What Have I Done with My Life?

Any project manager who hasn’t been hiding under a rock in recent years knows about Agile Methodologies. One common way of delivering this methodology is through Scrum, where one will discover prescribed activities called “ceremonies”.  One of these ceremonies is a retrospective. This is where the delivery team meets to have a candid discussion about what was done well and what wasn’t. The objective is to find ways to improve how the team functions and produces. This ceremony helps the team finish the project with a little respect. Simple.

If only life were like Scrum. Right?

Well, it is.

A project is often defined as a temporary effort to create a unique result. Coincidently, this also accurately defines my life. I definitely am unique. I’ve been reminded all too often that I’m only temporary. And to be remembered as one who made a difference, who produced something positive, is the end game.

So, there you have it; I’m a project. Now all I need is a methodology to help me get to that glorious end. Enter Scrum.

On occasion I think back, and I think forward, and I wonder. I wonder about how I’ll complete this project that I am with a little respect. To help me out, it seems that adopting this Scrum retrospective ceremony would be worth a try. Here we go.

Part one: what have I done well?

I want to believe I’m balanced. Sometimes I’m too critical of myself. Sometimes I’m the most confident expert on my own opinion. But how could I possibly have an unbiased opinion about any good I may have done? It may be best to turn to others for their input. But don’t think you’ll get the answer here in this article. This is more about how to arrive at the answer in the title, not about me. Try not to be disappointed.

When working a project, look to the team to recognize what the team has done well together. If you frame the question in that way, you will more likely receive input that recognizes and builds upon teamwork. This is the best kind of work, in my opinion. To kick off the discussion you may offer a fill-in-the-blank statement: I think the team did well when we [did what?] which resulted in [the positive output].

You might also ask the team to recognize other individual’s good actions. But when you do this, focus on actual results, not feelings. You won’t find a feeling listed as a Statement of Work deliverable. If Johnny did something great, focus on how that great thing contributed to a positive, tangible result. This will reinforce and encourage actual behavior that produces results. The statement might be: When [person’s name] did [action] his actions resulted in (or contributed greatly to) [this deliverable for the project].

Use the same approach in your self-project. No one is an island; we’re all connected. Many, MANY people have contributed to who I am and many more will contribute to who I will become. But don’t dismiss your own contribution. Everyone contributes. Everyone counts. Be generous to yourself as well as to those who helped you along the way.

Second part: what have I done that didn’t go well?

If you’re expecting me to answer this question here, you’re aiming too high. But I will say this: a little introspection will go a long way in this retrospective exercise.

The part of me that is too critical of myself shines bright here. But let’s not get too carried away. Recognition without criticism is the way to go. Recognize the problem, examine the reasons, then formulate a corrective action for each reason. Fix the root cause and you’ve eliminated the problem.

On the project, this is a good time to de-personalize things by asking what the team did not do well. Stay focused on actual results. Rarely is one person the sole cause of a problem within a team trying to accomplish a goal. It takes a team to be successful. It takes a team to fail.

Another good piece of advice is about the approach. Identifying a problem without a potential solution is just empty criticism. A former boss would tell us not to come to him with a problem if we didn’t also suggest with a way to fix it. Take that advice. Apply it here.

A retrospective ceremony is a good time to let the guard down, be super honest, and set your purpose on finding ways to become better. Take the person out of the equation. It’s not the best time to have harsh criticism of others. Fix yourself on the behavior not the person.

It’s also a good time to do a little self-examination of your own performance. Looking inward is the best way of finding ways to improve what is outward. It’s been said, real change comes from within.

All this can be equally applied to our self-project. It’s better to think about what I can control in myself, rather than finding fault in others, of which we have little actual ability to control or change.

There you have it. A little retrospective ceremony is a great way to continually improve your team and yourself.

What have I done with my life? It’s been a process. I’ve done some good, and some not so good. But with some retrospective ceremonies it’s bound to get better.

Applying the Hawthorne Effect in Project Management

The Hawthorne Effect suggests that individuals will temporarily and generally become more productive when they know they are being observed.

One example of this is when I invite someone of influence, like a VP, to participate in a work session with my project team. Team members who normally pay less attention (read: multi-task) become visibly more attentive and alert, at least for the period this VP is present.

The original Hawthorne research concluded that productivity is strongly affected by relationships and social structure within an organization. Relationships and social structures are very complex, and so this post won’t attempt to do any type of critical analysis about how all that works. Instead, let’s look at something simple. How can a project manager use these powerful relational influences to make a project more successful? I have several suggestions.

Make assignments public and review progress in a group setting. This is a soft but direct way of creating expectations and making individual team members accountable to the entire team. If we know we’re being watched by the team and we are anticipating a public self-report on task progress, we tend to want to report positive results and to show the team that we are pulling our weight. Therefore, we tend to be more intentional about our work to accomplish that good result.

Establish and encourage individual relationships. Friends will do things for friends. It follows, then, that if there are strong personal relationships between team members, productivity could increase. When team members have personal bonds, they produce because they are doing things for each other. How do we create this? I do two things:

1) I become vulnerable. To set the example, I put myself out there. I take opportunities to talk one-on-one with team members about personal things (but not too personal), like something fun I did with a family member last weekend, or I might drop a hint about how my heart surgery has helped me better understand how to balance my time away from work. Don’t reveal everything, just say enough to tease the other person into asking questions or to encourage reciprocal vulnerability. This informs a safe space for each person and demonstrates a supporting environment. But, don’t force this type of openness, and don’t make it awkward for anyone – and please don’t break any HR rules! It should happen organically in the course of normal conversation. Understand that some people are more guarded than others, and that’s perfectly fine. I believe that it’s my job to take the first step in creating a safe and open workspace. Being a “real” person is vital to how this production machine works.

2) I encourage team members to work together one-on-one. When I have a project issue that needs to be solved and there are several people who hold key elements in the resolution, I often ask them to get on the phone or meet in person to collaborate on the solution. This shifts the responsibility and reward for solutioning and idea generation to team members. This is a powerful tool on project teams. It helps create ownership and forms a strong, supportive, and collaborative community within the team.

Take time to recognize and appreciate everyone’s work. Usually several times during each project I will send a personal note to each team member letting them know how glad I am for their contribution. This is most conveniently done when they complete a task – but it’s not the most powerful time to do this. The most powerful time is when it is spontaneous. It can be added as a side note in any other exchange. Sometimes I’ll stick in a “By the way, you’re doing great! We’re almost to the end thanks to you!” type of message. It doesn’t need to be wordy or overstated, and it shouldn’t be done so often that it loses potency. Sometimes I’ll introduce team members as my “Superstar of [fill in the blank specialty]”. These kinds of messages let each person know that you and others are watching them. Encouraging words are remembered and they help empower team members through the tougher times in a project.

The timing and the delivery of these suggestions is also important. Note that the Hawthorne Effect normally has a short lifespan. People tend to default back to their “normal” output level not long after they feel they are not being observed anymore. This means that project managers need to be mindful about when to engage various techniques that encourage stronger production.

It is also important to be watchful for signs of burnout. I like to say that the smart ones are the first ones to leave; which, will likely happen if people are made to work at maximum capacity for long periods without breaks. We don't want our best people walking.

And above all, be genuine. People become wise to fake and insincere statements or attempts at relationship building.

The next time you are looking for a little boost in production from your project team, consider ways to invoke the Hawthorne Effect.

The Multitasking Myth: How to Make More Productive Project Teams

I’ve seen many job postings and I’ve been in several interviews where a job requires the applicant to be a good multitasker. What this typically means is that there are many things going on at the same time, and the employer is expecting that person to manage many things simultaneously. The insinuation is often that a multitasker can produce more with greater efficiency than someone who is not good at multitasking.

One example may be a project manager who has many people to lead through a multitude of tasks, some running at the same time, while navigating through a maze of obstacles. So, one would think an experienced project manager should be a great multitasker, right?

I think not. I believe multitasking is the enemy of completing projects on time and on budget. I would think twice about bringing someone on the team who believes they are a good multitasker. Why? Let’s look at the evidence.

A group of scientists in Paris at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) gave a group of people two tasks to complete at the same time. The subjects were being monitored via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The activity happening in the brain while multitasking is interesting. They found that the brain essentially splits the tasks and caused the participants to forget details and make three times as many mistakes compared to when they only performed one task at a time. Another study out of the University of London found that participants while multitasking showed a significant IQ reduction, from adult norms to that of an 8-year-old child.

A deeper study recorded in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests multitasking makes us less efficient. What happens in multitasking is that the brain is constantly shifting between tasks. This process involves deciding to change the task and then activating different rule sets to accomplish the task before they start doing the new task. One example was shifting between writing and doing work in a spread sheet where the brain shifts between language rule sets and math rule sets. (University of Southern California, 2019)

A study at Stanford University supports these findings by demonstrating that multitasking is less productive than doing a single task at a time. And in studying those who thought they were great multitaskers and better performers because of it, they found that this group was even worse at performing that those who are single task performers because they had more trouble organizing thoughts and focusing on relevant information. The brain, they found, can only focus on one thing at a time to be most productive and highly successful at task completion.

And if all that isn’t bad enough news for proponents of multitasking, the University of Sussex found that high multitaskers have less brain density in the part of the brain responsible for empathy as well as cognitive and emotional control (anterior cingulate cortex). Yes, heavy multitasking seems to cause brain damage. (Bradberry, 2014)

What’s the application of all this for project managers?

If people are most productive when they are focused on one task at a time, then it would make sense for project managers to guide their project teams to be most productive by not putting them in situations where they are multitasking. We could conclude from these studies that project teams are most productive when they are single focused and single minded.

Conversely, multitasking project teams or individuals on project teams will produce exactly what we don't want to do: create lower quality work, missed deadlines, less detail and focus, and miscommunication.

Here are a few recommendations based on results of these studies:

• When running software projects, the team should stay focused on one sprint at a time.
• For other projects that use a more traditional work breakdown structure, the team should only focus on one deliverable at a time. 
• Teams should use few, even just one, tool. 
• Uninterrupted time blocks should be set aside for task completion. 
• Encourage and lead the project team in such a way that allows for and supports the idea of single concentrated efforts.

So, the next time you see any reference to multitasking in connection to a current or future job, investigate what they are meaning by this. It could just mean they are very busy and need someone to help keep them focused. But it could also mean that they falsely believe multitasking will produce more higher quality outcomes. Shy away from such uninformed organizations. It's a sign that they lack maturity.

References

Bradberry, T. (2014, October 8). Multitasking Damages Your Brain And Career, New Studies Suggest. Retrieved from Forbes: https://appliedpsychologydegree.usc.edu/blog/to-multitask-or-not-to-multitask/

University of Southern California. (2019, April 12). To Multitask or NOt to Multitask. Retrieved from USC Dornsife: https://appliedpsychologydegree.usc.edu/blog/to-multitask-or-not-to-multitask/

Projects with Mentally Ill Leaders

What kind of leader is most effective in times of big changes? It might surprise some to know that without mentally ill leaders the American Civil War, World War II, the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, most U.S. Presidential administrations, and many of the most successful and transformational businesses on the planet all may have had completely different endings without the imbalanced minds of their leaders.

Winston Churchill had recurring bouts of severe depression and suicidal behaviors. He would avoid places where it was easy for him to impulsively end it all, like railway platforms and ledges. Abraham Lincoln was also treated for his depressive and suicidal episodes. Both social activists, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, attempted suicide when they were younger and continued to have severe depression in adulthood. (Ghaemi, 2011)

General Douglas MacArthur, Jack Welch, George Soros, Ross Perot, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, Andy Grove, Barak Obama, Joseph Stalin, Donald Trump, and many others, all present symptoms of classic narcissistic personality disorder. (Maccoby, 2004) (Gilbert, 2014) Those with this disorder lack empathy. They seek admiration and believe they are superior to other people, exaggerating self-importance. They are self-centered, demanding, and manipulative. They don’t tolerate criticism well, and they don’t like to lose. When they do fail, they treat the experience as if they are injured and victimized. But don’t be fooled, under the surface they are usually fragile. Therefore, to avoid such devastating episodes, they drive themselves and the people around them to succeed at any cost. (Narcissistic Personality Disorder, 2018)

Steve Jobs (Apple) and Larry Page (Google) are two of the more modern well-known leaders with obvious traits of mania. (Browning, 2013) (Call, 2017) So many other leaders have shown signs of hypomania, which is essentially mania-light. Those with mania have at least occational manic symptoms such as bipolar disorder, heightened moods, hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, demanding assertiveness, unrealistic activities, super energy, racing thoughts, unfocused attention, short fused outbursts, they like to hear themselves talk, and they may even be hypersexual. (Farrell, 2013)  

Through all that is negative about these mental conditions, these successful leaders in times of great crisis and big change offer little attention to the negative and set their focus on the irresistible opportunity to create a new future. They discard the past as a guide to the future. They create new solutions to old problems that former ways were not able to resolve. Those who are normally weak and ineffective in calm and controlled times became strong in times of calamity and challenge. In slower times they may even manufacture chaos so they can save the day. The reason they have become leaders is because of the convincingly powerful positive attributes that come with these three mental issues. Here are a few of them:

Narcissism

·         Compelling vision

·         Attractive speech

·         Inspired followers

Mania

·         Highly creative

·         Structured, process driven thinkers

·         Increased resilience

Depression

·         Enhanced realism and clarity

·         Adaptive to a changing reality

·         Increased empathy

If the president of the board of directors is looking for a leader to make the most out of a large capital injection, the above traits are very attractive.

However, the most unfortunate downside to all of this is that leaders with these conditions are successful usually at the expense of people. Many people’s lives have been ruined and even sacrificed for the purpose of a goal at the hands of these unstable leaders.

How might this come into play as project managers? Projects by nature are disruptive. Project managers are on hand to facilitate and manage these changes. Sponsors of projects are leaders who have been authorized to champion and execute big ideas. Big projects attract those who like to succeed. This is a ripe environment for the type of leader who may not be playing with a full deck.

I’ve worked for the depressed, maniacal, and narcissistic. It’s not all bad. But it’s not all fun. And I don’t recommend seeking out projects with these kinds of leaders at the head. But sometimes the project manager will find themselves in this situation, intentional or not. It requires the project manager be familiar with the pitfalls brought on by these type of people. And it requires the project manager to understand methods for overcoming the negative impacts and tapping into the positive aspects of those leaders whom I have loosely defined as mentally ill.   

The basic tenants of these troubled personalities have been briefly outlined above. So, how does a project manager minimize the negative effects of these types of leaders while maximizing the more beneficial attributes? Here are some recommendations that may help:

Don’t Take It Personal, Just Stay Focused

Narcissists will love you or hate you; there is no middle ground. And there’s little anyone can do to fundamentally change them. So, it’s best not to fight it head-on, if for no other reason but to keep your sanity. Adjust your behavior as needed in a way that doesn’t bring unwanted attention and produces forward momentum for the project.

There will be times when the attention of the narcissist will be on you. When this person is on a tirade, Dr. Craig Malkin suggests re-directing the conversation with a simple shift of focus. Say something like this: “Thank you for the feedback. I’d like to use all our feedback to help solve our current problems and finish the project. What specific changes did you have in mind? Let's just make those changes so we can wrap this up.” If you say it sincerely, this won’t devalue the person’s input and it will steer the conversation more directly toward the primary objective. (Premack, 2018) Don’t take any attacks from these people personally, just let it slide off and focus on the project.

Embrace the Good

There will be times when you need the boss to inspire project members to follow an exciting vision, beyond what you can do as the project manager. The leader can be a great asset to bring an extra dose of inspiration and enthusiasm.

Sometimes you will need a potent voice in the discussion to help the team become more structured and process driven. The leader with mania can help with that. A leader with this “problem” can also help guide creative thinking sessions.

A leader who struggles with depression can be helpful when bringing ideas to help with burnout, because this type of person is empathetic. But you wouldn’t turn to the narcissistic leader because that person has no empathy.

Discover traits in the leader that will help the project and ask for it when you need it. They will be happy to oblige and you will gain a little respect from the leader.

Set Up the Environment for Success

There are environmental factors that can ease the troubled mind. Here are a few tips for dealing with those with manic or depressive tendencies: (Tips for Managing Bipolar Disorder at Work, 2018)

• When in situations that may cause stress, take breaks often and before you think you need them
• Encourage the team to get up and move around; walk and be as active as possible
• If you can put relaxing music in the background, do that
• Bring in nutritious food to lunch meetings; don’t encourage junk food
• Reduce distractions in your work area
• Have meetings in rooms that bring in natural light
• Work with to-do lists and check things off when completed
• Break large tasks down into smaller tasks
• Create clear, written instructions and notes
• Schedule work at the most productive time of the day; mid-morning if possible
• Reduce caffeine intake to reduce adrenaline

Detox

Those with issues tend to bring others down with them. Don’t let these toxic events erode the performance of your team. Brain studies have shown that even just a few days of stress will compromise brain function, reducing the effectiveness of neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is responsible for reasoning and memory. When 90% of those who are top performers are ones who can remain calm with controlled emotions during times of stress, it is important for the project manager to be the example and to help others do the same. Here are a few ways this is accomplished: (Bradberry, 2015)

• Set limits with the complainers; be sympathetic but don’t get sucked into their negative emotional world
• Live to fight another day; check your emotions when facing a toxic foe; save your fight for something more worthy
• Distance yourself emotionally; just stick to the facts; don’t feed the monster
• Toxic people are not yours to fix; own your problems, not theirs
• Rise above it; consciously and proactively set boundaries and limit engagements
• Be the master of your own happiness; you are never as good or bad as anyone else thinks
• Focus on solutions, not problems
• Forgive; let go of what happened but guard yourself against repeat offenders
• Surround yourself with supporters of good

Summary

Projects are difficult enough without crazy people. But, as long as we have them, we might as well take them at their best. Over the past 20 years of managing projects I can honestly say that not one person had no value, even the most difficult. I can always find a way for everyone to have a positive contribution. All of the positive attributes that troubled leaders bring are the reason they are the leader. Respect that. They can be a great asset to project teams; they can contribute to overwhelming success. Recognize the positive and use it to the greatest extent possible. This is the mandate of the project manager. But also recognize and respect the negative aspects of their dispositions. Learn how to reign it all in and redirect the focus. Manage the good and the bad.

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Bibliography

Bradberry, T. (2015, March 17). 12 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People. Retrieved from Entrepreneur: https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/299696

Browning, G. (2013, May 16). Why Steve Jobs' Exactitude Mattered as Much as His Vision. Retrieved from Inc: https://www.inc.com/geil-browning/leadership-communication-structured-thinking.html

Call, K. (2017, February 22). Broken Pedestals: The Dark Sides of 5 Popular CEOs. Retrieved from Business.com: https://www.business.com/articles/broken-pedestals-the-dark-sides-of-5-popular-ceos/

Farrell, H. M. (2013, March 9). March Madness: 7 Signs of Hypomania. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/frontpage-forensics/201303/march-madness-7-signs-hypomania

Ghaemi, N. (2011, July 30). Depression in Command. Retrieved from The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111904800304576474451102761640

Gilbert, R. (2014). Douglas MacArthur: Disordered Narcissist. Constructing the Past, 15(1). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/constructing/vol15/iss1/5

Maccoby, M. (2004, January). Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons. Retrieved from Harvard Buisness Review: https://hbr.org/2004/01/narcissistic-leaders-the-incredible-pros-the-inevitable-cons

Narcissistic Personality Disorder. (2018, March 6). Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder

Premack, R. (2018, August 7). 7 signs you may be dealing with a narcissistic coworker or boss — and how to deal with them. Retrieved from Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/narcissist-at-work-narcissistic-coworker-2018-8

Tips for Managing Bipolar Disorder at Work. (2018, September 23). Retrieved from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/managing-bipolar-disorder-at-work-job-performance-tips#1