventually form a sustained commitment to completing the project.
• Be as generous as possible with timelines. Be aggressive toward meeting goals, but account for all reasonable disruptions in the project timeline. Be fair to team members with regard to their schedules and other priority work. They need to know that the project manager is on their side and flexible enough to accommodate conflicting priorities. However, team members must also be held accountable to their commitments. Agree on the balance.
• Communicate often, formally and informally. Constantly communicate, and not just during scheduled meetings. But don’t be a nag or show disrespect. Demonstrate a genuine interest in the time challenges team members are facing. Offer to work with them and their management to achieve project goals as well as other high priority tasks.

Responsible team members choose project success. Innovative project managers find ways of making workable choices by dissolving the three primary reasons for abandoning commitment to the project. 

Practice these methods:

• Be fair and available to team members in a way that attitudes about the project don’t shift negative.
• Develop and exercise risks plans that have the flexibility to ensure any information gathered about other priorities does not sway their attitude toward the project.
• Reinforce relationships in a way that keeps the importance of completing the project high.

Cognitive dissonance is a theory of which project managers should be aware and know the steps they can take to help combat some of the uneasiness that befalls team members during project execution.  This article outlines some of the methods that can be used. Choose success through innovation!

References

Egan, L. S. (2007, November). The Origins of Cognitive Dissonance, Evidence from Children and Monkeys. Psychological Science, 18(11), 978–983.

McLeod, S. (2008). Cognitive Dissonance. Retrieved from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-dissonance.html

Raydugin, Y. (2016). Handbook of Research on Leveraging Risk and Uncertainties for Effective Project Management. IGI Global.

The Impact of Loss Aversion on Project Management

by David Ashley

Here’s something interesting.  When faced with the choice of avoiding a loss or pursing a gain, most people have a strong tendency of putting energy toward protecting against losses rather than concentrating on increasing gains.  This is because losses have a greater psychological impact than do gains of equal magnitude. It’s a theoretical principle referred to as loss aversion. (Ariely D., 2005) (Baumeister R.F., 2001)

I’ll offer a project management example.  After spending a good amount of time and resources on a project that is not producing the desired outcome, decision makers tend to keep going the course for the sake of protecting the project investment instead of ditching the project (accepting the loss) for another project promising better gains. 

Complementary studies on Status Quo Bias indicate that people largely prefer the status quo over alternative options that have some uncertainty. The greater the number of available options the greater the volume of uncertainty and the greater likelihood of staying with the status quo. This is true even in cases where the status quo is not positive. It generally requires a disproportionate effort to dissolve uncertainties in alternative options for the scales to tip in favor of those alternative options. (Samuelson, 1988) (Fleming, 2010)

Overcoming these psychological forces is a challenge in any project team.  Managers should first do everything possible to avoid getting into these situations. But even with the best intentions and planning often there is no guarantee that the team won’t eventually need to deal with the exact situation they were trying to avoid with all the planning. 

What does this mean for project teams? I have two considerations:

1.     The most critical decision making happens early.  Since these natural aversions and biases against change are so strong and difficult to overcome, the importance of correctly exercising initial decision making processes is all that much more important early in the project.  

2.     Risk management skills are essential to reducing the negative impact of changing direction. Recall that risk management is about predicting and evaluating both positive and negative events that could happen during the course of a project. It’s a proactive exercise. Risk management tools help define these potential events, postulate outcomes, determine the most promising path, and reduce uncertainty in alternative options.  The degree to which uncertainty can be reduced is the degree to which the effects of loss aversion and status quo bias can be reduced.  Use qualitative and quantitative measurements to define and reduce uncertainty.  Probability and impact matrices will help rate the importance of risks.  The Delphi technique can reduce bias and help create a consensus.   (Institute, 2013)

There is much more to be said about how to make good early decisions and how to lay out plans to deal with uncertainty should it arise.  There are volumes of books that speak on these topics, so I won’t go into all that here. But I’ll leave you with a quote from Henry Ford who seemed to be immune to Status Quo Bias and Loss Aversion.

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. 

- Henry Ford

References

Ariely D., H. J. (2005). When do losses loom larger than gains? Journal of Marketing Research, 134-138.

Baumeister R.F., B. E. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 323-370.

Fleming, S. T. (2010). Overcoming Status Quo Bias in the Human Brain. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (pp. 6005-6009). Massachuesetts: National Academy of Sciences.

Institute, P. M. (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Newtown Square, Pennsylvania: Project Management Institute.

Samuelson, W. Z. (1988). Status Quo Bias in Decision Making. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 7-59.

Data Driven Decisions? Only if Growth Matters

by David Ashley

Program and project managers are often consulted because of their intimate involvement with improving business growth through the projects they manage. Recently I have been facilitating meetings and decision making among a team of managers with regard to some strategic planning. While doing some research for this project I ran across an interesting stat:

When data is used to drive decisions, it is paying off to the tune of 5-6% higher productivity and also increasing asset utilization, return on equity, and market value.  This is enough to separate those who win and those who lose. (Brynjolfsson, 2011)

One zettabyte is one billion terabytes. That's a number almost too big to comprehend. Cisco predicts that by 2019, global traffic is expected to hit 2 zettabytes per year. (Pappas,2016) That's like streaming Netflix's entire catalog 6,300 times. That's another number beyond me; I'll watch maybe a dozen movies per year. Continuing the mind-blowing, growth is expected to be at a pace that will more than double every two years. (IDC, 2011)  Bottom line: world data growth is huge... very huge.

Most forward looking companies are expanding their business data at a similar rate through the inclusion and integration of data that is normally outside of their core business data to include cloud, social media, and mobile.  This is the new world of 'big data'.

The business opportunity is the glaring question. What should managers be doing with business data? (no matter how big it is)

I’ve created a 5-step production improvement model that can be used to get most managers started along the path of using data to increase competitiveness and growth. It's a model that can be used during project initiation or even during project execution.

1.    Define Key Performance Indicators.  What specific measurements define success for your business?  At the very least, determine the most critical measurements that should be used to drive major company decisions.

2.    Create Metrics.  Measure and track the key performance indicators defined in step 1.  Do this in periodic (monthly/quarterly) reports with graphs and charts. Be disciplined and consistent when collecting and measuring. Be transparent about the metrics by publicizing and making them available to the entire company.  Help everyone understand that these measurements represent the health and future of the company (everyone’s jobs) and that everyone contributes to these successes and failures.

3.    Analyze Trends. Conduct deep dives into the data to determine causes and effects. Understand variances and anomalies. Definitively prove what causes growth and what causes declines.  Don’t guess; opinions aren't important here. This should be an unbiased, non-emotional, objective analysis. 

4.    Act on Analysis.  Promote those things that cause growth, reject (don’t repeat) those things that cause declines or negative results.  Do limited tests if necessary when analysis is not conclusive, but resist the temptation to act on suspicion or speculation.

5.    Measure Again. Repeat steps 2-4. 

Data can be just a bunch of numbers if left unused.  However, successful businesses use data within a continuous improvement model to grow and become even more successful.



References

Pappas, Stephanie, How Big Is the Internet, Really? (2016, March), Life Science, Website: http://www.livescience.com/54094-how-big-is-the-internet.html

IDC. (2011, December). In Frank Gens (Ed.), Top 10 Predictions, IDC Predictions 2012: Competing for 2020 (IDC #231720, Volume 1). Retrieved January 5, 2012, from CDN.IDC.com Web site: http://cdn.idc.com/research/Predictions12/Main/downloads/IDCTOP10Predictions2012.pdf

Brynjolfsson, Erik, Hitt, Lorin M. and Kim, Heekyung Hellen, Strength in Numbers: How Does Data-Driven Decisionmaking Affect Firm Performance? (April 22, 2011). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1819486 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1819486

Primal Instinct Factors in Project Management

by David Ashley

The role of the project management seems to require some innate primal instinct. In organizations where project management roles are defined and generally accepted, there are project managers that are liked and appreciated and then there are other project managers that are... well, not so much in demand. All I can conclude is that some people have "it" and some don't. And that sounds like a primal thing to me.

Throughout the journey of any project these instincts kick in.  One must have a natural ability to identify true milestones that mark true project progress. Surveying the landscape and scouting the path through obstacles without getting eaten by beasts along the way are skills that live beyond the classroom. And the intuition to know what level of organization is required in any situation to produce positive results is a natural phenomena.

Schooling helps, experience matters, but there's a secret sauce that pulls "it" all together.  I have identified three factors that may be the most significant contributors to "it": awareness, sense of direction, and agility.

Awareness

Pay attention.  Listen.  Observe. The best first step is to do nothing, except to watch and learn.  Take notes. Gather enough of information. Ask questions, even if it's just to confirm what you already know. Survivors are fully aware and alert, constantly compiling data from observation, and are keenly tuned into everything happening around them.  Information is essential but awareness is what widens the field to allow accurate placement of data into value and priority.  One who is fully aware will have unobstructed vision, properly regulated speed, and keen timing of movements.

Sense of Direction

A good second step is to gain a sense of direction. Note that action is not prudent until there is certainty about direction and relative comfort about what will result from the movement. There is also an amount of gut involved with setting a course of action.  Some of it comes from survived experiences. But, sometimes we just know. It feels right.  But don’t let feelings rule every decision; logic is a strong competitor. No matter what, proceed with awareness of the unforseen, even after careful consideration and planning.

Agility

After stepping into action, be ready at any time to dodge the bullet and adjust course. Even the best planning can get spoiled. Stuff happens. Change is sure. Someone who can adjusts in unpredictable situations is the one that lives to take on the next project. With rigidity things break easier. Be agile enough to handle change without fading certain direction.

Awareness, sense of direction and agility are three primal and necessary traits for any project manager to be successful.  If these don't come natural, the only option is to practice hard until you get "it".

Get a Grip - Six Elements of Change Management

by David Ashley

Every project by definition is a change to something in the business. It's no wonder the Project Management Institute devoted a portion of their certification criteria to managing change.

One would think that approved projects means the organization is ready to change.  Nope, no so. To the contrary, projects seem to be feasting grounds for those not wanting change. And sometimes the greatest amount of resistance will come from the manager who approved the project.  How crazy is that?

It is as a matter of human nature that people don’t deal well with change. So, it stands to reason that successful projects require project managers that are successful at managing change. So, let's get a grip on this and figure out what we need to do to increase our chances of making great things happen. 

First, embrace the idea that change doesn't have to be the enemy.  Change CAN be effectively managed regardless of the intensity of the battle.

Second, realize that weak change management practices will amplify the disruptive force of change opposition. Thinking that the opposition will just go away and accept the change could be a big strategic miscalculation. A project manager must have an active and intentional plan to manage change. 

This takes us to the plan. To help minimize the negative effects of change I suggest these six elements be incorporated into the change management plan:

1. Agree to Change.  Get all key players to agree that a change is needed, what the change will be in general terms, and how long it should take.
2. Leaders lead.  Change must be communicated from the top down. Leadership must drive the communication effort for the vision and make a strong and compelling case for the change.  They must also provide a path to change and insist the organization work together to make it happen.
3. Awareness and Training.  Every person must be fully aware of how their daily activities will be affected by the change, and they must be trained on how to manage their work when the change is implemented.
4. Own it, work it.  Each person must take ownership of their role in the change and work to encourage others throughout the process of change.
5. Measure and move.  Success is measurable; decide what it looks like, how it will be measured, and use the measurement to guide the process.
6. Reward the milestone.  Group and individual rewards should be known at the start and fairly distributed when milestones are reached. 

Our world is in continual motion; change is part of our landscape - like it or not. Every organization trying to compete in today’s market should commit to change - learn it, love it, live it.  And project managers - since they are often on the front lines to make change happen, get a grip - make it happen!

Size Does Matter: The Frontal Lobe with Regard to Decision Making, Emotion, and Reasoning

by David Ashley

Most of us who have been in the work force for a large portion of our adult life have likely experienced a highly emotional situation.  For instance: a boss barking orders, heated exchanges during an intense meeting, or an anxious supervisor frantically trying to gain control of a situation.  

In regard to work place emotions, it’s interesting to note the large body of neuroscience research concerning frontal lobe activity of the brain and the interplay between reasoning and negative behaviors.  

I'm not trying to play the neurologist that I am not - and there are volumes of information I can't even begin to understand (just ask the neurologist I used to work with), but this is interesting stuff that deserves some consideration.

The two main parts of the frontal lobe are the hippocampus [hip-uh-kam-puh s] and the amygdala [uh-mig-duh-luh]. This is where size matters.

People with a history of high stress levels typically have an undersized hippocampus. The hippocampus is an essential part of the brain that gives a person appreciation for situational context and memory of events.

People with a history of aggression typically have an undersized amygdala.  The amygdala is the part of the brain that is needed to anticipate negative consequences. This means something to a project manager who is trying to negotiate a team through risks. 

Consider the behavior of people you may have known that were aggressive and continually under high stress. What was that like? Chances are they didn't do well with risk management or contextualizing situations.

It's also important to note that the frontal lobe has extensive connections to the regulation of hormones and blood pressure among other impacts on health. People under a lot of stress are often moody, right?  And have you known people with aggression who have high blood pressure?  There's a frontal lobe connection here.

Another interesting area of study related to frontal lobe activity suggests that anxiety impairs efficient functioning of the goal-directed attentional system, meaning anxious people have reduced capability to stay focused on attaining goals. 

This is interesting science with application to management approaches.

Managers should know that highly emotional and anxious people may be at a biological disadvantage for injecting context into decisions, processing negative consequences, fully engaging positive cognitive patterns, or focusing on goals.

Think about your project management experiences.  Have you ever tried to reason with an emotional team member?  It’s difficult, but pause before taking it personally because it might be that they aren't intentionally trying to make your life difficult. It might not be a reasonable expectation for highly emotional people to be good decision makers or to focus on goals.

A leader should know that making decisions or attempting a rational discussion when any participant is in a highly emotional state is unlikely to be productive - but, maybe for reasons beyond the that person is a jerk excuse. 

This article isn't to blame the brain for all bad behavior, but sometimes we may be dealing with those who are not right in the head, so to speak. Regardless of any real presence of these types of disabilities, the bottom line for managers is that decision making happens best when everyone at the table comes with the right size frontal lobes... that is, a low level of negative emotions and anxiety.

Consider it.

Further reading:

http://cercor.oxfordjournals.org/content/10/3/295.short

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15251910

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/emo/7/2/336/