A Panic or Choke Moment - Essay Example

It is common for human beings to waver in the face of pressure.
In this paper, I will firstly, describe a panic or choke moment I have experienced within a job scenario, secondly, explain how I have resolved to contend with this circumstance in the future and how understanding my stress reactions will make me a better contributor or leader.

A Panic or Choke Moment
My panic or choke moment is from a job scenario. It happened during a meeting at my workplace where I was supposed to give a presentation regarding a new project that our company wanted to initiate. That day turned out to be the most provoking and infuriating of my life. Before that time, I had experienced something similar, but this incident was more pronounced and baffling. The meeting was to take at least one hour since I was the only one presenting the project. I wanted to give a perfect presentation so I had to prepare adequately since my first presentation within my department had inadequacies and pitfalls. I had mastered the whole presentation in my mind, but to ensure a sophisticated presentation, I brought along my laptop and projector. The meeting commenced, my boss, did the introduction and thereafter called me to take the centre stage. I took center stage and got ready by setting up my laptop and projector. I was so motivated and enthusiastic since I was sure that I had everything under control. However, five minutes into the presentation, a power surge occurred, which tampered with my laptop. The laptop failed to work; I realized that I could not access my presentation from the laptop, and suddenly my mind went blank. Although I had all the information in my mind, without my laptop, I could do nothing.

Contending with the Situation
After that incident, I resolved to get help to avoid embarrassment like that again. Choking or panicking can be resolved through different methods. When Novotna faltered during her Wimbledon match, it was because she started to think too much about her shots, and thus, losing her fluidity. In my situation, when the power surge occurred, it tampered with my laptop, which had my presentation. I had put all my focus into presenting with the help of my laptop and projector. All I had to do was to give the presentation from my mind instead of thinking that using the laptop was the only one in which I possibly present. If I had relied on my mind, I would have easily avoided the stress and presented the project.
Forgetting the past is very important, especially forgetting unpleasant incidents. Novotna, remembering her choke at Wimbledon was again culpable at the French Open in 1995. Forgetting disappointments in the past can help to avoid those affecting current events. Finally, it is important not to think too hard. Failure develops when an individual focuses too much on mechanical and technical procedures when carrying out an activity. In my case, I focused too much on delivering a sophisticated presentation with my laptop and projector. In addition, contending with situations that bring about stress call for experience. Essentially, it means thinking something through to anticipate what might go wrong.

Understanding Stress Reactions
Understanding how a person reacts to stress is vital in making that person an effective leader. Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to comprehend and manage one’s emotions and those around them (Vidula et al, 2012: p10). Leaders or team members who have good emotional intelligence normally know their feelings, what it means, and how this can affect the rest of the team. For a leader, being aware of one’s emotions is vital for success. A leader, who shouts at his or her team or retreats when stressed, will probably fail when compared to one who calmly assesses the whole situation. Leaders who have self-awareness always have a fingertip feel of their feelings, and they understand how their emotions can affect those around them. Being self-aware in a leadership position enables an individual to have a clear picture regarding their weaknesses and strengths, and endows the individual with humility, which is vital in a team environment (Vidula et al, 2012: p11).
An ability to self-regulate allows a leader to avoid verbal attacks on their subordinates or make sudden emotional decisions, compromise their values, or stereotype people (Vidula et al, 2012: p12).

Team members also have empathy toward their teammates. Empathy is vital in managing a team as it aids leaders in nurturing team members, challenging those acting unfairly, and giving feedback in a constructive manner. Empathetic leaders can earn the loyalty and respect of their team and prove to the team that he or she cares about their well-being. All these improve productivity. Read More