As we embark on our personal or work projects, how about we first test our resilience?
Resilience (figurative): moral strength; the quality of someone who is not discouraged, does not let himself or herself be defeated. (Lélia Maurois).
Successfully bringing a project to fruition depends to a large extent on the energy devoted to it by the project manager. A project, by its very nature, implies change. This could be a personal project, such as a carefully planned holiday, or a business-related project, such as organising a party to celebrate a company’s fifth birthday. Either way, change is in store.
As project manager, expect resistance and be prepared to invest time and energy to overcome this kind of hurdle. If it were all plain sailing, a project manager would not be needed. At the same time, resistance can also be seen in a positive light. If we believe in a particular project, if we are enthusiastic about it, facing hurdles will only heighten our determination. Each time someone says “but”, we should answer, “I agree and at the same time…”, at which point we should lay out our reasons for moving ahead, stating why we believe it to be possible. In the process, we will also heighten our own motivation.
I’m not saying it will always be easy. We all have off-days. At the same time, the levers are within everyone’s reach. If we want to break through into being an effective project manager, we must be able to ‘hang on in there’. Don’t expect every day to be easy. What has helped me for a long time is the habit suggested by Stephen Covey,[i] namely “Begin with the end in mind”. During times of discouragement, when I say to myself, “If I could find an easier job, life would be so much better”, I think of this habit that I have developed. I ask, “What is my goal”. What are we trying to achieve through this project?” and usually – often after a good night’s sleep – I regain my motivation and find myself back in a place where I can think about how to convey my motivation to others, in pursuit of this goal.
If you stay within your comfort zone, you won't progress. If you're a project manager, I bet you're not the type to settle for less. Then go for it. Ask yourself “What can I do?”. Then do it.
Et vous, qu'en pensez-vous ? Avez-vous des expériences similaires ou différentes ? Faites-moi en part, je serai ravie d'en discuter avec vous!
[i] The 7 habitls of highly effective people, Stephen R. Covey
lArtwork : Mélanie Bénard Tremblay, 2019, © Marakoudja.