Pressure creates diamonds, we all know this and it is a common analogy to describe the making of greatness. In leadership we think that pressure will make you thrive, confront challenges and when you emerge you will be a better version of yourself, a shining gem. I have known many leaders and have in fact been one myself that relish high stakes, high pressure environments. I have heard myself say “I work best under pressure”. The pressure of deadlines, performance outcomes and delivering public services can make you think outside of the box, pull together great solutions and deliver valuable outcomes for the community. Incorrectly applied, it can also make you veer from your authentic self, create animosity and when prolonged can result in burnout.
It is also true, that diamonds are only created under the right conditions. Not every rock becomes a precious gem! Time, consistency and help from the surrounding environment are the key ingredients to success. The optimum conditions for diamond formation in nature are extremely rare, and I believe this to be also true in healthcare leadership.
Some years ago, during COVID faced with overwhelming demand for services and unprecedented volumes of sick people needing hospitlisation I embarked on a project to rapidly commission a new clinical area. No different to the rest of Australia, we were working in the midst of a workforce crisis, strict quarantine laws, supply chain disruptions and trade shortages. Even considering the task ahead on top of the pressure we were already working under should have been madness; but we committed anyway.
Lesson one – People have tremendous capacity to stretch themselves when the intention is good. Despite the very real possibility of failure, every person I dragooned to help rolled up their sleeves and proceeded with gusto.
Lesson two – When the right people with the right skills are supported and allowed to do their jobs, success is easy. I handpicked the team because I knew what pieces of the puzzle they could solve and let them get on with the job.
Lesson three – Negotiate not dictate. Perfection does not need to get in the way of achievement. We negotiated deadlines and processes. We pivoted our plans many, many times to fit the brief and we ruffled a few feathers along the way. But we remained fixed on the end result we wanted and compromised when needed.
In the end we admitted our first patient on time, created a safe place for vulnerable people and all remained on speaking terms (probably the greatest achievement in hindsight)! The main lesson I learnt though, watching this project unfold was finding the balance between maintaining a constant pressure, keeping the reins tight and holding the team steady when things got tough. This consistency and support absolutely delivered diamonds, who continue to shine to this day.
Conversely, I have too many stories about leaders pushing pressure onto people without supporting them which has led to mistrust, antagonism, revolt and in the most extreme instances seen dedicated people suffering moral injury because of the actions or inactions of those leaders under whose care they operate.
As I reflect on my career, I also acknowledge that I haven’t always been able to determine when to stop absorbing the pressure. As I’ve talked about in previous posts, I have stood between my team and executives many times on countless agendas. I have also buffered the pressure too many times, to my own detriment. As an emerging leader I did not learn the importance of self-preservation or when to let the pressure go. Learning which battles to fight and which to concede is vital to maintain your own integrity and leadership longevity.
Everyone deserves an opportunity to become a diamond, and under the right conditions anyone can. As a leader, be the person who creates those peak conditions for your team but don’t forget that you need to sparkle too.