May 2009

Peak Performance Under Pressure

In these troubling times . . . in today’s economic climate . . . in the midst of this uncertainty . . .

I don’t know about you, but I can’t turn on the news without hearing one of these statements. You would think Americans—and all of humanity itself—have never experienced “troubling times” before. But we all know better. In fact, most of us experience one sort of troubling time or another on an almost daily basis. We all know by now that, in life, pressure is par for the course.

It’s the way we cope with pressure that makes the difference in the way we experience life. Trouble is, many people respond to challenge with a variety of knee-jerk survival instincts that result in a kind of self-sabotage. It’s time to take another path.

Instead of overreacting when things don’t go your way, meet challenges with CLARITY. The Chinese character for “crisis” mixes the words for danger and opportunity. Take time to focus on where that opportunity lies in your challenge to create a more positive vision for the outcome.

Instead of getting overwhelmed by everything that must be done, meet challenges with CHARACTER. Define your priorities and practice integrity by making your intentions match your actions.

Instead of overlooking an obvious need for change, meet challenges with COURAGE. Doing what’s obvious doesn’t mean doing what’s easy. Take risks and step just outside your comfort zone to find solutions.

Instead of overcompensating and working yourself to the bone, meet challenges with CARE. The concept of the “relaxation response” comes from studies that show that people can only experience so much stress until their performance suffers. When that turning point occurs, it’s necessary to take a break from the stress and the mindset that created it. Give yourself the time and space to “recover” from these stressful situations—whether it’s watching your favorite TV show, taking a Spinning class or playing air guitar with the Foo Fighters while listening to your iPod.

Put It into Practice:

Shantideva, the Indian Buddhist scholar, wrote, “There’s nothing that does not grow light through habit and familiarity. Putting up with little cares, I’ll train myself to bear with great adversity.”

He suggests that, by learning how “not to sweat the small stuff,” we are training ourselves to respond with greater thoughtfulness to the big challenges that may come our way. So the next time you’re sitting in a traffic jam, your child is singing the same song over and over, the dryer “eats” another sock, or any little pet peeve strikes, practice patience, acceptance and even humor. In turn, you’ll build your strength for the times when you really need it. 

Perform at Your Peak:

Give your staff the “drive” to succeed—even in the midst of obstacles—by signing on for our signature golfing program, Irons to the Fire. Your team will learn to respond more effectively to a variety of pressure points during a half-day skills and drills golfing clinic, or a full-day tournament.

Ovations Inc. takes corporate teams out of the office to experience activities such as cooking, yoga, golf, scavenger hunts and more. Teams focus on various areas of peak performance and apply the learnings back to the work environment. Contact us to find out how can help take your team to the top.

Follow me on Twitter @TeamBuildingMD.

Be my friend on Facebook.

Join my Facebook group.

Join my network on LinkedIn.

To view this newsletter online, please visit the following link: http://experiencepeakperformance.com/newsletter/april09.html