Book Review: Subject - Project Management Skills Development

Title: Managing Stress on the Project Team
Author: Lou Russell
Publisher Multi-Media Publications Inc. - www.mmpubs.com
ISBN: 1-895186-41-2

Have you ever tried something for the very first time and instantly fallen in love with it? I did, recently: I discovered the joy of books in CD-form. I'm not sure why the idea of listening to a book while driving had never appealed to me before. After all, for an obsessive multi-tasker like me, it's the ultimate "two-four". (I'm not talking about a 24 of beer here; I'm talking about doing something that gets you two things for the price of one.) I talk for a living so listening to others do the talking while I'm driving is fun, and it gives me the opportunity to compare my style to theirs.

Lou Russell's CD, Managing Stress on the Project Team, is a must-hear for project managers, team leaders and members on a project team. We all know that stress is a fact of life. We all know that people deal with stress differently. We all know that we can minimize the negative effect stress can have on our lives by exercising and dieting properly. Russell puts a nifty spin on stress. She talks about ways that companies, and project managers in particular, create stress. (There is some reverse psychology at work here.) What are the stressors that are contributing to stress in your company? What are you doing as a project manager or team member to create stress for other people on your team?

Russell understands that some stress in our lives can be beneficial. Without stress, we wouldn't be motivated to try something different. Russell contends that most companies are "vision-free" and are stuck in survivor mode, which tends to create stress. After all, how motivated are you going to be to go to work every morning saying to yourself, 'what do I need to do today to survive?' Stress forces us to innovate and create - which helps energize us, and which translates into feeling less stressed because we're feeling good about ourselves (and feeling good about ourselves and having a sense of accomplishment is a great de-stressor).

Listening to Lou Russell on CD made me feel like I was part of the audience. I found it both entertaining and informative. The bonus for me was getting her take on how the different behavioural styles deal with stress. I am a behaviouralist by training and use DISC®- based educational materials in all of my behavioural-focused learning programs and customized workshops. So I could relate to what Russell was saying when she talked about Dominant, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientious behavioural styles, and how these styles act and interact with people and react to stress differently.

The only downside to the CD was that it didn't include a booklet outlining the key points that Russell talks about during her presentation. I had to listen to the CD three or four times and take notes. That's not necessarily a bad thing, although you can't very well take notes while driving so it's helpful to have a written record of the points being made, for easy reference later.

If you haven't yet tried listening to a book, this is a great CD to start with. I promise it's the perfect 2-4 for today's fast-paced, ever-changing, helter-skelter world we work in.