Pressure cooker: double the results in half the time

I was recently weighing up how quickly I needed a project team to deliver results to me. After careful consideration I gave them half the time they were expecting. There was some initial grumbling, but lo and behold the pressure created a tidal wave of energy to get the job done. It forced my team to think creatively about ways to meet this deadline and they achieved their task. Had I given them double the time, they would have taken it – but maybe the passion and energy that creates momentum would have dwindled.

Creating a crisis to generate momentum is a tactic that I’ve stolen with glee from other more illustrious business leaders. Richard Branson famously announced his intention to launch Virgin Cola within a savagely aggressive timescale – live on TV. The launch team hadn’t been consulted, but they delivered in spades.