The ability to excel under pressure is an essential prerequisite for achieving high levels of success. This principle holds true for individuals dedicated to excellence across various fields, ranging from entrepreneurs and investors to professional athletes. Dan Carter, the all-time highest point scorer in test match rugby union and one of the world’s greatest sports leaders, embodies this ethos. After discussing his latest book The art of winning and his work with the Saïd Business School, I’ve had the opportunity to delve deeper into his perspective during a Heritage Holdings event.
Entrepreneurs, much like athletes, frequently encounter intense pressure as they navigate the complexities of building and scaling their businesses. Effectively managing pressure can be the pivotal factor that distinguishes between realizing success and facing disappointment. Here are some strategies entrepreneurs can use to manage pressure.
Prepare for potential challenges through ‘what-if’ scenarios
To effectively navigate uncertainty, it’s beneficial to anticipate potential challenges that might arise in the future.
For instance, the All Blacks team conducted ‘what-if’ sessions. These 30-minute-long weekly sessions involved exploring scenarios such as: What if our captain receives a red card in the first twenty-five minutes, leaving us with only fourteen players for the rest of the Test match? What if we’re behind by three points with only two minutes remaining – do we attempt a shot to tie or go for a game-winning try? By discussing these possibilities within the team, they developed plans for such situations. Although they hoped to avoid these scenarios, their experience taught them to be prepared for the unexpected.
Previously, unexpected events would catch them off guard. However, their proactive approach to uncertainty, through ‘what-if’ sessions, eventually led to faster and more effective responses. Even if they wouldn’t directly encounter a specific situation on the field, their overall readiness for uncertainty minimized surprise, enabling them to react swiftly and effectively. These sessions ingrained the practice of adapting to the unforeseen.
“Rather than being flustered and left with no answers, this gives you a sense of confidence. You also go: all right, this is one of the things that went wrong, there’s probably a couple more to come as well. You embrace it, you deal with it, you move on,” shares Carter.
As an entrepreneur, the key is to incorporate your own ‘what-if’ scenarios into your preparation for high-pressure situations. Whether you’re gearing up for a critical investor meeting or launching a new product, consider: What if the worst-case scenario actually happens? Collaborate with your colleagues and team to outline your plan of action. Remember that preparing for challenges tougher than the actual ones you might face can make the real tasks seem more manageable.
Break down goals into intermediate steps toward success
Setting ambitious goals is a hallmark of both sporting endeavors and entrepreneurship, but the path to success can often seem dauntingly long. One of the keys to conquering these grand aspirations lies in breaking them down into manageable intermediate steps. By doing so, you not only make the journey feel less overwhelming but also set yourself up for consistent progress which can then work as an antidote against the self-doubt that may otherwise creep in.
“You can look at certain highs and peaks and feel lost because they seem just so far. Breaking it down into weekly or daily goals and celebrating those little wins along the way is really important,” warns Carter.
For entrepreneurs, key milestones serve as markers of progress toward their company’s desired destination. In the context of a funding round, investors also look at the milestones that a company has been able to reach with the previous funding they received and ask questions about what the team hopes to achieve with the new funds.
While it’s essential to have a plan, entrepreneurship is inherently unpredictable and there are many things outside of one’s control. Remain open and flexible enough to adjust your intermediate steps and milestones as circumstances change.
Develop techniques for refocusing on the present
Even if you have put together a meticulous plan for achieving your goals, staying focused on the task at hand and not dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about the future can still be a challenge.
The All Blacks, following guidance from forensic psychiatrist Ceri Evans, differentiate between two states during a game: blue head and red head. Blue head signifies a calm, focused mindset, crucial for effective decision-making and skill execution under pressure. Conversely, red head involves dwelling on past events or uncontrollable future scenarios, leading to loss of control. In a red head state, you often freeze, fight, or flee.
While completely avoiding the occurrence of red states is unrealistic, you can recognize them and strive to swiftly return to a blue state – calm and present.
“It’s important to understand not only what your default reaction to pressure is but also your teammates’. Once you know that, you can help them recognize they are in a state of red and help them regain their composure,” shares Carter.
Carter encourages entrepreneurs to develop their own techniques for managing their minds and grounding themselves in the present. In his case, using physical cues, like a slap on the leg, helped with the transition from a red to a blue state during games.
Another technique he’s found useful during training was to write down everything he had to do in the next 24 hours and whenever he felt his mind drifting, he would check the schedule and refocus on the task at hand.
Carter warns that the little voice in your head, telling you to quit, that you’re not good enough, is a test of your mental strength. Find ways to focus on the present and to quieten that voice.
“If I could go back in time, I would only change one thing: I would spend more time on my mental strength. I wish I knew the tools earlier,” highlights Carter. “Before we started focusing on this at a team level, we were like possums in headlights. We were training hard on the field and in the gym, but we weren’t training our minds and that was leading to painful mistakes.”
Shift your mindset and embrace pressure as an opportunity
Change your perspective: see pressure as a clear signal that something is important and as an opportunity for personal growth rather than a source of fear. Some of the most successful people in the world thrive under pressure every day. Moments of intense pressure can actually be the culmination of your experience and expertise, providing a chance to make significant progress toward your goals.
Much like many entrepreneurs, Carter realized that the pressure he put on himself was often greater than any external pressure he faced. The key is to enhance your mental resilience and harness the energy that pressure can provide.
As Carter points out, if you embrace the sensation of pressure and concentrate on the right processes, the desired outcomes will likely follow. Consistency in your routines eventually leads to consistency in your results. While it may seem counterintuitive, in high-pressure situations, champions frequently excel by mastering the basics.
“Something that we learned about going from great to great again was that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Basically, it’s about doing the basics even better. You’re not trying to find this new magical formula, it’s more about consistently doing the basics again,” summarizes Carter.
Now, think about applying this shift in your own life and work: view pressure as a privilege, an inherent opportunity to push your boundaries and strive for improvement. As an entrepreneur, it’s a chance to get closer to your vision for the world.
Create a culture where feedback is seen as a gift, not a threat
Surround yourself with people who support your growth. Support you not by telling you what you want to hear but by challenging you and testing your assumptions. Developing the ability to both give and receive feedback is an essential skill to master.
“One thing that we used to do to break down the barrier before a challenging discussion was to say: I would love to have a conversation with you, can I ‘enter the danger’? I have some feedback on the way you’re doing things,” shares Carter. “We also found that it’s important to set time aside every week during which leaders have an open-door policy and encourage honest feedback sessions.”
As Carter highlights, the most impactful meetings occur when individuals are not afraid to be vulnerable but also challenge each other and express their honest views. Initially, being questioned or challenged by peers might trigger personal insecurities. However, realizing that feedback is not a personal attack and benefits both you and the team is vital. Engaging in productive debates contributes to collective progress.
In a world-class environment, cultivating exceptional behavior is the responsibility of every team member, not just leaders. At a team level, when cultural standards are enforced solely by managers, their impact diminishes over time. Yet, when these standards are upheld by colleagues and teammates, they hold more weight, fostering an environment where everyone strives for excellence, even in seemingly minor ways. This approach instils discipline and respect.
The All Blacks principle of “debate, commit, walk forward together” encapsulates the approach: engage in debates, commit to resolutions collectively, and move forward as a united front.
As an entrepreneur, it’s essential to avoid creating a circle of individuals who only echo your preferences. Instead, foster an atmosphere where feedback is shared openly and with clarity.
Navigate the learning curve
It’s important to maintain a trajectory of success by consistently building upon your achievements and not becoming complacent. Achieving greatness, whether in sports or business, requires a long-term commitment. To ensure this longevity, you must allow your skills and strategies to evolve. This principle applies to athletes striving for greatness as All Blacks and entrepreneurs aiming to create pioneering businesses. Both journeys demand learning, adaptation, and consistent growth over time.
If you aim for continuous improvement, you need to embrace a growth mindset. According to Carter, a growth mindset is essentially the belief that we can improve ourselves every day, striving for progress as a daily habit. This mindset is crucial for sustaining growth and success. The skills that propelled you from an initial stage (0 to 1) might not be sufficient for reaching higher levels (1 to 100).
Carter encourages entrepreneurs to perceive setbacks as opportunities for learning, not failures. Use them as stepping stones for growth, analyzing what transpired to instigate progress. This is what the All Blacks did after losing the World Cup In 2007: they assimilated the lessons and strengthened their mental toolkits.
Successful organizations adeptly balance their legacy with the need for ongoing evolution. They remain faithful to their foundational principles while adapting to changing circumstances. This dual approach fosters growth and progress over time.
Consistently pushing for improvement, embracing a growth mindset, and aligning personal growth with collective achievement are vital components of sustained success. Whether in sports or business, the journey to greatness is a continuous process of evolution and development.
“Success after success is one of the hardest things. You really need to spend time coming up with the real drive to do it again and a clear aspirational vision for what’s next. Subconsciously, you run the risk of relaxing along the way if that vision is not genuine,” warns Carter. “For example, some entrepreneurs are so driven the first time around but then they often move too quickly when building the second company, disregard the fundamentals, and lose motivation along the way.”
Prioritize rest and recovery for optimal performance
Recognize the crucial role of rest and recovery in high-performance settings. If you’re consistently feeling low and you fail to recharge, do consider initiating a conversation with a coach or seeking specialized assistance. “Often we think that the more we work the more we achieve but your well-being is as important as the hard work and needs to be a priority,” highlights Carter.
This concept of prioritizing recovery and well-being is prevalent among elite sports teams and increasingly spreading to the startup world. However, there’s room for improvement, particularly in understanding the importance of addressing mental strain. If mishandled, such initiatives might devolve into mere box-ticking exercises, failing to garner genuine engagement.
As Carter advises: “Don’t just push your well-being to the side and think it will be all right. Schedule time in your calendar to focus on what you need for your recovery. For example, I knew, wherever we were on the road, that I needed 10 minutes every day of ‘Dan time’. It was like a meditation without meditation, just me without any distractions, processing my thoughts from the day. I needed to schedule that in the day. When I was planning my weeks, I would always schedule physical recovery in there as well. If I were leading a company, I would learn about what my colleagues need and try and schedule it for them, make sure they have allocated windows.”
In any leadership capacity, consistent check-ins with team members, monitoring their well-being, maintaining an open-door policy for personal concerns, and being attuned to their experiences can significantly enhance both individual well-being and team performance.
Embarking on a high-performance path that also allows for rest and recovery often involves the art of subtraction – saying no to endeavors that could hinder your primary objectives. For Carter, post-retirement, it meant selecting fewer but more strategic opportunities. For entrepreneurs, it might mean saying no to certain events or exploratory meetings. Expanding this principle to organizations, it might involve prioritizing mastery in core products rather than spreading thin, leading to more robust growth. It could entail dedicating less time to team weaknesses and more to enhancing strengths. Perhaps, fewer all-encompassing meetings and more targeted, efficient one-on-ones or smaller group discussions.
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