It is late at night on a weekend when a team member calls the project manager on the telephone. The team member is crying about the pressures of an upcoming deadline. What should the project manager…

While organizational policies are important, the immediate priority in an emotional crisis is to provide human support and understanding, not to consult formal documentation.

The immediate and most humane response to a team member in distress is to show empathy and acknowledge their feelings. After providing immediate support, the project manager should collaboratively discuss the situation to understand the root cause of the pressure and identify constructive solutions to alleviate it.

Asking a distressed team member to formalize their concerns in writing is dismissive of their current emotional state and can exacerbate their feelings of isolation and lack of support.

Delaying the discussion until the next workday fails to address an urgent emotional situation that requires immediate attention and support, especially given the late-night timing of the call.