When the Project Is on Fire and You’re Saying, “This Is Fine”

You’ve seen the meme: the dog sitting calmly in a burning room, sipping coffee, saying, “This is fine,” while chaos erupts around him. It’s a funny, relatable image, especially for project managers and teams juggling timelines, clients, and shifting priorities. But the humor masks a deeper truth about human behavior that often shows up in our work. Let’s explore the two key biases that lead to this “This Is Fine” scenario and what you can learn from them.

1. Normalcy Bias: Pretending the Fire Isn’t Real

Normalcy bias is our brain’s way of coping with crises by underestimating the severity of the situation. It’s a form of denial, where we convince ourselves that things are fine—even when everything around us is falling apart. As a project manager, normalcy bias can manifest as ignoring delays, scope creep, or misaligned expectations. You may find yourself thinking, “This is just a small bump,” or “We’ve handled worse before; this will pass.”

In the context of the meme, the project manager (the dog) stays calm even as the project (the burning room) descends into chaos. Instead of addressing the fires—missed deadlines, overworked teams, or client demands—the manager continues with the same plan, hoping it’ll magically work out.

Lesson: When you feel the urge to brush off a growing problem, pause and reassess. Is it really “fine,” or are you experiencing normalcy bias? Recognizing this bias can help you confront problems head-on before they spiral out of control.

2. Acquiescence Bias: The “Yes” That’s Fueling the Fire

Acquiescence bias, or the “yes syndrome,” is the tendency to say “yes” to every client request, even when you know it will hurt the project. In the burning room meme, this bias is represented by the client adding features mid-project while the timeline slips. The project manager, instead of pushing back, keeps nodding along, saying, “Sure, we can add that,” even though it’s making the situation worse.

The desire to please the client often outweighs the need for proper project boundaries. Project managers might fear damaging the relationship or losing future business, so they keep agreeing to new requests. However, this constant “yes” attitude without evaluating the impact is like throwing gasoline on the fire. The project timeline burns up, the team becomes overwhelmed, and the end result suffers.

Lesson: Practice saying “no” or “let’s discuss how this will impact the timeline.” It’s okay to set boundaries with clients. In fact, it often earns respect when you advocate for the project’s success by protecting its scope and timeline.

Next Time You See the Meme…

The next time you’re tempted to shrug off a growing project problem or keep adding features despite slipping deadlines, remember the dog in the burning room. Ask yourself: Am I ignoring an issue because of normalcy bias? Or am I saying “yes” to a request that’s only going to make things worse? The meme will serve as a mental trigger—a quick reminder to avoid these traps, face the fire, and bring your project back under control.

By understanding these two common biases, you can avoid the chaos and keep your projects on track.