by Not every project is about launching the next big innovation or driving sweeping digital transformation. Sometimes, it’s about something more fundamental – getting through the day and helping your team stay afloat in a challenging project environment filled with shifting priorities, unclear direction, and constant pressure.
As an interim project manager leading a cross-functional initiative, one experience brought to mind a phrase that perfectly captured the spirit of the assignment:
“I’m here to cross the swamp, not fight all the alligators.”
This wasn’t a textbook project. It was a drawn-out grind that left you drained before noon and questioning your role by dinner. Every task felt like a weight, like dragging stones through quicksand with no clear direction forward.
Navigating a Challenging Project Environment
From the outset, I found myself knee-deep in political and emotional complexities. The unit head appeared to struggle with fully trusting the team, perhaps shaped by past negative experiences that made them more inclined to seek control over every detail. This need for oversight showed up through frequent micromanagement, side comments, and open criticism during meetings, often right there on MS Teams. Some team members were called out publicly, with little care for discretion.
That kind of behavior doesn’t just sting in the moment, it slowly erodes morale. Over time, collaboration became fragile. Psychological safety gave way to second-guessing and quiet disengagement.
To make things more difficult, priorities shifted almost daily. One moment we had a clear focus; the next, a new fire had us scrambling. There wasn’t just a lack of clarity. We had no real strategy to anchor ourselves to. Instead of managing change, we were reacting to it.
We were stuck in a cycle of constant firefighting. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever led through that kind of chaos, you know how fast burnout sets in. Keep reading – there is a way through the swamp.
And yet, somehow, that shared struggle brought the team closer. We leaned on one another, shared quick laughs, and looked out for each other. That quiet, consistent camaraderie became our lifeline and the real reason progress happened at all.
Systemic Challenges Beyond the Team
Of course, it wasn’t just a team issue. Across the organization, silos were the norm. Business units operated in isolation. Communication was inconsistent, and alignment only happened when the fallout risked affecting others. As for IT governance? PMs often had to carve out their own path just to keep things moving.
And yet, I stayed – longer than originally planned. Not for accolades or visibility, but to hand things over properly, to offer encouragement and practical suggestions to the team I’d be leaving behind, and to cross the swamp with a sense of closure and integrity.
Lessons from the Swamp: How We Made It Through
1. Focus on What You Can Control
Every day brought new challenges, but we stopped trying to fix everything. We focused on what was within our reach. If something was out of our hands, like executive curveballs or structural gaps, we acknowledged it, adjusted, and moved on.
📌 Stop wasting energy on what you can’t control and double down on what you can.
2. Lean on Your Team
When top-down support was minimal, horizontal trust carried us through. Whether it was covering for a teammate or simply offering encouragement, mutual support made the day-to-day more bearable.
📌 Build trust sideways when upward support is lacking.
3. Celebrate Micro-Wins
Big victories were rare. So we celebrated the small ones: hitting a milestone, clearing a blocker, or surviving a tough meeting with our heads held high.
📌 Micro-wins gave us momentum and reminded us that progress was still happening.
4. Protect Boundaries
With a workaholic manager, there was always pressure to do more. But we quietly set boundaries, respecting our time, logging off on schedule, and blocking out focus hours when needed.
📌You can’t do your best work if you’re constantly running on empty.
5. Keep a Sense of Humor
Some days, humor was the only thing keeping us sane. A well-placed meme or light-hearted moment helped defuse tension and reminded us we still had some control, at least over our mindset.
📌 Sometimes, a good laugh is your best defense.
Final Thought: Not Every Project Is a Battle You Have to Win
Some projects won’t end with fanfare. Some don’t make great portfolio pieces.
And that’s okay.
Not every swamp needs draining. Sometimes, it’s enough to cross it—steadier, wiser, and more self-aware than when you entered.
Have You Crossed a Swamp, Too?
If you’ve ever led a project that felt more like a test of resilience than a showcase of success, you’re not alone. We don’t talk enough about the messy, unpredictable, emotionally draining side of project delivery but those experiences often shape us the most.
What’s your swamp story?
How did you navigate it? What helped you stay afloat?
💬 Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or tag a fellow PM who’s been through the trenches. Let’s talk about the real side of project management, the part they don’t always teach in training.
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