Water - Part 2

In last week's newsletter, we discussed water's ice facet and how it relates to being a tech leader. This week, let's delve into the gaseous part of water.

Water's gaseous form can come in many flavors. Fog, mist, and steam come to mind when I think about water's gaseous form. Let's talk about steam.

Steam is created when water is heated to the evaporation point through boiling. In the first century, the Greeks documented a spherical-shaped device that spun on its axis when water was heated. It was called an aeolipile. The first steam engine was credited to Thomas Savery, an English military engineer and inventor in the late 17th century. Savery's engine was built to solve the problem of water building up in coal mines. Thomas Newcomen, another Englishman, worked with Savery and made some adjustments to the original design to pump water out of his mines.

In 1764, James Watt was asked to repair one of Newcomen's steam engines and as he worked on the machine, he concluded there were flaws, such as allowing steam to escape. Watt made some enhancements that improved the steam engine.

These early steam devices were essentially steam-powered vacuums. They were used to suck liquid from wherever it was needed. Along came Oliver Evans, who pictured steam power as a force rather than a vacuum. He developed a way to have steam pressure push a piston, thus creating a more efficient way of converting energy from boiling water. Richard Trevithick took this method and invented what is known as the boiler. His version of the boiler was named the Cornish boiler, which later led to the cheaper, lighter, and smaller steam-powered engine named the Cornish Steam Engine. Trevithick gave his patents for his steam engine to William Sims after moving to South America. Sims built several engines using Trevithick's designs. Samual Chase further enhanced Sims' work. Samuel Groase added insulation for the boiler, engine, and pipes to Sims' engines, bringing more efficiency.

Steam engines brought about enough efficiencies that manufacturing began using them to alleviate the need for labor while also improving productivity. Steam power became part of everyday life, from factories using it to run manufacturing, travel, and use in the supply chain. Steam power propelled businesses to do more with less.

This leads me to how steam relates to leadership. Leaders are being asked to do more with less all the time. Leaders are like water in that boiling pot. Once the water reaches that evaporation point, it becomes a very hot vapor that can burn someone if not handled properly. With their words and actions, a leader can burn those underneath them. We have to be mindful of those in our charge.

But steam can also be harnessed in such a way as to cause an engine to run. A leader can bring about efficiencies within their team. They can empower their team, which brings about momentum. Just like when the steam engine starts and gets going, the momentum can carry that engine forward. So too, can momentum on a team.

As a leader, the choice is yours. Which side of steam are you going to be today? Steam that burns or steam that brings about more efficiency, power, and clean energy? I know what businesses are looking for. They are looking for people who can bring about more efficiency, power, and clean energy. The choice is yours, leader.

Feel free to comment below.?? Let's discuss leadership