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People claim visible and invisible territories for themselves. Those who violate these boundaries are perceived as unpleasant or even threatening. These – often unintentional – territorial violations repeatedly lead to serious conflicts or disruptive friction in project work. A certain sensitivity to the territorial claims of our fellow human beings is therefore advantageous.
As a child, I had a cat named Mucki. She wasn't particularly big, but quite clever. One day, a man walked past our property with a large, unleashed hunting dog. The driveway gate was open, and the curious dog took the opportunity to wander onto our property. There, unbeknownst to the dog, sat the cat, her fur already standing on end. I expected that as soon as the dog noticed the cat, it would do what dogs often do to cats, and that the cat, in a wise move, would seek refuge in a tree. But I was wrong. The cat attacked the startled dog like a fury, giving it a few swipes with her claws. The dog fled our property—and I had received a great lesson in territorial violations: they can lead to unexpected and violent reactions, and the stronger one doesn't always win.
Okay, nice story, but what does it have to do with projects? I'm not going to compare project managers to cats and their bosses to dogs, or vice versa, because I don't know what invisible boundaries I might be crossing and who would then retaliate. In any case, projects and cat territories have one thing in common: violating boundaries has consequences. Unfortunately, territorial boundaries aren't so clearly marked by fences, hedges, or gates.
The classic example of a project territorial violation is the boss interfering in the project without the project manager's input. It might look something like this: The project client knows the CEO of the company carrying out the project. They have a change request or a complaint and use their relationship to exert influence and pressure. The CEO promises to personally look into the matter. The client feels flattered. So far, so good.
But now comes the point where outward flattery can turn into a crash landing inside. The managing director strides confidently into the project team and, without consulting the responsible project manager, gives the project staff instructions on what to do. He can do this because he is the managing director. This is his company, and these are his employees. Whether it's wise to use his position of power in this way is another matter entirely.
Let's consider how this approach is perceived by employees – especially if it happens repeatedly. Project team members are uncertain. They might ask themselves questions like: Who exactly is the project manager? When does the project manager lead the project, and when is it the CEO's responsibility? Who do I turn to if things get critical or if important decisions need to be made?
The hampered project manager faces very similar questions. Roles and responsibilities are no longer clearly defined. The project manager might also interpret the boss's intervention as: "He doesn't trust me, or he doesn't trust me to handle this." Not exactly motivating. For example, there's a risk that the project manager will perceive this encroachment on their territory as a breach of loyalty and retaliate in kind: "What did the boss do? He has no clue!" Or the project manager might abandon their territory and thus their willingness to take responsibility for it. "If he wants to manage the project himself, fine. Then I'll shirk responsibility wherever possible." This is known as quiet quitting. Another option would be to counter this perceived loss of trust with an actual resignation.
Dear managers and project leaders, such situations can always arise in the heat of a project and under customer pressure. To prevent the destructive reactions mentioned above from even being considered, boundary violations should be addressed promptly. And it should be ensured that they do not happen again. For example, it should be clarified under what conditions higher management is permitted to intervene in the project.
Important: The reasons should be very compelling and plausible to all involved. For example, acute emergencies requiring a very quick response and the project manager being unavailable for whatever reason. It should be clear that this is an exception.
Unfortunately, even minor breaches of personal boundaries occur in companies, which, in their cumulative effect, can be the last straw. This includes the unauthorized use of colleagues' or employees' equipment. Even if the company provides this equipment, we feel responsible for it, and it feels like it belongs to us (which is how it should be). Another unacceptable behavior is the inconsiderate encroachment on others' time, essentially trespassing on their personal territory. We should assume that people aren't just sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for someone to come along and give their seemingly useless existence meaning. Anyone who simply barges into an office, disturbs people at work, or forces them to drop everything to attend to their own urgent matter should have a valid reason. Otherwise, this behavior demonstrates a lack of respect for people and their work. A polite inquiry about whether it's a convenient time isn't too much to ask. Particularly unpleasant is the violation of personal boundaries and privacy. Examples include sitting on a colleague's or employee's desk, maintaining a physical distance of less than an arm's length, inappropriate physical contact, or verbal transgressions such as questionable jokes and innuendo.
Leaders should be particularly sensitive to territorial needs and demands. This form of appreciation is perceived as especially positive for them because they have the power to manage (at least for a while) even without a strong sense of territory. After all, respect and esteem are based on reciprocity.
Conversely, it's also important to protect your own territory, for example, by the project manager seeking dialogue with managers who interfere in the project, or by the manager clearly defining the project manager's authority and responding appropriately to boundary violations. Whether you're a boss, project manager, or employee: Have the courage to make territorial relationships visible, both literally and figuratively, in order to find a common modus vivendi. In Bavaria, we say so aptly: "There are always two of them: one who does it and one who lets it happen.".
If you would like a translation of this wisdom, simply send me an email to info@systemisches-projektmanagement.info. I will gladly send you further information and also look forward to your suggestions and comments.
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
