Mike 
It was an early morning flight, and by the time that the flight attendants started serving, I was ready for my coffee. I quickly pulled the cover off the little creamer, and was surprised by a spray of white liquid. The pressure on this small container, which was caused by our change in altitude, resulted in a frustrating mess. That’s the thing about pressure. When something is under pressure, there are always consequences. Those consequences are often unexpected and are not easily managed.
The same is true when people are under pressure. And it is quite possible that staff members and volunteers in your church or ministry or non-profit are feeling pressure today. There is pressure when things are going well because of a passion for the mission and a desire to do even more. In times of struggle, there is pressure to turn things around quickly.
On my plane flight, the mess that I made while opening the creamer was not inevitable. If I had paid attention and opened slowly, it could have been avoided. So what can a small container of creamer teach a leader about pressure?
- Look for signs. The slight bulge in the top of the creamer was a warning that I overlooked. What are the signs that a colleague is under pressure? A flash of anger? Withdrawing from group conversations? You can’t act to relieve the pressure if you’re not aware of the problem.
- Recognize a fine line. You need to be passionate about your mission, and you want others to feel the same passion. You want people who are so committed to the organization that they will give 110%. But you need to realize that unhealthy pressure lurks just beyond healthy passion.
- Consider other causes. My creamer was pressurized because of the change in altitude, not because of anything I had done. The people who work for you may be under pressure because of problems at home or financial difficulties, but the pressure may appear in the office.
- Remember that a “little” mess can be big. The amount of creamer that sprayed onto me in mid-air was less than 0.1 ounce, which sounds like nothing. But just a little spill can make quite a mess. The same is true of the ways that pressure affects people. You may think a situation is “no big deal,” only to find that it turns into something more serious.
