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In 1973, a holdup in a Stockholm bank took an
unexpected turn for the worst and an escaped inmate ended up taking three women
and one man hostage. Despite their fear and suffering, the victims ended up
bonding with their hostage-taker during the six days they were held. Once
released, the hostages stood in front of their captor to protect him. One even
embarked on a love affair with him. This event led to the term “Stockholm
Syndrome.”
When a project takes project managers hostage…
In recent weeks, I’ve been working on a project audit
for a major company. Audits are often a final resort for organizations whose
projects are not going well and who need to find a way to get back on track.
One of the things I noticed during this audit (and in several previous audits)
is that the project manager had completely lost perspective and the ability to
see things clearly.
In fact, the project manager had become the project.
He had been taken hostage by it! These are the telltale symptoms:
1.
The project manager
becomes very aggressive when the project is criticized even slightly.
2.
The project manager
takes total responsibility for the project’s problems and refuses to seek
assistance.
3.
An impossible
assumption is made: The project is facing huge problems, but we’ll get past
them with just a little more time. The project manager has lost the ability to
see the situation for what it is and is living in a world of fantasy.
4.
The project manager
suffers from stress-related problems, including anxiety and sleep disruption.
5.
Relationships
between team members deteriorate and working ceases to be enjoyable.
How does a project manager get to this point?
-
Project too complex
for the project manager’s experience.
-
Lack of support
from management. No decisions are made and the situation is allowed to spiral
out of control. There is no concrete vision for the project.
-
Poor working
relationships within the project. Conflicts were not dealt with in a timely
matter and things have escalated to the point of putting the project at risk.
Once a project manager is struck with Stockholm
syndrome, it’s too late. The only way to get the project back on track is to
change project managers.
How to
prevent Stockholm syndrome?
-
Project managers
should try not to lose perspective, especially on their own actions.
-
Project managers
should have a clear vision of the project. Don’t kid yourself; if your project
is in the red, actions need to be taken. Be proactive.
-
Project managers
should seek assistance and share your problems with all their levers (project
office, coach, executives, etc.)
-
