The Value of Reducing Pressure in Tech Teams: A Lesson from Burnt Oats

This morning, while I was preparing my daily oats, a simple kitchen mishap turned into an insightful metaphor for managing tech teams. As someone who enjoys cooking, I've always believed that there are lessons to be learned from even the most mundane activities. Today was no exception.

I left my oats on the stove, momentarily distracted by another task. When I returned, I found that the oats had stuck to the bottom of the pan and were beginning to burn. Frustrated, I grabbed a spoon and started scraping the bottom, trying to salvage what I could. However, I quickly noticed that the harder I scraped, the more stubborn the oats became. To make matters worse, while I was focusing on one side of the pan, the other side continued to burn. The oats seemed to resist my efforts, and the situation only got worse as I applied more force.

Then, I paused and thought about what was happening. The oats were stuck because of the high heat, and my aggressive approach was only exacerbating the problem. I decided to take a different approach: I reduced the heat, giving the oats a chance to cool down slightly. With the heat lowered, I started scraping the oats again, but this time with a gentler touch. To my surprise, the oats came off the pan much more easily. I managed to save most of them, and when I tasted them, they had a slightly burnt, but surprisingly pleasant flavor—better than the bland oats I usually ate.

This experience got me thinking about how we often manage our tech teams, especially in high-pressure environments. In the fast-paced world of technology, where deadlines are tight, and the pressure to deliver is constant, it's easy for managers to "turn up the heat" on their teams. When a project is running behind schedule or a critical issue arises, the natural instinct is to push harder—apply more pressure, demand faster results, and insist on immediate solutions. However, much like my burnt oats, this approach can backfire.

When tech team members are under constant pressure, they can become "stuck" in a cycle of stress and burnout. Just as the high heat caused my oats to stick and burn, excessive pressure can cause team members to become overwhelmed, leading to a decline in productivity and creativity. The more a manager pushes, the more resistance they may encounter from their team. This resistance can manifest as decreased motivation, lower quality of work, and even burnout, where team members are no longer able to function at their best.

The lesson here is that sometimes, less pressure can lead to better outcomes. Just as reducing the heat on the stove allowed me to save my oats, reducing the pressure on a tech team can create a more conducive environment for problem-solving and innovation. When managers give their teams the space to breathe—whether by extending deadlines, offering flexibility, or simply showing understanding—they allow their team members to recover and recharge. This space can lead to a resurgence of creativity, enabling team members to approach problems with fresh perspectives and ultimately deliver better solutions.

Moreover, when team members are not constantly under the gun, they are more likely to take ownership of their work and explore new ideas. In the same way that my slightly burnt oats surprised me with their unexpectedly good flavor, team members who are given the freedom to experiment and think outside the box can come up with innovative solutions that might not have emerged under intense pressure. They may surprise their managers with ideas and approaches that are more effective and creative than expected.

This lesson is a reminder that the relentless pursuit of immediate results can sometimes be counterproductive. Just as cooking requires a balance of heat and time, managing a tech team requires a balance of pressure and support. By adjusting the "heat" appropriately, managers can create an environment where their team members can thrive, leading to better outcomes for everyone involved.

And if this analogy doesn’t resonate with you, there’s still a takeaway: the next time you make oats, don’t be afraid to let them burn just a little. You might find that the flavor is richer, more complex, and far more enjoyable than you anticipated.