Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

One measure of project stress is the means to which you go to hide from people so that they cannot bring you bad news.

I used to hide in the men’s room. Actually, I had to go into a stall, close the door, and sit on the toilet in the men’s room. This was ten years ago. In many ways, this was the worst project in my life. In many ways, this was also the most educational project in my life, but that is another post for another day.

Needless to say, this was a bad project with lots of stress. If I went for a walk in the hallway, someone would find me and give me more bad news about the project. If I went to the cafeteria and sat in a corner, someone would find me and give me more bad news about the project. If I went outside and stood in the sun on a hot day, someone would find me and give me more bad news about the project.

The stall in the men’s room was the only place to hide. No one ever knocked on the stall door and said, “Dwayne, I just spoke to so-and-so and he has some bad news.”

Hence, here is a measure of project stress:

Where do you go to hide from more bad news?

Think about it.