When You’re Feeling Under Pressure

When you’re feeling under pressure, is perhaps when you need to check yourself the most.

Brian Tracy said “The true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis”.  Martin Luthur King Jnr said “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” 

Someone else said “If you really want to know what type of man you’ve got, watch him walk through a spider web.”…but I digress.

All of the above speaks to character at the core of a person, be they male or female.  As a leader of any kind, you must be authentic to your core.  Your responses must reflect your true nature.  This is never harder than when we’re under pressure or caught between a rock and a hard place.

Leadership of any kind is to be responsible for yourself and others, and it’s my belief that it’s this responsibility that comes to the forefront when you’re challenged.  There is another gentleman whose outlook I’ve come to esteem, and his name is Danny Silk.  He advocates communicating to maintain the connection.

Communicating to maintain the connection, to remain honourable and to take responsibility for the people that you represent is the mark of a leader; the mark of a strong person who’s willing to say “The buck stops with me, and I personally care for the people these decisions and outcomes affect.”

When you’re under pressure, take a moment to center yourself.  Ask yourself how you can respond in a way that maintains the connection, takes responsibility, acts with honour and integrity, and above all else, care for those involved.

by Christen Killick

4th July 2018