Coaching Tip: Coaching the Pressure Situation

Originally Submitted on 1/23/2001.

Introduction

Pressure situations make creative problem-solving more difficult. It may help the client if the coach asks questions about additional sources of information and support.

The Coaching Tip

When a client is in a pressureful situation, this may be a time when s/he feels more and more alone and less and less able to reach out to others for support and information. There may be a feeling of "It's all on me, I have to do it alone." This works against creative problem-solving and makes good choices difficult.

Although the coach may offer support, in most cases the coach is not right there, on the spot, dealing with the problem, and so some clients may, in moments of pressure-thinking, feel that even the coach cannot help.

One way that a coach can help to reverse this form of thinking is to ask questions about who might have additional information, and who may be safe people with whom to discuss the issues. As the client comes up with answers to such questions, s/he is likely to start realizing that s/he does have a team of others who may be sources of ideas, information, and support. If this is followed by the development of action steps... e.g. first, call Fred for more information about A, second, e-mail Mary about B, these decisions can help the client to move into action mode, and to get away from the frozen, deer-in-the-headlights mode that sometimes strikes when we are experiencing extreme pressure.

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About the Submitter

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