Think back to when you first starting working in your
profession. There was quite a bit of variance in the talent
and intelligence of your many peers, wasn't there?
Now that you've moved up the food chain, the variance isn't
so big, is it? After a certain point, talent and
intelligence alone won't help you get ahead. It's the mind
game that counts. You can psych yourself up or psych
yourself out.
One tool I've used with clients for many years is from the
world of sports psychology. I first learned this tool from
Dr. Rebecca Kraus, a sports psychologist for the Olympics
and a superb trainer at the Center for Creative Leadership.
I've modified the approach just a bit over the years for
pragmatic reasons. When you're having trouble with a
particular performance (say, you repeatedly clam up in
important meetings) or you just want to improve a skill
(like putting), give it a try.
There are five steps and I do recommend that you do them
all:
1. Pre-Performance: This is like a rehearsal. Go through
the entire performance in your mind, as close to real time
as you can get within the confines of your schedule.
2. Pre-Act: immediately before the performance, visualize
the performance as if on fast forward 3. Performance
4. Post-Act: immediately after the performance, remember
the performance as if on fast forward
5. Post-Performance: remember the performance more slowly,
analyzing how you did and identifying any needed changes in
your performance
To get the most value from the visualization process, try
the following:
* Visualize yourself in the actual room, on the putting
green - wherever you will be performing.
* Imagine the entire situation with vividness and clarity.
* Imagine the feel of the action, what it would really be
like to be in the meeting or on that putting green right
now.
* This is not an exercise in perfectly predicting the
future - just take reasonable guesses about what will
happen, what others will say and do, how they will respond,
etc.
* Succeed mightily during the rehearsal. If you start to
fail in the rehearsal, rewind and do the failing part over
until you are successful.
* Take a few deep breaths before visualization and again
before the performance to relax. Unclench your fists, too.
* The night before the event and the morning of the event,
relive your best previous performance. If you have not yet
had a successful performance, relive a different successful
performance that is in some way similar.
Now, get out there and knock their socks off!
----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Selby Long, Founder and Principal of Selby Group,
provides executive coaching and organizational development
services. Jennifer's knack is helping clients navigate the
leadership and organizational challenges triggered by
change and growth. She knows firsthand that great plans
often fail because companies don't take into account the
human factors that come into play when implementing them.
Visit Jennifer at: http://selbygroup.com
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