Issues are Like Snow Banks – They Don’t Melt

By Vicki Wrona, PMP:

It’s that time of year. The sun is coming out, we are now entering spring and many parts of the world which have experienced heavy snow storms this winter are starting to unthaw. Have you ever noticed how in the spring, snow piles can withstand warm sunny days and still be there? They last much longer than it seems they should. I notice this mostly in store parking lots, especially grocery stores.

These piles can be found in our teams. If we have issues or concerns or negative feelings that we allow to pile up rather than address, even when we pass that dark time and begin to see the sun and summer skies, those negative emotions can still be harbored by some. The effect can linger and show itself in other ways much later.

That is why we’re sometimes surprised by people’s actions or reactions to something minor. They may not be reacting to that minor issue or statement at all, but the lingering effects of things since passed – their personal snow pile. For every reaction, it is a good idea to try to question what is REALLY driving that reaction and get to the root of the problem. Don’t compound the problem or negative emotion by reacting yourself and escalating the emotion, but instead calmly question whether that person is really reacting to the minor issue at hand or to something deeper. This moment of reflection and hesitation in emotional reaction can, in itself, save an issue from escalating unnecessarily.