Performing Under Pressure

Whether you are a coach watching your basketball player shoot a free throw at the end of the game or a manager leading your staff at the end of a grueling season, performing under pressure is challenging.

Managers Are Coaches

In athletics and business, high performers know the importance of calmness to perform under pressure. But sometimes they need more than what they can muster inside themselves. They need someone else to keep them focused and energized.

Coaches call timeouts to keep players from getting sidetracked when moments are intense. Managers have weekly (or more frequently) one-on-ones to do the same. Both coaches and managers know that keeping their team in the right mindset is crucial for sustained performance.

They know that if they don’t keep their team mentally alert, they likely will fall victim to cognitive distortions, or exaggerated patterns of thought not based on facts.

When they start down that road, it’s hard to turn around.

• I’ll never get it all done.
• I’m not cut out for this.
• I shouldn’t be assigned so much work.
• This is too hard for me.
• I’m not having fun.

Manager As Coach

I remember one of our managers telling me that a very stressed senior staff dropped by his office about two weeks before a deadline. All kinds of the distortions came tumbling out of his mouth. For that staff, it felt like the odds were too great. And you can imagine how his fretting affected his sleep, diet and physical movement routines.

After listening patiently, the manager calmly reminded the staff that the work isn’t too much and they will get it done.  Every year is like this and it always works out.

The manager’s confident reassurance was enough for that young staff to take a breath and get back to work. By altering his distorted perspective, he was able to return to the rhythm of his good work habits.

Everyone Can Be A Coach

Whether you are senior staff working with new staff and interns, or senior partners working with managers, your team needs you to keep them on track, on time and connected. Be present and lead your team to perform under pressure.