Pressure builds leaders. It comes with the territory of leadership. The calling of leadership comes with a cost. The daily demands placed on leaders are heavy.
Pressure
This past weekend, I did something that I have not done in a long, long time…physically go to a theater to watch a movie.
Over the last few weeks, the trailer for Pressure had made its way into my social media algorithm. It was a spectacular movie that depicted the profound pressure that General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Allied Command Leadership faced in the decision, “to go or not to go” for the D-Day Invasion. With months of intense preparation complete, there was only one factor that remained in the decision…the weather.
Here are three thoughts on dealing with pressure from the movie (Note: I’m not spoiling the outcome, it’s history…go see the movie!):
Pressure to Predict Uncertainty
Enter Dr. James Stagg into the picture. He served as the Chief Meteorological advisor to General Eisenhower.
The weather in the English Channel is known for its extreme uncertainty. The unpredictable nature of the channel made the decision extremely tough.
The command leadership wanted a predictable forecast…well in advance. Stagg couldn’t predict uncertainty. With every passing second, the pressure mounted for a forecast. He relentlessly monitored present conditions to be ready for when the conditions of uncertainty cleared.
One of the greatest stressors for leaders is the expectation to predict uncertainty. The people we serve, from above and below, look to us in times of uncertainty. It places the pressure on us to predict an outcome that we just simply can’t.
When pressure builds, great leaders relentlessly monitor the conditions of the situation, so that we are ready for the moment when uncertainty clears.
Pressure Can Be Lonely
This coming Saturday, June 6 will serve as the anniversary of D-Day. I firmly believe that this was one of the most pivotal days in world history.
The invasion was originally scheduled for June 5. It was Dr. Stagg’s recommendation “not to go” that day. This was in the face of intense pressure by most of the military leaders who were eager to get soldiers on the beaches of Franceand advance the war effort.
It’s worth noting that Dr. Stagg was Scottish, not American. Not only was he facing pressure to proceed by the leadership, but he also bore the weight of making a recommendation to the General that was contrary to his own American meteorologist’s recommendation. Eisenhower’s meteorologist said, “Go.” Stagg found himself in a lonely place.
When pressure builds, it’s natural for leaders to isolate. It’s inevitable that a leader needs to separate themselves from the commotion, clear the cloudiness, and intensely focus on the decision demanding the pressure.
The challenge…it gets lonely. The higher the pressure, the lonelier leadership can get.
Pressure Requires Wise Counsel
It took courage for Eisenhower to support Stagg. He had to go against the grain of his leadership team and his own trusted advisor. Stagg had been selected for a reason, he was the best in the business. He was wise.
The decision “not to go” was the right call. If D-Day had happened on June 5, it would have been a complete disaster. The weather was absolutely atrocious that day.
To put the level of pressure that day into perspective, the National World War II Museum D-Day Fact Sheet says that there were nearly 160,000 allied troops who participated in the invasion and 10,300 lost their lives. If D-Day had went forward on June 5 in those weather conditions, the death toll would have been dramatically worse and completely devastating. It’s a good thing the General sought wise counsel.
Chaos, confusion, and competing interests/opinions only adds to the pressure. It creates conflicting and noticeable noise in the head of a leader. When pressure builds to the point of a critical decision, always seek wise counsel. Wisdom is always a good advisor, no matter the conditions.
Conclusion
Stagg’s commitment to the cause allowed he and his team to see a gap in the weather on June 6. One that the German’s would never see coming. While it was a small window of opportunity, it changed the course of history.
Hollywood doesn’t make movies about leaders who folded to pressure. They make movies about General Eisenhower, Dr. Stagg, and the brave souls who pulled off the greatest invasion the world has ever seen.
General Eisenhower performed solidly under pressure in the days leading up to the invasion. That ability to deal with pressure would propel him to his next leadership position, the President of the United States.
Pressure builds leaders.
