How do you maintain your focus, composure, and momentum as a leader when you’re under pressure?

• Be clear about your purpose which will define your priorities – be mindful of your motivations and intentions
• Be respectful and honorable even when you are not treated that way; remember you are responsible for your behavior and everyone else is responsible for theirs
• Acknowledge the pressure and give yourself permission to take a pause for a “personal huddle” – remind yourself of your gifts & talents and the experiences that have prepared you to succeed
• Establish a filter and decide what justifies an investment of your time and attention; everything that happens does not require a reaction or a response – recognize and dismiss the distractions
• Organize yourself and take the time to develop a plan – compile all the mental reminder, lists, post-its notes, and notepad entries in one place
• Seek wise and trusted counsel – you don’t have to solve everything on your own
• Communicate clearly and often – it reduces repeat questions, it minimizes confusion caused by the absence of information, and makes you more productive
• Be solution oriented when issues surface – spend about 60 seconds on what happened or didn’t happen; shift your attention quickly to “how do we resolve this?”  and be open to the possibilities

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