Article written by Dr. Rob Archer.
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was working with a senior team at a major airline. With flights grounded, the team was facing an existential battle. Working round the clock, they were operating in survival mode, trying to save the future of the business. And they succeeded.
Eighteen months later, the airline was still in business – a phenomenal achievement. But it was around that time I remember one of the senior team saying:
“It’s been 18 months and we are still working at the same pace as the beginning of the pandemic. My teams are exhausted.”
Since then, I have learned that story resonates with many business leaders and founders. How often do founders find that ‘emergency mode’ becomes ‘default mode’? Emergency mode works fine… for a while. But, as Spock once said:
“If everything is an emergency, nothing is.”
In addition, emergency mode is exhausting. Eventually, this frantic way of working leaves people permanently reactive, survival-focused, working all hours, pinned to a desk and unable to switch off at night. This is what I call the ‘flat line’ way of working, and it is one of the main barriers – if not the main barrier – to sustaining high performance for founders.
What is the flat line?
The flat line is a way of working that feels fast-paced and busy. It has a superficial appeal, as it feels like things are getting done. But over time, it becomes increasingly ineffective, as people lose touch with the rhythms that drive true high performance. Eventually, it becomes unsustainable. Some founders burn out.
But it is the price we pay before burnout that is far more common, and just as damaging. Well before burnout, the flat line has taken a toll on performance and frequently, morale. The reason for that is that sustained high performance depends on a rhythm. Yet on the flat line, we lose touch with that rhythm.
Recognising the ‘flat line’
How many of these symptoms do you recognise?
- Waking up and immediately looking at your phone
- Not moving from your desk all day (a good indicator is walking less than 5,000 steps a day)
- Finding it hard to focus because you’re distracted / pulled between different priorities.
- Reaching midday and realising you’ve not been outside.
- Feeling guilty about taking breaks / recovery time.
In my work I have found these to be some of the most common indicators of the flat line. (You can take the full test here: https://highperformanceroutines.typeform.com/flat-line).
The impact of the flat line on founders
The flat line can work for a while, especially in emergencies. In the short term, it provides an adrenaline boost, which can help with energy, focus and (reactive) decision making.
However, humans did not evolve to work in this way all the time. Eventually, the things that make founders good at their jobs get worse. What started off as high performance becomes a slog through just another day.
The alternative – High Performance Routines
In most fields, ‘high performance’ is not just one thing, but a sequence of things. For example, for founders one element of high performance might include being responsive and reactive to events.
- But crucially, it also includes things like:
- Identifying the real priorities amidst all the noise
- Solving complex problems to create long-term value
- Weighing up several different perspectives to make a good decision
- Having new ideas and insights
- ️Communicating skilfully
On the flat line we might be responsive, but that’s increasingly at the cost of everything else. That is why it is crucial for founders to recognise the flat line, and to reset where necessary. That’s where a High Performance Routine comes in.
Check out the second part of this series to explore how you can build and maintain a routine that drives lasting success.
Note
Rob Archer is a Chartered Psychologist specialising in helping organisations and individuals build resilience, improve mental health and sustain high performance.
Rob works with fast-growing businesses, established multinationals and also in elite sport, including Premiership football and Formula 1.
Find out more about Rob’s work via his website: https://rob-archer.co.uk/