How should one feel during High-Performance?
We know high performers, in the field of management, sports, art, academia and other crafts, have to go through a considerable level of daily stressors. In fact, it is often thought that stress and anxiety are inevitable when achieving high-quality results in a competitive environment, especially one where the margin of error is small or there are time constraints.
This is a common stream of thinking, in high-performance fields as well as everyday perception. We have all seen Gordon Ramsay screaming at his staff when things go wrong at a Michelin starred restaurant. We have seen Serena Williams erupt into a bullying frenzy when she lost. We all know of stern bosses who have no problem in confronting and resolving problems, even if requires a considerable amount of screaming.
But the question is, is that how one is supposed to feel in a high-performance situation? Is there a correct ‘feeling to feel’ in a high-performance situation?
Well, as is usually the case, there is no ONE accepted answer. The answers themselves could be as variable as human beings and the situations they encounter. However, I attempt to break it down a bit, with two variables, uncertainty of situation and experience of the person/team
High Performance-Repetitive tasks: These tasks probably require one to be in flow states. Calm, relaxed, especially because they have been through such situations many times. Think of staff at a military barrack or a nuclear power plant.
High performance in an uncertain environment which requires nonrepetitive tasks and innovation:
This is a situation where high-quality outcomes are expected but requires innovation as well. A good example can be a product development team under high pressure. Here a sense of anxiety may be inevitable and acceptable, as long as the team is able to manage this anxiety well. Flow states can still be achieved though and would probably be helpful to a large extent. These flow states would especially be possible if the team has been through such innovation and uncertainty before. A strong sense of purpose should keep them going and a high level of ‘hope’ would be needed. A prolonged time period in such an environment made warrant de-stressing through taking time off.
High Performance-people management with good staff or great team: Managing a team that has good rapport again can be done through staying in a flow state, with a calm and relaxed demeanor. An experienced manager can even confront while staying calm.
High Performance-people management with poor staff or a team that is being gathered (flux):
Creating a new team or managing one with little rapport can cause high anxiety and stress levels. Personnel in such an environment may need daily reinforcements, de-stressing, coaching, and motivation. Staying calm and relaxed would help, but perhaps is inevitable with all the triggers, regardless it should be pursued in order to have clarity in thinking and not be swayed by ego and emotions. The ego will defeat reason and objective thinking. An experienced team will do better.
High performance when everything is going right: This is the ideal environment for an automatic flow state and staying calm and relaxed can help achieve superhuman results. Think of a sports team on a winning streak. The only downside might be not being aware of mistakes. Weaknesses that others can exploit. This would require periodically standing back and seeing what is right or wrong. Requires a high level of self-awareness and coaching.
High performance when things are going wrong: Think Bankers during the financial crises. A good and experienced team can into flow states while still going through a high level of anxiety and stress. Managing stress levels on a daily, even moment to moment basis may become necessary to prevent burnout. Experienced personnel will do better. Aim for a calm state of mind and clarity of thinking and action.
Before concluding, It must be mentioned that ‘how we feel’ is also not stable and probably can never be. Like the body, the mind is not made of stone and changes on a daily basis dependent on numerous factors. Not feeling a certain way every day is normal and should be expected. However, what I have mentioned are ‘generalization’ in high-performance situations that enable study and discussion on the topic. No attempt is being made to disregard the ever-changing nature of the mind and body.
Conclusion:
We can note from the above that managing stress, anxiety, and trying to remain calm is an attempt that should be made in all scenarios. Anxiety is a physical manifestation of perceived danger, and like ego and fear, defeats objective and clear thinking. Visualizations, mindfulness exercises, self-talk, and regular coaching to stay in the moment, for positive reinforcement and to work through hesitation, fears, and self-doubts, can all help to achieve high performance. Regardless ‘feeling a certain way’ may not be the best way to approach this. Knowing what ‘feeling’ comes up and managing that feeling should be the way to go.
Umair Usman is a Rapid Transformational Therapy Practitioner, a businessperson, and a blogger. You can know more about him at www.thecognitiveconsultants.com. To book a free consultancy session, please fill the form https://tinyurl.com/y6n2vv8w
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