Performance under pressure…..do you need to mobilize the talents and minds of others to get the job done while their stress levels increase in an economic pressure cooker? Is the emergence of virtual teams transforming the way you lead them?
The pressures are increasing almost exponentially—economic, interpersonal, organizational—which means we need more effective strategies to address these demands.
What do we know? We know that as stress tolerance decreases, performance at all levels diminishes. We know that individuals need to learn new ways to getting things done which increases the demand for personal growth. We know that performance is based on what you do, which is affected by what you think, and that is influenced by how you learn.
The goal of this blog is to allow for the sharing of performance under pressure challenges, tactics, and action tips.
What are your pressures? What are your strategies? How are you increasing performance capacity in the face of harsh economic challenges?
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Like Roger and many others, Performance Under Pressure has been a topic under my skin for a while now. So I escaped to the Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden last week. No Performance Under Pressure there! I was surrounded by anxious owners, hopeful breeders and talented handlers trying to earn their fees. At times I could feel the stress sizzling around me like electricity on the line.
ReplyDeleteI had plenty of opportunity to observe Performance Under Pressure from my fellow humans. But wait! This show is about the dogs, isn’t it?
There were beautiful dogs everywhere -- 170 breeds, each with his/her chance to shine in the show ring! Of the thousands who were displayed, some did just that, seemingly just walking through the motions. Many of them seemed to rise to the occasion and enjoy doing what was asked of them. A memorable few truly excelled – bounded and strutted and smiled – showing off what was the best of their particular breed to all in attendance. Even among this lineup of stellar high-performers you could tell that some were more motivated, some more dedicated to the day’s work than others.
And then there was the Newfoundland. In Ring Five on Day Two with an excellent handler named Scott Somer, who would learn about Performance Under Pressure in the best and worst of situations – all in the same day. In a ring full of fine and fluffy black Newfoundlands (including a rare chocolate brown one), Scott found his particular dog had decided… he wanted to go home. Or at least not perform here in the expected fashion.
Like any good manager Scott tried his best to motivate for desired outcomes. He used all of his best approaches, ones that had worked with many dogs – and with this dog – successfully in the past. He found that this dog had decided that this time, this place and this stress were different for him. He shut down, sat down and then skillfully wriggled backwards out of the ring. He joined the spectators in the first row. And he refused all efforts from the talented handler. For lack of performance, they were both excused from the ring.
I met Scott back in the grooming area later that day. He told me that this dog had never done this before. Was it the noise, the slick carpeting, the judge’s gestures? Who knew, but the circumstances – the pressure --had significantly changed for this high-achiever, enough so that performance was brought to a screeching halt. Scott also freely admitted that he had expended his entire arsenal of tricks: cajoling, kind words and liver treats, all to no avail. What was clear was that the performer needed help from his leadership, and unfortunately his leader was not prepared. Within an hour Scott had come to a conclusion that many managers are reaching these days: he must learn some new approaches to use in these new and unpredictable situations. Even the best and most skilled performers are becoming stymied by the stress.
So Scott is off to learn some new tricks. Just like those of us who manage humans, he knows it is imperative to do so, in order to continue to be in demand, to produce predictable results, to bring out the best in those who are entrusted to him. Scott has learned to be ready for the unpredictable, even from his best performers. He now knows that the most stressful situations will constantly test him as a leader. He is going to be listening harder, and helping his charges learn to deal better with ever-greater stress. In short, he is out this week learning new skills so that he can ensure Performance Under Pressure.
Don’t we all need to do this? Forget predictability, forget “business as usual”, forget our confidence in our most dutiful and diligent employees. We all need to get ready…and ready-up those whom we lead.
Oh, and the footnote: if the name Scott Somer is at all familiar to you, it’s because later that evening he brought out the performance of a lifetime from a Sussex Spaniel named Stump, who was named the 2009 Best of Show winner.
Rita Hummel Crowe
i am zero under pressure....i used to say all the time that i will do it or i hav enough potential to get through any difficulity but when it comes to that particular moment i give up..
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