Recently I had the pleasure of participating in the CxO program of Lifeguard. As part of a deep reflection on work, many topics were discussed there, in all openness, that are of concern to the participants, including myself, or even keep them awake at night. One of these topics, brought up by several participants, is related to the so-called ‘high performance culture’: how to deal with the ever-present pressure, with the ‘pull’ of always having to deliver. The inbox keeps filling up, just like the agenda, resulting in the risk that we just keep on going.
What is that? Why are we always on alert, even if we know that it is better to switch off from time to time, even if we really – not only physically – want to be present at home more often and even if we are in danger of falling apart. Words that come to mind in this respect are a sense of duty, a sense of responsibility, the insecure overachiever, drive, work addiction and company culture.
Strangely enough, the ‘why’ is not talked about much and in any event not enough. It is important, because the why is crucial for the quality and sustainability of that boundless commitment.
The problem, if any, is not in the hard work. There is nothing wrong with that. The crux lies in the sense of autonomy. Even if you live for your work and you love to stretch yourself to the extreme, it should always be your choice, which entails feeling the space to choose something else if you would like to. That is very often where the problem lies. Many of us do not feel that space and just keep going, keep running and doing so because it is expected and/or for other (less obvious) reasons, which lie beneath the surface of our free will: need for control, security, recognition, affirmation, the feeling of belonging, etc. Such drivers feel very different from your own choice. You are then lived or worse. It also stands in the way of making healthy choices, choices that contribute to better performance, as shown by countless studies: more sleep, sufficient recovery and guarding boundaries.
Thinking about sustainable performance in a demanding environment involves taking care of yourself. After all, what you don’t have, you can’t give. Making conscious choices is part of this and it is my conviction that this cannot be done without being aware of the ‘why’. When you consciously choose how much you invest in work and how, from a place of autonomy, you are also able to make the choices that ensure that you can do that sustainably and inspire your team to rise above itself.