Handling the Pressure of Potential
Stacy Wood, our HR manager, recently shared a powerful quote that impacted me - “A leader’s pressure is directly related to their potential.”
We see this all the time. Think of the pressure on Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and other high profile athletes and leaders. The pressure is based on the expectation of their potential. We expect these people to achieve great accomplishments, consistently because they should, right?
The interesting thing about these people is that they usually don’t feel the pressure from others as much as from themselves. Do you know what I am saying? Can you relate?
I am no Tiger Woods or Roger Federer, yet I find myself feeling pressure constantly because I know we have the potential to be the best leadership company in the world. I am convinced of it and feel like I can serve our team to become more than they ever thought of themselves.
I then judge my progress constantly against my potential to lead and grow our business. I like the fact that I feel we have potential and that I have not yet fulfilled my best. However, I need to learn how to handle that pressure that rarely ceases. It is not worry, but fervor based on excitement for the future.
How has the pressure of potential affected you?
Posted on August 28, 2008 in Leader Development
2 Comments
andre said...
Jeremy
Thanks for your honest post - it’s refreshing and I love it. I think there are many dimensions to pressure to perform. Although I had been a high tech exec for many years, I discovered new pressures when I became the CEO of a software company. There’s nothing like the top spot in any organization
There’s the pressure to not let others down who depend on you, there’s pressure to realize the potential of the company, etc…
Yet, here’s what I discovered - the need to be clear with respect to the one goal I have in life - to see Christ glorified through my life’s work - whether in success or failure. Do I want to be successful? Yes, absolutely and I work at it but always under girded by the realization that God’s sovereign will overrides all my efforts and business parameters.
Your thoughts?
Comment by andre - Sep 07, 2008 @ 03:34 AM
Linda said...
Jim Stoval has a great quote that I keep on my desk that is similar to the quote in your article above. He says, “a dream wouldn’t live in you if you didn’t have the potential to pull it off.”
Potential, dreams, performance… the pressure that we take on is to not let God down. He provides us with talent and dreams and he expects us to use them. NOW THAT’S PRESSURE!!!!!!
Comment by Linda - Nov 12, 2008 @ 11:58 PM