When all else fails

Haven't you ever sent up a quick prayer to heaven when things got really tight in a project, even if you're not a devout churchgoer or rosary worshipper? Do you have a talisman, a lucky hat, or a success tie that you cling to in important situations? I confess: I, the (mostly) rationally thinking Peter Siwon, believe in such hocus-pocus. And not without good reason, as you'll soon read.

When all else fails, we resort to the oldest tricks of human hope: We place our trust in a talisman, invoke higher powers, or perform other ritual acts. There's an amusing anecdote about the famous physicist Niels Bohr. In it, he answered a colleague's question about why he had nailed a horseshoe above his door: "I don't believe in it, but it works!" With that, the clever physicist, just as with his atomic model, hit the nail on the head.

The skeptic boldly objects at this point that many rituals persist even though the reason for their creation no longer exists. Their value may lie solely in their connection to a great success or the charisma of their originators. In everyday life, this nostalgia has its charm. In project work, however, it is a waste of time and money.

However, one should be cautious about jumping to conclusions. Aside from supernatural effects, which have so far eluded my perception, rituals also have a demonstrable effect. Rituals have the advantage of sparing us the need for thought, which is often blocked under intense stress. They thus offer a familiar outlet for the inner urge to act that we feel under stress. They suggest the security of reducing the risk of acting incorrectly or being accused of wrongdoing. They counteract stress symptoms and increase the likelihood that we will resume a sensible course of action. In this way, even ineffective measures can have an impact on the project's objective.

Doctors call this the placebo effect. Many experiments have shown that this effect is not imaginary, but actually has a positive influence on our physical and mental well-being.

Every team athlete knows that ritualistic actions are beneficial, such as a shared battle cry while the players form a close circle. The feeling of togetherness expressed through this ritual also has a positive influence on our hormonal balance. It fosters trust (which is also related to hormones) and counteracts stress symptoms.

Do you believe that professional athletes, who have a whole staff of highly paid coaches and psychologists, would perform these rituals if they were ineffective? I admit that this type of ritual is rather rare in projects, but even here we shouldn't underestimate the benefits of rituals that symbolize togetherness. People need shared rituals because they strengthen team cohesion and the mental well-being of each individual.

Rituals are very important to us, even if we wouldn't describe many of our behaviors as such. Even actions, methods, processes, or procedures in projects can become rituals. What's wrong with elevating a proven process to a "success process" or a "happy process"?

Elevating processes to the status of rituals certainly has its advantages, as they then project greater authority. However, this also brings the disadvantage of hindering the application of pure pragmatism. They provide us with support, but they may also prevent us from exploring new paths. Therefore, it's wise to continually question the origins of rituals. "That's how it's always been done," "We do it because of experience (but we don't know what kind)," or "The boss likes it that way." If the answers are similar, then it's high time to get to the bottom of things. The ideal ritual provides support and guidance without being restrictive.

When critically examining the benefits of rituals, we shouldn't focus too narrowly on factors like time and money. Statements such as "It makes me feel safer" or "It simply makes us feel good" point to positive placebo effects. Their impact in terms of stress reduction, sense of belonging, confidence, optimism, etc., should by no means be underestimated.

It is therefore highly questionable when, for example, rituals of mutual appreciation, such as friendly greetings in the morning or celebrating successes together, are sacrificed to the dictates of effectiveness.

I look forward to your suggestions below. denkanstoss@microconsult.de

Further information

Training & coaching
MicroConsult Training & Coaching on project management

MicroConsult training and coaching - overview

Food for thought:
Column by Peter Siwon about the human side of project work

Peter Siwon: Systemic project management