Maintaining Composure Under Pressure

The ability to create clarity when there’s no shortage of chaos, opinions, and competing priorities is a rare skill. In any reasonably competent company, this skill alone will help take you quite far, fairly quickly. Concretely, this means creating clarity on the main problems, clarity on the right solutions, and clarity on the action plan & priorities. Very few people can do this well even though most people possess the intelligence necessary to do it. This is because most people in the workplace have been conditioned to add more information, sound more clever, satisfy more stakeholders, and feign more precision & certainty than is possible. Few understand that clarity in a chaotic situation can only emerge from subtraction, never from addition. Clarity comes from communicating what stands out as most important, why it is most important, how it will be achieved, and last but not the least, giving people a way of thinking about why it is okay, even great, that we aren’t doing All The Other Things.

Do you ever find yourself more stressed when thinking about an event than the event itself? That’s ‘anticipatory anxiety.’ It’s like your brain is stuck in a “what if” loop. Most of my clients describe this exact feeling before big presentations, tough conversations or even social events. I’ve been there myself… I used to spend days imagining everything that could go wrong, which only made me feel more overwhelmed and unprepared. Turns out, the usual advice of “Just think positive” doesn’t help at all. Research shows that focusing ONLY on perfect outcomes can actually drain your energy, and make you less likely to achieve it. When your brain skips over the challenges, you’re left less prepared and even more anxious if things don’t go as planned (again, I’ve been there!). What finally worked for me (and our clients) was flipping the script. Acknowledge the worst-case scenario and plan your response: – What’s the backup if the tech fails? – How will you recover if the conversation takes a turn? – What will you do if you forget your script? You’re not necessarily expecting the worst, but being ready for it. The result is a calmer, more confident mindset going into it, and that makes all the difference. P.S. Has someone ever told you to “just visualise success?” How did that work out for you?

People bring more to work than what's on their calendar. They carry stories you may never see. A leader I know once told me about an employee whose performance suddenly dropped. ❌ Deadlines slipped. ❌ They became quieter in meetings. The assumption was simple: ❌ They've lost motivation. The reality was very different. They were caring for an aging parent, dealing with financial pressure, and trying to keep everything together without letting anyone at work know. It was a reminder that changed the way I think about leadership. People don't leave their personal lives at the office door. They bring them with them every single day. Every person you work with is carrying something you may never see. → Health concerns. → Family responsibilities. → Financial pressure. → Grief. → Uncertainty. And despite all of that... Most still show up. ✅ They join the meetings. ✅ Reply to emails. ✅ Support their colleagues. ✅ Do their best. That's why great leadership isn't just about driving performance. It's about understanding the person behind the performance. Here are 10 reminders every leader should carry with them: 1️⃣ Lead with curiosity. ↳ Ask, "How are you really doing?" and make time to listen. 2️⃣ Don't mistake silence for resilience. ↳ The people struggling most are often the least likely to say so. 3️⃣ Remember that performance always has context. ↳ A difficult week doesn't define someone's commitment. 4️⃣ Practice empathy without lowering standards. ↳ High expectations and compassion can and should coexist. 5️⃣ Offer flexibility where you can. ↳ Small adjustments can have a huge impact. 6️⃣ Recognize the invisible load. ↳ Caregiving, finances, health challenges, and grief rarely appear on a calendar. 7️⃣ Create psychological safety. ↳ People perform better when they feel safe enough to be honest. 8️⃣ Celebrate effort as much as outcomes. ↳ Growth deserves recognition too. 9️⃣ Show your own humanity. ↳ Authentic leaders make it easier for others to be authentic. 🔟 Choose empathy every day. ↳ You may never know what someone is carrying, but you always control how you respond. The strongest workplace cultures aren't built by policy alone. They're built by leaders who never forget there's a human being behind every job title. Sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can do isn't solve someone's problem. It's making sure they don't have to carry it alone. _________ ♻️ Share this if you believe great leadership starts with seeing the human behind the job. _________ 🎤 I’m opening a limited number of dates for keynotes and leadership workshops this fall. If your organization is planning a leadership conference, company meeting, or team offsite, DM me “SPEAKING” and I’ll send you more information.

For the last part of my Energy Resilience series, we have to talk about the worst-case scenario – when the lights actually go out. Earlier this year we saw that happen in Spain and Portugal. A major blackout left millions without power. Trains stopped, shops couldn’t take card payments, hospitals and factories switched to backup. A wake-up call that modern life depends on electricity in ways we often forget until it is gone.   This is what happens when grids are pushed to the edge by fast-moving disturbances or extreme conditions. A couple of years ago, South Australia experienced a state-wide blackout after severe weather took out multiple transmission lines. Investigations showed the system lacked enough inertia to stay stable through the shock. Part of the solution was to install synchronous condensers – giant flywheels that give the grid “weight” and stability. Siemens Energy delivered two of them as part of the response. Not the only measure of course – adapting regulation is also essential – but it showed something important: without resilience in the system, recovery is slow and uncertain. So what do we actually need if we want a fast ramp-up after a major incident? From my perspective, it comes down to three things. 1️⃣ Standardize before the crisis: When parts fail, every minute spent interpreting drawings or debating specifications is a minute the lights stay out. Standard equipment and uniform processes mean teams can move quickly because they are working with tools they already know. Recovery begins long before the fault happens. 2️⃣ Design power plants with failure in mind: A fast restart depends on assets built to recover quickly, not just run efficiently. That means black-start capability, smart redundancy where it matters and systems that can restart without waiting for the wider grid. In the U.S. for example we supported a power plant with a battery system that enables multiple restart attempts within one hour – resilience designed into the plant itself. 3️⃣ No improvisation in the dark: A blackout is the worst moment to negotiate who does what. Good restoration plans spell out which assets come back first, how to stabilize small sections of the grid and when to reconnect them safely. Regular drills with operators, authorities and major customers turn these plans into routine rather than theory. These steps matter because in any major incident skilled people are often the scarcest resource – grid operators, field crews and technical specialists. That is why preparation matters so much. Clear roles, common standards and trusted partnerships mean limited teams can do more in less time. Because when the worst happens what people remember is how long it stayed dark. I hope you have found this mini-series useful. I know social media is often about speed and short takes but sometimes – especially on important topics like this – I find it worthwhile digging into the detail together.✍️ I’d be interested to hear if you agree.

The Winter Olympics are underway, and I recently read a remarkable piece on Jessie Diggins, the American cross-country skier. (https://shorturl.at/PCECl) In one Olympic race, she lined up after being violently ill the night before. The temperature was close to minus 20 degrees. Her vision later turned pink. Sound was muffled. Her muscles cramped. She collapsed at the finish – contacts frozen to her eyeballs.   And yet she won a silver medal.   What fascinates me about performances like that is not just physical endurance; it’s something deeper.   In sports science, there’s a concept known as the central governor theory, proposed by Tim Noakes. It suggests that fatigue is not the body running out of fuel, but a protective mechanism regulated by the brain, to conserve effort before the body reaches true physiological failure. This explains why athletes often feel they’ve hit their absolute limit, only to find they can sprint at the end of the race.    I’ve long believed this idea extends beyond sport into our professional lives.   In leadership, business, and personal growth, the central question is not capability, but commitment: how hard are we prepared to work to achieve a given goal? Goals matter because they put something at stake. Loss aversion creates intrinsic motivation. But motivation alone is insufficient. It must be converted into action – into sustained effort, particularly when fatigue, pressure, and competing demands set in.   Sport provides a clear example for this because the goals are explicit and the rewards and costs are unambiguous. Time and again, we’ve seen that even when athletes appear to be operating at their limit, there is usually more in the tank.   As an actuary, I sometimes think about this through the mathematical concept of an open set – a set that does not include its boundary. Consider the set defined by x < 100. For any number in the set, 99 for example, there is a number larger that is still in the set, such as 99.9. It means that for any point you’re at, there’s always a little more room. There is always an epsilon – space to move just a bit further.   When a goal truly matters, people can tolerate far more discomfort than they initially believe possible. Yet in life and work, we rarely frame goals with the seriousness Olympians bring to winning a medal. More often, we fall back on reassuring platitudes: that we need to be sensible, that we’ve done enough. But adopting the mindset of an Olympian can be clarifying. It compels you to ask: what am I truly willing to sacrifice; how far am I prepared to stretch myself in pursuit of this goal?    The reality is that, in most instances, regardless of how hard we think we’re working, we can work harder.   I find this immensely inspiring. I’d love to hear if you’ve encountered a seemingly insurmountable wall in life, and how you overcame it. What was on the other side?

85% of people get nervous speaking in front of others. Clearly, not everyone loves the spotlight. But great leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room – it’s about owning the room with confidence and clarity. Here’s how to own a room, even if public speaking isn’t your thing: 🔹 Start Strong Most people lose their audience in the first 10 seconds. Avoid the usual “I’m happy to be here” intro. Instead, hook them with a bold statement, question, or story. 👉 Example: “What if I told you that everything you know about leadership is wrong?” 🔹 Own the Space Your body speaks before you do. Stand tall, make eye contact, and pause before you start speaking—it signals confidence (even if you’re faking it). 🔹 Slow Down & Simplify Nervous speakers tend to rush. But clarity beats speed. Speak in short sentences, use natural pauses, and remember: Your message isn’t about sounding smart—it’s about making an impact. 🔹 Engage, Don’t Perform Forget perfection—focus on connection. Ask questions, acknowledge the room, and make it a conversation, not a monologue. 👉 Example: “Has anyone here ever struggled with…” (watch the heads nod). 🔹 Use the BMW Method Confidence isn’t just a mindset—it’s a practice. Master your Body, Mind, and Words to project authority, even if you feel nervous. BODY: Control your breathing, stand tall, and use purposeful gestures. MIND: Focus on giving, not impressing. Remind yourself that you’re the expert. WORDS: Speak clearly, eliminate filler words, and embrace pauses for impact. 👉 Example: Before you walk on stage, take a deep breath, plant your feet firmly, and remind yourself: I’m here to serve the audience. 🔹 Master the Q&A Many speakers lose credibility during the Q&A. Stay in control with the ABC Bridging Technique: A (Answer): Acknowledge the question concisely. B (Bridge): Shift focus to your key message. C (Communicate): Deliver a clear takeaway. 🔹 End with Authority Most talks fizzle out. Great leaders land their message with power. Leave your audience with one clear takeaway and a call to action. 👉 Example: “If there’s one thing you take away from today, let it be this: [your key point].” 💡 Leadership isn’t about loving public speaking. It’s about making people listen. What’s your go-to strategy to own the room? Drop it below! ⬇ 📌 Follow me Oliver Aust for more leadership communication strategies.

Confession: I'm a nervous public speaker… (yet I’ll make $1M+ from keynotes this year). Here are 9 strategies that turned my deepest fear into a powerful strength: PHASE 1: PREP WORK Strategy 1: Study the Best. We have the world's best speakers at our fingertips. Use them. Find 3-5 speakers you admire. Watch their talks on YouTube at 0.75x speed. Take notes on their structure and pacing, voice modulation, movement and gestures, audience engagement. Strategy 2: Create Clear Structure. Great speakers don't deliver speeches, they tell stories. Map your journey explicitly: opening hook, 3 key points, memorable close. Tell the audience where you're taking them. Strategy 3: Build Your "Lego Blocks." Don't memorize your entire speech. That's a trap. Instead, perfect these moments: your opening 30 seconds, key transitions, punchlines and closers. Practice in segments, not sequences. When things go sideways (they will), you'll adapt instead of freeze. Weird trick: Practice once while walking or jogging. It simulates the heart rate spike you'll feel on stage. PHASE 2: PRE-STAGE Strategy 4: Address the Spotlight. The Spotlight Effect: We think everyone's watching our every move. They're not. Use the "So What?" approach: Name your worst fear, ask "So what if it happens?", realize it's never that bad. You'll stumble? So what. Life goes on. Your family still loves you. Strategy 5: Get Into Character. Create your speaker persona. Ask yourself: What traits do they have? How do they move? What's their energy? Flip the switch. Become that character. It's not fake, it's your best self. Strategy 6: Eliminate Stress. The "Physiological Sigh" kills anxiety fast: Double-inhale through your nose, long exhale through your mouth, repeat 2-3 times. Science-backed. Immediate impact. PHASE 3: DELIVERY Strategy 7: Cut the Tension. Last week, they asked what song I wanted to enter to. I said "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys. They thought I was joking. I wasn't. "It's my 1-year-old's favorite song. Figured he'd be more excited to watch if Dad entered to his jam." Instant laughter. Tension gone. Audience on my side. Find your tension breaker. Use it early. Strategy 8: Play the Lava Game. Your pockets and torso are lava. Don't touch them. This forces you to gesture broadly, open your body, project confidence. Big gestures early build momentum. Strategy 9: Move Purposefully. Don't pace like you're nervous. Move like you own the room. Slow. Deliberate. Purposeful. Use movement to create dramatic pauses. Let your words land. Start with one speech, one strategy: Pick your next presentation—could be a team meeting, a toast, whatever. Choose ONE strategy from this list. Master it. Then add another. Public speaking is a muscle. These strategies are your workout plan. The more you practice, the stronger you get. Remember: Everyone gets nervous. The difference is having a system. Now you have one. Use it. Practice it. Watch yourself transform.

If you always see pressure as a threat, it will hurt your performance. Listen to what Lamine Yamal does instead: (you can start right now) For context, Yamal is 18 years old. One of the greatest footballers right now and just helped Spain win the World Cup. Whether he's taking on defenders, standing over a corner, or playing in the biggest matches, he looks remarkably calm. Not because the stakes aren't high, but because of how he thinks about them. Yamal says: "My mother had me when she was 16. My father had to go out into the street and find a way to bring food home. That is real pressure. I just have to play football." That perspective explains so much. He isn't pretending there isn't pressure. He's redefining what pressure actually is. For most of us, pressure comes from the story we tell ourselves: * "I can't mess this up." * "Everyone is judging me." * "This moment will define me." Those thoughts turn a challenge into a threat. Yamal does the opposite. Compared to what his parents went through, football is an opportunity. A privilege. A game he loves. That shift in perspective changes everything. When you stop treating every high-stakes moment as a threat, you free yourself to trust your preparation, stay present, and perform. The lesson isn't just for football. It's for anyone walking into a presentation, leading a difficult conversation, pitching a client, or making a big decision. So ask yourself- how can you redefine what pressure means to you?

3 ways to demonstrate empathy during an employee investigation — without taking sides. Whether you're talking to the accuser, the accused, or a witness caught up in the storm, maintaining neutrality throughout an employee investigation is critical to a fair and thorough investigation geared towards protecting both your employees and the company. But maintaining neutrality doesn't have to mean showing no emotion or refusing to acknowledge the other person's emotional state. In fact, that can often backfire. So how can you demonstrate empathy without losing neutrality? 1. Set the tone from the beginning. Acknowledge the inherent discomfort and emotional difficulty the person may be experiencing with this process, and make it clear that you care and will do your best to make this as bearable as possible. Lean on language like, "I know this is an incredibly difficult process. It's going to involve me asking questions that may be uncomfortable to answer. My goal in asking these questions is to get to the bottom of the situation so we can determine the best path forward, but I know it's going to be a tough journey along the way. I really appreciate you partnering with me on the interview process, and I'll do my best to make this as speedy and bearable as possible." 2. It's okay to acknowledge their emotions along the way. Most people will shy away from this out of fear that it will come across as taking sides. (Anyone else trained to never, ever, ever utter the words, "I'm sorry"? No? Just me?) Certainly, you don't want to say things like, "Oh, my god — that's terrible!" or "I can't believe they did that!" But you can and should lean on language like, "I can tell this is really having an impact on you," and "What you're describing sounds like an incredibly difficult situation." 3. End the call with a show of support. Regardless of whether they're the accuser, the accused, or a witness, chances are high that this is a stressful situation. Ask how you can help within the parameters of your role. Consider questions like, "Is there any additional information or clarity I can provide to help ease your stress as we finish out this investigation?" and "Are there any sources of stress you're sitting on that I might be able to help with?" Questions like this will help surface information you might otherwise be unaware of, i.e. an upcoming meeting they have with someone involved in the investigation, trouble managing their workload during this process, or questions around how much they can disclose to their manager. Want more tips for running effective employee investigations? Check out our investigation checklist, written in partnership with legal expert, Chantelle Cappa Egan. Link here: https://lnkd.in/e2APi_WE Looking for a way to easily track, manage, and assign employee investigations? Check out Ethena's Employee Hotline and Case Management tool. Link here: https://lnkd.in/ewzDqs6T

For 25 years as CEO of WD-40 Company, I opened almost every meeting with the same line. "Good day, I'm Garry Ridge. I'm the consciously incompetent, probably wrong, roughly right CEO of WD-40 Company, and I need all the help I can get." People assumed I was being humble for effect. Most never realized it was the most strategic sentence I said all year. That line was not modesty. It was an operating system. When you are a senior leader, information gets filtered before it reaches you. People smile more. They challenge less. Reports get edited. Bad news arrives softer. Sometimes it never arrives at all. Nobody wants to be the person who hands the boss the hard truth. So the truth stops traveling. And you spend quarters making decisions based on a version of the company that does not actually exist. The introduction line was my structural fix. By naming my own incompetence first, in public, I changed the rules of the room. People watching me say "I am probably wrong and I need help" learned that being wrong and asking for help were now permissible behaviors. The signal traveled. The decisions got better because the information got better. Here is a diagnostic question I want you to sit with: Has anyone told you that you were wrong about something important in the last 30 days? If the honest answer is no, your team has not gone quiet on you. You went quiet on them. And now they are just responding to the vocabulary you gave them. The good news is you can start changing it in your next meeting. Try opening with something you do not know instead of something you do. Watch what happens.