Friday Coffee with MAP - May 24, 2024

Hello , and welcome to Friday Coffee with MAP!

We all know someone who seems unflappable– who exudes calm when the situation around them is chaotic and unpredictable. This week’s piece argues that this admirable quality is not something you are born with or without, but a quality that can be built. Life is rarely predictable, and crises occur both in and out of the workplace. The ability to handle high-stress situations with clarity and measured action is hugely valuable, and we hope this week’s article helps you to become the person colleagues look to for calm when pressured situations arise.

Happy reading!

Need Grace Under Pressure? It’s All About The Preparation
_{by Perspectives}

Pressured situations and crises can arise very suddenly- but they don't have to lead to disorganized or stress-induced reactions. Here are some quick tips for building that ever-elusive, but universally-admired quality: grace under pressure.

Preparation: A lack of preparation is not only impossible to conceal, but it also causes scattered, tentative actions. Do your homework, and arrive to each situation with as much background knowledge & understanding as you can.

Visualize: high-level athletes are known to visualize successful play. You too can visualize various scenarios, which can give you a sense of having “rehearsed” or considered all courses of action when actual challenges arise.

Create contingency plans: Anticipating potential questions, roadblocks, or other negative outcomes can strengthen your sense of control, lowering the risk of feeling flustered or losing composure when things do indeed go wrong (and they often do, as we know!). Taking the time to consider all possible missteps or unplanned interruptions can increase your confidence.

Learn from mistakes and close calls: Use errors and frustrations as learning moments. This will increase your sense of “having been there before” the next time a stressful or unexpected crisis arises. This is part of the reason why there is no substitute for experience in the workplace: with experience comes the adaptive learning that comes with making mistakes.

In most cases, the stressful situations that arise in life do not require the heroism of a first responder. But that doesn’t negate the way that they can test our mettle. Hopefully these tips will help you impress those around you with your calm and clarity the next time a highly pressured situation rears its ugly head.

________________

So tell us: how do you view your own ability to exude grace under pressure? How have you built it over time?

We’re looking forward to hearing from you! Have a wonderful weekend.

Thank you,

The MAP Team

10345 W. Olympic Blvd, Suite 110
Los Angeles, CA 90064
OFFICE: 310.601.4095
FAX: 310.388.5484
WEB: www.mapstrategic.com

This email contains links to articles or other information that may be on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC is not responsible for and does not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third-party website.