Being the expert in your project can make you MORE STRESSED, not less!

Hi there,

Many people end up managing their first projects in an area where they are the  Subject Matter Expert.

You know the area. 

You understand the process. 

You’ve been working in the role for a while.

So when a project comes along, it makes sense that you are asked to take a lead on it.

You are now an SME Project Manager.

You’re doing two things at once. You’re responsible for:

• doing the project work, and

• managing the project.

  
  

Dangerous!

Project management and doing the project work require different kinds of attention. 

When you’re deeply involved in the work, it becomes difficult to step back and do the things a project manager needs to do: 

• Prioritising

• Communicating

• Managing Stakeholders

• Spotting and mitigating risks

• Making sure the right decisions are being made

  
  
  
  

I’ve seen many SME Project Managers become the most stressed and overworked people on the project.

If you focus on the work, important project management activities get missed.

If you focus on managing the project, the work you’re personally responsible for likely starts to slip.

Finding a balance between the two is very difficult.

In practice, there are three options:

1. Be the project manager, but don’t do the project tasks.

   
   

2. Be the subject matter expert, but don’t take responsibility for overall delivery.

   
   

3. Try to do everything.

   
   
   
   

That third option can sometimes work on very small projects, but it’s exhausting and rarely sustainable.

If you find yourself in this situation, the answer isn’t to work harder. In my experience, it usually means having a difficult conversation about roles, expectations, and responsibilities.

• Build capability in your team to do more of the work.
  

Or

• Be clear that you won’t be giving the project updates and managing the stakeholders and get someone else to think about those.

  
  

This is not an easy conversation to have, and it might take time (months not days)  but in the long-run the project is more likely to be successful and you are less likely to burn out. 

Whatever is happening in your organisation, and whatever role you are in today, there are simple tips and techniques that will help your project be successful.

Adding even a small amount of Structure & Transparency will nearly always make things better, and many of the most effective techniques are incredibly easy when you know how.

Here’s to low-stress success,

James

(P.S. I’m running a course entitled “Project Management for Non-Project Managers” at the Irish Management Institute on the 4th /5th March - If your organisation is a member of the IMI, this might be a great way to get onto my training with a minimum of admin!!!

https://www.imi.ie/product/project-management-for-non-project-managers/)