Pressure Bursts Pipes or Makes Diamonds

Undoubtedly, we’re all under a degree of pressure right now, especially as business leaders.

There is a lot of uncertainty as to how long we’ll be dealing with coronavirus and what the business landscape and the economic landscape is going to look like on the other side.

Everything carries with it a degree of uncertainty.

This is a time where you can challenge yourself. Business leaders are challenged all the time, and it has never been more important than now to see how you respond under pressure. I believe that this is our call to greatness.

Think about the reason why you became an entrepreneur. Chances are it was because you wanted to place a bet on yourself. You wanted to commit to the fact that your future is something that you create from your vision and execution.

This is really no different. This is just another barrier and another challenge.

As long as you are committed to being a leader and being an entrepreneur, then just like with anything else, you’ll be creative, strategic, and you’ll figure it out.

We’ll see a lot of great solutions and innovations come out of this.

This is also a great time to challenge your team. There’s a lot of exposure that happens during periods of adversity like this. Organizations, team members, and leaders all find out how good they are.

At our organization, we challenged our team to rise to the occasion. We said, “Look, this is the time where we are actually looking to step up — to raise the standard, not lower it.”

Those who are going to step up are going to be the future leaders of the organization. The ones that step down — well, you’ll see people for who they really are.

In times of adversity, you see everyone around you — leaders and team members alike — for the people they are. They show you their true colors by how they’re responding to stress and pressure.

This is different from periods of prosperity.

This is always a matter of perspective. There are going to be people who look at a situation and say, “What can I do? I have no options. This is unfortunate.”

It becomes a pity party. You’re dealing with the coronavirus? We all are.

Those who instead look at it from the perspective of: “I accept this is what we’re dealing with. And you know what, we’re going to make some decisions and choices that will lead us to becoming a better organization throughout this period and coming out.”

At Crisp, we have our Crisp standard, we have our core values, and we’re committed to doing better and being better. That doesn’t change, no matter what is happening in the economy and in society.

I’ll leave you with this. I encourage you to not only challenge yourself — but challenge your team as well.

Remember, “Pressure burst pipes — or it makes diamonds.”

When you challenge people, that’s where all the greatness comes out.

Failure to do so is one of the biggest disservices that you can do for anyone as a leader.

When you challenge them to learn new capabilities, to gain new skills and strengths, to figure out new solutions — not only is that good for the organization; it’s good for your team.

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If you agree or disagree with anything I said today, I want to know about it. Text me at 404-531-7691 to tell me whether the pressure will turn you and your team into diamonds.