The film “Pressure” is ostensibly about forecasting the weather ahead of the Normandy invasion, but Jim DeLoach of Protiviti finds in it a set of lessons that translate directly to the C-suite.
History buffs will find the movie “Pressure” very interesting, and so will corporate leaders. If you haven’t heard anything about it, let me just say that it is essentially about one thing — anticipating the weather during the tense period leading up to the allied invasion of Normandy, France, over 80 years ago. The success of that invasion was crucial in creating the two-front war that ultimately brought down the Nazi war machine.
While overtly about the D-Day invasion, beneath the surface, the film embraces multiple themes that are applicable to the business world:
- The contrast between a data-driven decision-making process based on changes in current conditions vs. a statistical downscaling methodology based on past patterns that closely match current conditions — and add to that the clash of wills between the two men espousing the respective approaches.
- Remaining cool under fire in delivering a message no one wants to hear with all the drama of high-level internal politics and the immense psychological pressure of holding on to one’s integrity in conveying what one believes is not only correct but also grounded in facts.
- The crushing weight of command in a war room dealing with contradictory weather reports while facing the highest stakes one can encounter with many thousands of lives and a potential conclusion to World War II on the line.
Fortunately, none of us have faced a decision of the magnitude of what was decided in the fateful days leading up to the Normandy invasion. But this true story’s underlying themes are familiar to many of us based on what we have witnessed during our respective business careers — the impact of the lack of a single version of the truth on the decision-making process when so much is at stake.
Critics who argue that the movie’s narrative around weather predictions was excessive missed the whole point. The success of the invasion depended on alignment of precise conditions. A nearly full moon was required for aircraft pilot visibility. Clear skies and good visibility with a cloud ceiling of at least 11,000 feet were critical to support airborne operations. A rising low tide was needed to expose the obstacles the Germans had installed on the beaches. Waves had to be manageable — no more than 4-6 feet. Surface winds had to be moderate. These are just some of the conditions needed to enable the invasion to succeed. So, notwithstanding all the invasion preparations and planning, it was the specific timing and the weather forecast that drove the go or no-go decision.
Manage by fact
The notion of data-driven decision-making is not new. The concept was integral to the total quality management (TQM) programs that evolved in the West in response to the massive success of Japanese manufacturing during the 1980s. American industries were losing significant market share to Japanese competitors — particularly in the automotive and electronics sectors — because Japanese products were perceived as being significantly cheaper and of much higher quality. One of the tenets of TQM was “manage by fact,” which emphasizes the use of objective data and factual information to guide decision-making around continuously improving manufacturing and customer fulfillment processes.
This approach relies on systematic data collection and analysis along with interpretation to identify areas for enhancement, ensuring that decisions are grounded in empirical evidence rather than intuition or assumptions. Typical applications include quality control processes, performance measurement and process optimization within organizations striving for operational excellence.
Today, data-driven decision-making (DDDM) leverages advanced data analytics to inform business strategies and operational choices across various contexts. DDDM encompasses a broader scope than TQM’s manage-by-fact, utilizing sophisticated analytical tools and techniques to derive insights from large datasets, identify trends and predict future outcomes. While both methodologies prioritize data as a foundation for decision-making, DDDM often incorporates real-time analytics and machine learning to adapt quickly to changing market conditions, making it applicable in diverse business environments, such as marketing, finance, supply chain management and customer-facing activities.
In “Pressure,” data-driven weather forecasting entailed real-time tracking of changes in atmospheric pressure at sea level and measuring pressure, temperature and winds in the upper atmosphere. This combination of surface pressure and a vertical profile of upper-air data readings provided inputs that enabled the accurate forecasts that proved to be decisive to the Normandy invasion. Identifying how high-altitude jet stream winds were propelling volatile Atlantic storms toward the Normandy coast in northwestern France was the cornerstone of the forecast. Back in the 1940s, without satellites, readings were obtained from newly developed weather balloons, naval vessels and other sources. The readings were used to track the speed of incoming storms — without the aid of the supercomputers and AI-driven models forecasters have today. Needless to say, this approach was highly dependent on data quality.
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Read moreDetailsLeading with integrity, transparency & empathy
Delivering bad news to a tough crowd requires C-level executives to lead with integrity, transparency and empathy. Thorough preparation and transparent communication are crucial to navigate challenging situations effectively.
- Understand the audience: Anticipate their potential reactions and concerns. Understand their priorities and how the news may affect them.
- Craft a clear message: Develop a straightforward and honest message that explains the situation, the reasons behind the explanation and the implications for the organization.
- Be honest and direct: Clearly articulate the facts of the situation without beating around the bush. Acknowledging the reality and the stakes fosters trust and credibility.
- Provide context: Explain the big-picture factors that led to the conclusions and recommendations, including any external challenges or internal decisions that influenced the outcome.
- Acknowledge emotions: Recognize the emotional effect of the news on the audience. Validating their feelings can help ease tension and build rapport.
- Listen actively: Encourage questions and feedback, and be prepared to address concerns thoughtfully and respectfully.
- Maintain composure and professionalism: Stay calm and collected; set the tone for the discussion and encourage a constructive dialogue.
- Be open to feedback but, if necessary, remain firm: Embrace criticism and differing viewpoints, as this openness can enhance credibility and demonstrate a commitment to identify the best course of action. But when facts strongly support an alternative position, acknowledge the other perspective and present the evidence supporting that position clearly. Utilize data, examples or benchmarks to substantiate the position, concentrating on facts rather than personal opinions, and frame the disagreement in the context of advancing shared goals.
As “Pressure” illustrates, follow-up is critical. Continuing to communicate updates and progress regarding the situation and keeping the lines of communication open reinforce trust and accountability. Encouraging ongoing dialogue about how the organization can improve and adapt to the situation shows commitment to shared goals.
The movie is aptly named. Without revealing spoilers, the weight of pressure was felt on multiple levels. Obviously, there was pressure on the weather forecasters to get it right. The proponent of the forecasting methodology based on data-driven insights regarding changes in current conditions demonstrated all of the above attributes, not only in communicating the news no one wanted to hear but also in following up with updates that proved decisive to timing the invasion on June 6, 1944. It was so decisive, the Germans never saw the Allies coming at the time the invasion occurred.
There was also pressure on Army and Navy factions represented at the table who understood the implications of a delay. But the movie portrays Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower’s volatility as a narrative to showcase the high-stakes friction between conflicting meteorologists. While I have read several books on Eisenhower and am aware of his temper, I doubt he was as volatile as portrayed in the movie. However, the manner in which the movie presents his character frames very well the importance of an accurate weather forecast to the invasion’s success.
Having visited the Normandy beaches twice — once during low tide and the other during high tide — I have an appreciation for the stakes involved in timing the go or no-go decision. The invasion would have likely failed during high tide. In fact, the Allies strategically timed the assault for a rising low tide that exposed the Nazi underwater obstacles (such as steel gates and mines) that would have impaled, torn apart and sunk landing craft during high tide. Had infantry been forced to disembark much closer to heavily fortified, point-blank German machine gun and artillery positions, the shortened run to the seawall would have meant far less cover and significantly higher casualties. (Note: The high tide I witnessed came all the way up to the seawall!) Interestingly, the Germans expected any Allied invasion to occur at high tide and concentrated their defenses accordingly. Thus, tides could be predicted, but weather could not. Storms and rough seas would be a disaster, but so would postponement.
Two takeaways
First, the movie contrasted two approaches to decision-making. In certain situations, these methodologies may be combined to achieve a balanced and effective decision-making strategy.
Data-driven decision-making is ideal for dynamic environments where adaptability, precision and innovation are critical. It leverages real-time, quantitative data collected from various sources, such as analytics platforms, market trends, customer feedback data, to stay ahead of trends and make informed choices that are grounded in objective evidence and statistical analysis. The methodology offers greater flexibility for adjustments to current conditions and emerging trends. Therefore, it is more useful in supporting innovative solutions by identifying new patterns, opportunities or gaps that might not have been evident in the past. These capabilities are deployed faster when using AI, analytics dashboards and other automated tools.
Decisions based on past patterns may be suitable in stable environments or industries with predictable cycles, but they are less useful in rapidly changing markets with emerging technologies and/or unpredictable consumer behaviors. They are premised on the assumption that past behaviors or outcomes will predict future results; therefore, the information on which they are based may no longer be relevant.
Second, “Pressure” illustrates leadership with integrity, transparency and empathy. This is how C-level executives, their direct reports and others can effectively deliver tough messages while maintaining trust, fostering resilience and encouraging a collaborative approach to overcoming major challenges.
Jim DeLoach, a founding 
