Empowering Teams in the Midst of Constant Change

This is a quick one - I’m feeling rather “momma bear”.

As project managers, one of our most important roles is to protect and empower our teams. But what happens when priorities shift constantly, expectations arrive after-hours, and processes are regularly bypassed? These conditions are more than just "challenging"—they can create burnout, impact productivity, and erode the trust and engagement we've worked so hard to build.

Over the past months, I've seen my team juggle evolving requests, late-night emails, and disruptions that pull them away from their focus time. These aren’t just “inconveniences.” They’re symptoms of a broader issue: when the urgency of individual priorities supersedes the collective goals we’re working toward, everyone suffers.

Here’s what I'm doing to protect my team:

1. **Setting Boundaries Together:** We've established clear "focus hours" during which our team members can work without interruption, encouraging others to use a single team inbox to prevent daily email distractions. I've given them permission to only answer emails at set times each day.

2. **Communication Expectations:** A well-timed request can make all the difference. I'm advocating for requests to go through our intake process, respecting the time and efforts we commit to each project.

3. **Transparency and Advocacy:** I’m tracking the impact of “urgent” interruptions on our progress and sharing these insights during sprint reviews. Numbers speak, and I hope this helps leadership understand the cumulative effects. If I can't control it, the best I can do is measure it.

For anyone in leadership roles: protecting your team's mental space isn’t just “nice to have”; it’s critical to sustainable productivity and long-term success. Let’s all commit to respecting these boundaries so our teams can do what they do best—without unnecessary burnout.