Projects involving multiple players and stakeholders with potentially conflicting perspectives can be full of landmines and loud, costly disagreements. As a leader, there is a fair amount that you can do to reduce those potential problems. In this post, Pete offers a simple – but not necessarily easy – method to put into practice, when the ship is starting to rock.
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Working as part of a project team can be a very emotional experience. There are often moments when other people see things differently than you do, and those differences can quickly create tension. It’s easy to become defensive when someone believes you made a mistake. That reaction, though natural, tends to increase the emotional temperature and raise the volume of the conversation.
When you find yourself in a situation like that, try something conceptually simple but not necessarily easy: stay quiet and listen. Listen carefully to what the other person is saying. They may not be as extreme or accusatory as you imagine. Pay attention to their words, their tone, and what they might be feeling. Instead of rushing to defend your perspective, focus first on understanding theirs.
Before you share your point of view, communicate back what you’ve heard. Reflect their words as accurately as possible, and acknowledge their emotions without labeling or exaggerating them. This kind of empathetic listening can lower the temperature of a tense moment and often keeps it from escalating at all.
Try to see the situation from their perspective and let them know you understand. Once they feel heard, your response will land much more effectively. This approach builds trust, shows emotional intelligence, and helps maintain positive communication in even the most challenging project team dynamics.
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