👌Three Strategies for Keeping Good People in High-Pressure Jobs👌

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s be real: high-pressure jobs can feel like juggling flaming torches while answering emails and pretending everything is totally fine. But here’s the good news—keeping great people around isn’t just about offering perks or hoping no one updates their LinkedIn profile during lunch. 

Research shows that people are much more likely to stay when their work feels meaningful, supported, and connected to a bigger purpose. In other words, if you want people to stick around, the job can’t feel like a never-ending group project where one person does all the work. 

The way work is designed every day matters more than most leaders realize, and a few smart changes can make demanding environments feel challenging in a good way—not exhausting in a “maybe I should become a lighthouse keeper” kind of way.

1. Give people real responsibility, not just a pile of tasks.
One of the fastest ways to make talented employees disengage is to treat them like they’re just filling a slot on the schedule. If work is assigned only based on who is available, people can start to feel interchangeable and no one wants to feel like a human sticky note. Instead, think carefully about who is best suited to own important outcomes. 

For example, imagine a docks and doors installation and maintenance company where a highly experienced technician is constantly sent out just to handle the same routine service calls because it is the quickest way to cover the day’s schedule. He may be reliable and skilled, but over time he can start to feel like the human version of a spare hinge useful, but never really trusted with the bigger stuff. 

Compare that with a manager who asks him to lead a complex loading dock retrofit, coach newer installers on safety and troubleshooting, and make field decisions when unexpected site issues pop up. In that second scenario, he is not just checking boxes and tightening bolts—he is helping shape the quality of the work, the confidence of the crew, and the success of the project. That sense of ownership can go a long way in making people want to stay.

A practical tip here is to map responsibilities based on strengths, not just availability. Ask questions like: Who is ready to lead? Who thrives when solving messy problems? Who wants more decision-making authority? Another helpful move is to clearly explain why someone is being given responsibility. Hearing “I trust your judgment on this” lands very differently than “You’re on this because everyone else is booked.” 

Managers can also create mini-ownership opportunities, such as letting team members run post-project reviews, improve a process, or lead a client update. People do not need a fancy new title to feel trusted—they need visible proof that their contributions matter.

2. Build backup and support into the system.
If your team is staffed so tightly that one unexpected absence turns the whole day into a survival movie, retention is going to suffer. People can handle pressure much better when they know support is built into the system. That means creating enough flexibility so employees can step in for one another during intense periods and making that support part of the job not something people are expected to do heroically on top of everything else. Because while workplace heroes are inspiring, most employees would prefer not to feel like they are starring in an action sequel every Tuesday afternoon.

Picture a customer support team during a product launch. Tickets spike, emotions rise, and suddenly every message sounds like it was typed in all caps. In one version of events, the team is stretched so thin that each person is left to drown in their own queue. Stress skyrockets, mistakes increase, and everyone ends the week fantasizing about throwing their laptop into the sea.

In a better-designed system, cross-trained teammates from adjacent functions can jump in during surges, managers temporarily shift priorities, and there is a clear plan for who helps when volume gets intense. Same busy season, completely different experience.

One useful tip is to cross-train employees before they are needed, not during the crisis. Build a bench of people who can provide backup when pressure spikes. You can also schedule buffer capacity instead of operating at maximum efficiency every hour of every day. On paper, ultra-lean staffing may look productive. In real life, it often looks like burnout wearing a company badge. 

Another tip is to normalize asking for help. If employees think they have to “tough it out” to prove they are committed, the culture will quietly reward exhaustion. Leaders should actively recognize teamwork and backup support as valuable work in its own right. Shared pressure is easier to handle than isolated pressure, and people stay longer in environments where they know someone has their back.

3. Treat retention like an operations issue, not just an HR issue.
It is tempting to think retention lives mostly in exit interviews, engagement surveys, and HR dashboards. But in reality, people often leave because of daily operational friction: clunky scheduling, poor role design, bad hand-offs, unclear expectations, or recurring pressure points that never get fixed. Retention is shaped in the everyday details of how work runs. That means leaders should treat it like an operational challenge they can measure, improve, and redesign over time.

For example, say a logistics company notices that turnover is highest on one specific shift. A surface-level explanation might be “people just can’t handle the pace.” But a closer operational look may reveal that the shift has weak hand-offs, outdated procedures, and almost no backup when delays happen. In that case, the real problem is not employee resilience—it is the system. 

Once managers use data to pinpoint where pressure builds and then involve front-line employees in fixing the workflow, the job often becomes far more sustainable. A smart tip is to look for patterns rather than assumptions. Which teams have the highest churn? When do stress levels spike? What tasks create the most frustration? Pair that data with conversations with front-line employees, because the people doing the work usually know exactly where the bottlenecks are. 

You can also run small experiments: adjust a schedule, redesign a hand-off, add backup coverage, or simplify one recurring task, then measure the impact. Retention improves when people see that leadership is not just saying “we hear you,” but actually removing the daily nonsense that makes work harder than it needs to be.

The bottom line? People can absolutely thrive in demanding jobs but only when the work is set up in a way that helps them succeed. When employees have meaningful ownership, real support, and systems that make sense, they are much more likely to stay and do great work. Retention is not magic, and it is not just about making people happy with snacks and motivational posters. 

It is about building an environment where talented people can contribute without burning out. Get that right, and you will not just keep your best people you will give them a reason to bring their energy, ideas, and commitment to the job every day.

Stay inspired, lead boldly!

 

Peter Mclees Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com or Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, energy storage and facilities management, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 
 
 

💪4 Pro Tips for Leading Strong When the Pressure’s On

 

Leading under pressure can feel a little like trying to assemble furniture while the instructions are on fire but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Pressure has a way of revealing your natural instincts when decisions matter most. In high-stakes moments, your default reactions shape what you notice, how quickly you act, and where your blind spots show up. 

The good news is that strong leadership under pressure is something you can build. It starts with noticing your patterns and practicing the flexibility to respond in ways that actually fit the situation not just your first instinct.

1.        Expand your range. Start by noticing how you usually react when the pressure is on. Do you freeze and overthink? Do you jump in so fast that you skip important context? Once you know your default, practice doing the opposite in lower-risk situations so it feels more natural when the stakes are higher. 

     For example, if you tend to pause too long in meetings, challenge yourself to make a recommendation within the first five minutes. If you move too quickly, build in a simple pause by asking one clarifying question before making a decision. The goal is not to become a totally different leader it’s to give yourself more than one gear so you can choose the response that works best in the moment.

2.      Adjust in real time. Pressure situations rarely stay still, which means a good response at the beginning may not be the right one ten minutes later. That’s why it helps to keep checking in as things unfold. Pause long enough to ask yourself a few quick questions: Is this reducing confusion? Are we moving closer to a solution? What is my team picking up from me right now? 

      For example, if your team looked reassured when you first took charge but now seems hesitant to speak up, it may be time to shift from directing to listening. If a plan that felt organized at the start is now slowing everyone down, simplify it. Strong leaders do not stick to a plan just because they started there they stay alert and adjust as new information comes in.

3.     Use different strengths intentionally. Not every tense moment calls for the same kind of leadership. Sometimes your team needs calm and reassurance. Other times they need structure, quick decisions, direct communication, or fresh ideas. The key is learning which strengths fit which moment.

For example, if a project has gone off track and everyone is overwhelmed, your steady presence and clear priorities may matter more than a big motivational speech. If the team is stuck and no one sees a way forward, creative thinking and brainstorming may be more useful than doubling down on the current plan. When you understand your own strengths, you can use them more deliberately and when needed, borrow from styles that don’t come as naturally to you.

4.     Share the load. Pressure gets heavier when you try to carry everything by yourself. One of the smartest things you can do is create support before the pressure peaks. That means building clear processes, deciding who owns what, and trusting capable people to handle parts of the work.

For example, during a fast-moving issue, one person might gather facts, another might communicate updates, and another might track next steps so nothing gets lost. Even in everyday leadership, sharing the load can look like delegating decisions, creating simple checklists, or setting up go-to people for different kinds of problems.

And remember: great leaders are not the ones doing everything alone they are the ones who make it possible for the whole team to respond well together. Because if leadership under pressure were a group project, this is the part where you definitely do not want to be the only one who read the assignment.

The bottom line is that pressure is part of leadership, but panic does not have to be. The more you understand your habits, stretch your range, and lean on the right strengths at the right time, the more confident and effective you become when it counts. You do not have to handle every tough moment perfectly you just have to keep learning, adjusting, and showing up with intention. And if you can do that while keeping your sense of humor, you’re already ahead of the game.

Stay inspired, lead boldly!

 

Peter Mclees Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com or Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, energy storage and facilities management, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

🐦‍🔥Transform Your Team's Performance with the 1% Better Rule 🐦‍🔥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Inches Make the Champion.”   

                           —Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame Football Coach

When water is at 211 degrees, it is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with water boiling comes steam…and with steam you can power a train 🚄

Applying one percent, or in this case one extra degree, of temperature to water means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine—a beautifully uncomplicated metaphor that ideally should feed our every endeavor—consistently pushing us to give the 1% extra effort in every task, and action we undertake.

Small differences in performance can lead to very unequal distributions when repeated over time. The people and organizations that can do the right things, more consistently are more likely to maintain a slight edge and accumulate disproportionate rewards over time.

You only need to be slightly better than your competition, but if you are able to maintain a slight edge today and tomorrow and the day after that, then you can repeat the process of winning by just a little bit over and over again.

This is called the 1% Better Rule. The 1% Better Rule states that over time the majority of the rewards in a given field will accumulate to the people, teams, and organizations that maintain a 1 percent advantage over the alternatives. You don't need to be twice as good to get twice the results. You just need to be slightly better.

Kaizen is a Japanese word that embodies the 1% Better Rule. Kaizen translated into English means good change. In the 1960’s, products made in Japan were considered junk. The Kaizen philosophy helped Japanese companies learn to  manufacture some of the best products in the world. This resulted in the Japanese gaining significant market share of vehicles and electronics.

The 1% Better Rule is not merely a reference to the fact that small differences accumulate into significant advantages, but also to the idea that those who are 1% better rule their respective fields and reap the rewards.

Here are some amazing examples from the field of sports:

Golf

·         2.28—the average margin of victory in strokes at the Masters (.57 strokes per day)

·         76%—additional prize dollars on average for winning first place at the Masters.

Horse Racing

·         4.55—average margin of victory in lengths at the Kentucky Derby.

·         260%—additional prize dollars on average for winning first place at the Kentucky Derby.

Auto Racing

·         0.082—average margin of victory in seconds at the Daytona 500.

·         53%—additional prize dollars on average for winning first place at Daytona.

Many years ago when asked what the most powerful force in the universe was, Albert Einstein said, “compound interest.” There’s a force at work in all of us that’s  just as powerful. Just as compound interest allows your money to grow on itself,  Incremental improvement allows your skills and productivity to grow on themselves.

In short, if you want to improve your skills, it’s not about some one-time transformative event or conference. No, your best approach is to get a little bit better everyday. You can’t make quantum leap improvements each day (there are certainly situations where a new idea, technique or approach may in a short time drastically improve your skills or abilities, but you can’t rely on these occurring regularly.) If you want to get 10% better at a particular leadership skill in the next 30 days, that might seem daunting.  But can you get 1% better every day for a month? That seems easier and more realistic. We can all get 1% better each day.

So let’s do the math. We’ll just use the working days and assume 20 working days in the next thirty (even though there are plenty of ways to work on leadership development every day).  At the end of our 30 days, we will have improved by: 20.81%. This is certainly a powerful concept for us personally and should cause you to be excited and ready to start learning, but this is just the start.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The power of incremental improvement is perhaps the most when considered as an organizational leadership development idea. Ask yourself this question: What would happen to productivity, operational excellence and results overall if everyone on my team improved by 1% each day? Now you don’t have one person improving 20.81% in a month, but EVERYONE improving by that amount!

And this is just month one.

Want a strategic leadership initiative? Recent research has revealed that leadership is a set of 22 core skills. Build a process, tools and expectations to help everyone in your organization work on a single skill each month, with the goal of getting 1% better each day. Then, move to another skill next month. 

Here's a 1% better action leaders can take right now: Thank someone or "catch someone doing something right" once more each business day and that will equal 200 more times each year. In the book, "How Full is Your Bucket," the authors reveal how 1% better actions like a 30-second praise can positively affect your relationships, productivity, and health. Also, check out my blog post: 

"Catch People Doing Something Right" (The Power of Praise)

The 1% better rule is not only a message of action--it's a message of persistence and additional action--the continual application of effort to whatever task or activity you undertake in order to achieve not only the primary objective you seek, but reap the exponential rewards that are possible with the 1% extra effort.

Small positive change can add up to big bucks as the examples from golf, horse racing and auto racing so clearly illustrate.

Stay inspired, lead boldly!

 

Peter Mclees Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com or Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, energy storage and facilities management, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

🐦‍🔥Transform Your Team's Performance with the 1% Better Rule 🐦‍🔥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Inches Make the Champion.”   

                           —Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame Football Coach

When water is at 211 degrees, it is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with water boiling comes steam…and with steam you can power a train (Can you spell Philomath Express?🚄😉) 

Applying one percent, or in this case one extra degree, of temperature to water means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine—a beautifully uncomplicated metaphor that ideally should feed our every endeavor—consistently pushing us to give the 1% extra effort in every task, and action we undertake.

Small differences in performance can lead to very unequal distributions when repeated over time. The people and organizations that can do the right things, more consistently are more likely to maintain a slight edge and accumulate disproportionate rewards over time.

You only need to be slightly better than your competition, but if you are able to maintain a slight edge today and tomorrow and the day after that, then you can repeat the process of winning by just a little bit over and over again.

This is called the 1% Better Rule. The 1% Better Rule states that over time the majority of the rewards in a given field will accumulate to the people, teams, and organizations that maintain a 1 percent advantage over the alternatives. You don't need to be twice as good to get twice the results. You just need to be slightly better.

Kaizen is a Japanese word that embodies the 1% Better Rule. Kaizen translated into English means good change. In the 1960’s, products made in Japan were considered junk. The Kaizen philosophy helped Japanese companies learn to  manufacture some of the best products in the world. This resulted in the Japanese gaining significant market share of vehicles and electronics.

The 1% Better Rule is not merely a reference to the fact that small differences accumulate into significant advantages, but also to the idea that those who are 1% better rule their respective fields and reap the rewards.

Here are some amazing examples from the field of sports:

Golf

·         2.28—the average margin of victory in strokes at the Masters (.57 strokes per day)

·         76%—additional prize dollars on average for winning first place at the Masters.

Horse Racing

·         4.55—average margin of victory in lengths at the Kentucky Derby.

·         260%—additional prize dollars on average for winning first place at the Kentucky Derby.

Auto Racing

·         0.082—average margin of victory in seconds at the Daytona 500.

·         53%—additional prize dollars on average for winning first place at Daytona.

Many years ago when asked what the most powerful force in the universe was, Albert Einstein said, “compound interest.” There’s a force at work in all of us that’s  just as powerful. Just as compound interest allows your money to grow on itself,  Incremental improvement allows your skills and productivity to grow on themselves.

In short, if you want to improve your skills, it’s not about some one-time transformative event or conference. No, your best approach is to get a little bit better everyday. You can’t make quantum leap improvements each day (there are certainly situations where a new idea, technique or approach may in a short time drastically improve your skills or abilities, but you can’t rely on these occurring regularly.) If you want to get 10% better at a particular leadership skill in the next 30 days, that might seem daunting.  But can you get 1% better every day for a month? That seems easier and more realistic. We can all get 1% better each day.

So let’s do the math. We’ll just use the working days and assume 20 working days in the next thirty (even though there are plenty of ways to work on leadership development every day).  At the end of our 30 days, we will have improved by: 20.81%. This is certainly a powerful concept for us personally and should cause you to be excited and ready to start learning, but this is just the start.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The power of incremental improvement is perhaps the most when considered as an organizational leadership development idea. Ask yourself this question: What would happen to productivity, operational excellence and results overall if everyone on my team improved by 1% each day? Now you don’t have one person improving 20.81% in a month, but EVERYONE improving by that amount!

And this is just month one.

Want a strategic leadership initiative? Recent research has revealed that leadership is a set of 22 core skills. Build a process, tools and expectations to help everyone in your organization work on a single skill each month, with the goal of getting 1% better each day. Then, move to another skill next month. 

Here's a 1% better action leaders can take right now: Thank someone or "catch someone doing something right" once more each business day and that will equal 200 more times each year. In the book, "How Full is Your Bucket," the authors reveal how 1% better actions like a 30-second praise can positively affect your relationships, productivity, and health. Also, check out my blog post: 

"Catch People Doing Something Right" (The Power of Praise)

The 1% better rule is not only a message of action--it's a message of persistence and additional action--the continual application of effort to whatever task or activity you undertake in order to achieve not only the primary objective you seek, but reap the exponential rewards that are possible with the 1% extra effort.

Small positive change can add up to big bucks as the examples from golf, horse racing and auto racing so clearly illustrate.

Stay inspired, lead boldly!

 

Peter Mclees Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com or Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, energy storage and facilities management, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.