Pressure is a goad. It can help leaders attain new heights of performance and achievement. However, it can overwhelm a leader and result in missteps that torpedo companies and careers. Here is a four-step technique for defusing the stakes in peak-pressure moments:
Ask yourself what’s not at stake
Ask yourself: What are the things that are going to be there regardless of how the presentation to the board goes? Regardless of how it goes, your family is still going to be waiting for you at home when you get out of this thing an hour from now.
That question—what is not at stake?—helps disassemble some of the manufactured importance that we often layer on peak pressure moments.
Gauge what is truly urgent
Manufactured urgency distracts from performance in peak-pressure moments. Urgency is based on the belief that you need to act now or else.
Ask yourself two questions: 1. What is the worst thing that can happen if I force action now? 2. What is the worst thing that can happen if I delay?” If the answers suggest that a peak-pressure moment just feels urgent and could be better dealt with at a later time, give yourself a break and postpone it.
Avoid the anxiety spiral
Often, leaders exaggerate the stakes in peak-pressure moments. To counter this tendency, seek evidence for the stakes you associate with a challenge and be objective by asking yourself how you would view someone who didn’t succeed in the meeting.
Let go of ego-driven stakes
Just as we tend to give leaders too much credit—and blame—for the performance of their companies, so, too, do leaders themselves. You only need to own how you acquit yourself. All the other stuff—share price, revenue, profits—is only partly within your control.
