I know it’s a cheesy title, but it’s true – a small shift in how we view struggles that come up on our projects can go a long way to making the job more sustainable.
So let’s start with a reality check
There’s something we don’t talk about enough: project management in the climate and nature sector is a uniquely demanding, high burnout risk job. Yes you get to do inspiring world-changing work AND as you know well, this can come at a cost.
The role of project management on its own is high burnout risk. But the challenge and stress you experience layers up when you add to that working in an overstretched and ambitious organisation, in a sector that’s increasingly demanding and in demand.
You do the work of three people
Meaningful support is hard to come by
Your boss is more stretched and stressed than you
The weight of project success or failure sits heavily on your shoulders
This combination of a high demand, high responsibility and low support job results in things being stretching and stressful a lot of the time.
Pointing the wrong way
When we experience chronic stress like this, and find work perpetually challenging, it can be understandable to conclude: “oh I’m the constant here”.
This conclusion only gets fueled by the project management profession’s understandable but often unhelpful focus on qualifications being a marker of project management quality and capability. Yes training is undeniably helpful, and training doesn’t make the inherent challenges of project management disappear.
You may be left thinking: “If I had more qualifications or if I were a better project manager, then all this would be easier.”
Of course we will always have stuff we can be better at. And it’s essential you don’t point the finger at yourself too readily when you’re struggling.
Why this matters
If we are overly focussed on our pitfalls and weaknesses as we go about managing a project, it can make a tough job even harder. This focus on self can lead you to second-guess your decisions and approaches; try to compensate for challenges by working harder or for longer hours; and attempt to sort out issues in isolation, keeping things to yourself. We decide the answer lies in our response.
All of these approaches add to the stresses and strains of your work day, and over time can make things unsustainable and exhausting. What’s more, they can become second nature ways of working – you may not even realise you’re doing them.
From what’s wrong with me, to what’s this pointing to?
So let’s consider a different way of looking at struggles that will serve you better in the short and long term.
A small but significant shift when you are struggling is to focus your attention on what the struggles are pointing to instead – the things that aren’t about us. This might be your context, something unique about your project, something challenging about your boss, organisation or project. There’s lots to consider that doesn’t point at you first.
Of course, things can be tough for a number of reasons, and this can be hard to disentangle. But we can start with looking at these things first – then consider how we’re responding.
With this approach struggles now point to things that need to change, whether that’s unacceptable demands, problems that need to be talked about, or a new direction being possible. They are the things that need attention.
You’re not the problem
When we move away from blaming ourselves as our go-to approach to challenges that crop up, a lot of things can shift. We can raise issues directly. Resolve the causes of problems. Ask for support and help more readily. All things that alleviate stress and strain.
So when you next feel you’re struggling, take a moment to pause and map out the things that are contributing to things feeling hard. Instead of asking “what’s wrong with me?” try “what’s this pointing to?” first. Yes, you have role and responsibility in the mix – how you respond matters – but it’s only part of the picture.
You are, after all, a person – doing a uniquely demanding job, in a demanding organisation and sector. Being realistic about the cause of challenges and struggles is a very good step towards making your tough job that bit more sustainable.
