Change with Confidence: Answers to the 50 Biggest Questions that Keep Change Leaders Up at Night

Chapter 33

How Do I Keep the Project Team Energized?

The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.

—John Dewey

Change projects can be exhausting. Managing tight timelines, increased workloads, and navigating through challenges can drain team members. It is important to keep them motivated and energized so they maintain a whatever-it-takes attitude while avoiding burnout.Big change projects tend to exact more emotional strain than nonproject roles. There is constant pressure to drive forward on a difficult course that is heavily monitored. Many tasks, if delayed, cause other teams to fall behind, creating a steam-cooker environment where each mistake or missed deadline can threaten the entire project. In such pressurized environments ...