Pressure has a funny way of revealing what’s underneath. When things get tough, people don’t rise to the occasion; they fall to the level of their preparation.
I remember running training sessions where we’d deliberately add a bit of pressure. Maybe shorten the time, use game position scenaros, increase the pace, or throw in unexpected challenges. The goal wasn’t to trip anyone up. It was to help them think clearly and stay calm when things got messy.
Leadership works the same way. The best teams aren’t just skilled, they’re steady under stress. They practise how to handle pressure before it arrives. That could mean running through tough scenarios in a team meeting, talking about how to manage conflict, or agreeing how to respond when deadlines close in.
You don’t build composure in the middle of chaos. You build it ahead of time by practising together.
This week’s challenge:
Think about a high-pressure moment that could be coming for your team. Don’t wait for it to happen. Talk through how you’ll handle it together, so when it comes, you’re ready.