“I just froze… and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t find an answer to that interview question. I am a bit annoyed that I wasn’t prepared, it cost me the job…”

This was the comment of an employee I spoke with recently that went for a job interview. However, he is not the only one that can tell of an experience like this. Today many of us faced regular moments of pressure such as:

• Employee dismissal
• Dealing with team mistakes and poor performance
• Managing excessive meetings
• Staying cool during crucial negotiations
• Managing anxiety whilst in traffic especially on days of important deadlines
• Dealing with seemingly uncontrollable events before big presentations

Those who perform on the job successfully maintain composure even amidst turbulence …

Worry, stress and anxiety do not aid performing well under pressure, as some of us have undoubtedly experienced. Knowing that we react poorly when under stress, we can take measures to improve our performance and power during turbulent times.

Before your next big pressure filled moment it's important to:

1. Rally towards pressure fighting strategies

Turning stress into eustress (responding to a stressor with a sense of control or desirability) to avoid fighting, freezing or fleeing is crucial in delivering an optimal performance. When the fight/flight part of ourselves or our ‘emotional brain’ known as the limbic system become aroused, the part of our brain required for thinking clearly becomes reduced. Its kind of like a see-saw effect.

Developing the skill set to master our reaction to pressure moments is crucial to staying cool when under pressure.

2. Dissolve the performance inhibitors

To the degree that you have ongoing stresses in your life, will influence your ability to maintain composure under pressure, and by that I mean, influence a pressure situation successfully. We can become like a rubber band being pulled back and ready to snap when the added overwhelm of different aspects of our life creates a compounding effect on top of our daily agenda. Make a concentrated effort to identify the summations of stress in your life or areas that are out of balance. These might be:

• Poor sleep habits
• Communication challenges in close relationships
• Workaholism
• Perfectionism
• Needs and core values not being met

Now, create an action plan to resolve these…

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Keep chasing excellence.