As we move into the final quarter of the year, the pressure is building for many organisations. There are targets to meet, projects to deliver, budgets to finalise and plans for the year ahead to put in place. For leaders and their teams, it can be one of the most demanding periods of the year. So how do you prepare your teams for a high-pressure quarter? Two things I think can help are boundaries and basics.
In my last blog, I talked about the importance of the Prepare phase of my Cadence Approach, and asked a question I think every leader should be considering:
Are our people prepared for what we’re asking them to do?
We spend a great deal of time preparing operationally for busy periods, but often far less time preparing the people who will be delivering the work.
This week, I want to explore two practical ways leaders, managers and teams can do that: with what I am calling boundaries and basics.
They’re simple concepts, but when they’re demonstrated consistently, they can make a significant difference to how people manage their energy, wellbeing and performance during demanding periods.
Boundaries: Leaders need to show, not just tell
One of the most empowering things a leader can do is establish clear boundaries around how their team works, particularly when the pressure is on.
For example, as you approach a particularly demanding quarter or a significant business event, you might say:
‘We’re going to be working hard over the coming weeks, but I don’t want anyone working at weekends.’
Or perhaps:
‘I don’t expect anyone to be answering emails late into the evening.’
The specific boundaries will depend on your organisation, the nature of the work and the demands you’re facing. But the principle is the same: high performance shouldn’t depend on people being permanently available.
Of course, setting boundaries is one thing. Demonstrating them is another.
If a leader tells their team not to work at weekends but regularly sends emails on a Sunday expecting a response, what message does that send?
If managers encourage people to switch off but consistently reward those who work the longest hours, which behaviour will the team follow?
This is where the show, don’t tell principle becomes so important.
People take their cues from the behaviour of those around them, particularly their leaders. When managers demonstrate healthy boundaries themselves, they give others permission to do the same. And importantly, boundaries don’t mean lowering expectations or avoiding hard work. They’re about creating the conditions in which people can perform well without continually compromising their energy and recovery.
Basics: What are your daily non-negotiables?
The second part of preparation is what I call the basics. These are the everyday habits and activities that support our energy, mood and motivation. The things we know make a difference to how we feel and perform, but which can be the first to disappear when life gets busy.
For some people, that might mean prioritising sleep. For others, it’s making time for exercise, eating well, maintaining social connections or having some proper downtime.
It could also mean thinking ahead about when you’ll need your energy most.
This connects back to Predict, the first phase of the Cadence Approach. If you know you’ve got a demanding presentation, an important client meeting or a particularly intense week ahead, what can you do now to put yourself in the best possible position to perform?
The important thing is to identify what works for you.
I often encourage people to think about three daily non-negotiables. Three fundamental things that help them maintain their energy, mood and motivation. They don’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. In fact, the simpler and more achievable they are, the more likely they are to happen when things get busy.
The key is making them a priority when other demands are competing for your attention. Because the irony is that the times when we’re most tempted to abandon these basics are often the times when we need them most.
Preparing for your ‘Wimbledon’ moments
I often talk about our ‘Wimbledons’. These are the big events, demanding periods or significant moments in our professional and personal lives when we need to be at our best.
For an organisation, that might be a major product launch, an annual conference, a critical sales period or the final push to achieve year-end targets. We know these moments are coming. We can often see them weeks or months in advance.
So why wouldn’t we prepare our people for them with the same attention we give to the operational plans?
That preparation should include conversations about how the team will manage its workload, where the pressure points might be, what boundaries are needed and how people can protect the basics that help them perform.
It also means recognising that preparation is a shared responsibility.
Leaders have a responsibility to create an environment where boundaries are respected, and people feel supported. Individuals also have a role to play in recognising what they need, communicating those needs and taking ownership of the choices within their control.
Three questions to take into your next team meeting
If you’re leading or managing a team, I’d encourage you to make boundaries and basics part of your conversations as you head into the final quarter.
Start with three questions:
1. What boundaries do we need to protect as a team?
Think about working hours, availability, meetings, communication and recovery time. Be clear about expectations, including how genuine exceptions will be managed, and make sure you’re demonstrating the behaviours you’re asking others to adopt.
2. What are our individual daily non-negotiables?
Encourage everyone to identify three simple things that support their energy, mood and motivation. Share ideas, discuss what’s realistic and think about how you can support one another in maintaining them or even do them together.
3. What are we preparing for, and what might get in the way?
Look ahead to the significant demands on your team. Where are the likely pressure points? What could you change or put in place now to make those periods more manageable?
These don’t need to become lengthy discussions or another initiative to manage. Sometimes, simply making space for the conversation is a valuable starting point.
Sustainable high performance starts before the pressure arrives
When things get busy, it’s tempting to focus entirely on the work that needs to be done. But the ability to perform well through demanding periods depends on more than plans, deadlines and resources.
It depends on people having the energy, motivation and capacity to deliver.
Boundaries and basics are two practical ways to support that. And while they may seem obvious, there’s a difference between knowing what helps us perform and consistently putting it into practice.
So, whether you’re leading an organisation, managing a team or contributing as part of one, I’d encourage you to think about what boundaries and basics mean for you.
What could you put in place today that will help you and your team perform better when the pressure arrives?
Bring sustainable high performance into your organisation
Through my Cadence keynote, I help leaders and teams rethink how they approach pressure, energy and recovery, with practical tools to support sustainable high performance.
If you’re planning a leadership event, team conference or wellbeing initiative, get in touch to explore how we can help your people prepare for the demands ahead and perform at their best.
