The 6th Pillar : Composure Under Pressure
Join us as we continue our series through the 6 Pillars of Performance:
- Holding your ground in leadership.
- Becoming wise and wealthy.
- Empowering your self-esteem.
- Amplifying your energetic antenna.
- Choosing power over comfort.
- Composure under pressure.
For more information, a workshop, and courses on these pillars, you can go to the programs page.
We have come through all five pillars, and now, with the Sixth Pillar, Compsure Under Pressure, we begin to put it all together.
There is one word, my friend, you must eliminate from your vocabulary in order to become who you are meant to be - agenda.
Your to-do list should never get off the page of your calendar or journal.
Here’s why.
Goal setting is vital to success because you have to define a goal before you can achieve it. Have you ever tried to take a road trip without a destination? Didn’t end well, did it?
When it comes to others, and everything that goes along with people - the conversations, the choices, the give and takes - you have to check your agenda at the door and operate from Presence.
It is a delicate balance of operating without expectations but within boundaries.
A common piece of networking advice is, when you go to a meeting or event, find at least three people to connect with, and one person with whom you could partner or set up a referral relationship.
Here’s why that is successful, and here’s why it’s not.
For many introverted business owners, networking with a group is intimidating. Going in with a goal means there’s now an escape once the goal is accomplished. You also feel the event was beneficial because you have met several individuals with whom you can now have a meaningful connection.
Here’s why it’s not.
If you are going in with that goal in mind, you unconsciously steer every conversation towards achieving your goal. And the person you’re speaking with knows it.
Don't you ever get tired of the "So what do you do?" question?? And asking the same question?
When you allow yourself to be fully present, you may not achieve your goal. You will, however, make genuine and lasting connections.
You never know who you know, because of who you know.
The true key to composure under pressure is staying present.
Do all of the background work you can. Look up the LinkedIn profiles of people you know are going to be at the event, and find some talking points. Did you go to the same school? Do you work in the same industry? Do you know others in their industry? What would be a conversation-starting question you can ask about their experiences or background? You're a professional. Save some time to do your homework. You will never be too big to be curious and courteous.
Want a different example?
When special forces teams do training, the planning is intense, the dry runs are endless, and often, the training period lasts much longer than the operation itself.
Why?
So the operatives, during the mission, can make the least amount of decisions possible, allowing them to be the most present. This keeps them safe and ensures a successful mission. They are able to rely on their pre-planning and their years of training, so decisions are made quickly and instinctively. Because most of the big decisions are already made - what they're doing, who is where, where they will enter and exit, the time of entry and the time of exit - brain power is freed up to make other decisions as they arise.
You don’t want to be standing there pondering pros and cons when the enemy wants to kill you.
Granted, hopefully your working environment is a little less deadly than those our special forces teams experience. But some of the basic premises of operations remain the same.
Do all of the background research you can, and keep yourself informed. Run likely (and different) scenarios through your head, deciding ahead of time what you can do or say. This is pre-planning and visualization.
Come up with some of your own questions and talking points that can be tweaked to apply to multiple audiences. Tell me about a good day and a bad day in your role? What still excites you about coming to work? Think of questions that aren't yes or no answers. This is your version of training.
Next, think of what might go wrong, and how you can handle it graciously. You spill a drink or you say the wrong thing to the wrong person. Do you have a handkerchief or a napkin to start cleaning up? What is a solid change of subject you can use after an apology?
Going through these steps - be informed, be prepared, troubleshoot, and be present - are great ways to keep your composure, no matter what the event could throw at you.
Be as informed as you can.
Be as prepared as you can.
And then, be present.
