Willner Consulting’s Post

The Leadership Secret to Staying Calm Under Pressure Here’s something you may not realize: your stress response isn’t just about the situation—it’s about your nervous system. When your nervous system is in fight-or-flight mode (what I call the Red Zone), it’s nearly impossible to think clearly, make sound decisions, or lead effectively. The key to staying calm under pressure? Learning to regulate your nervous system in the moment. One quick way to do this: Drop into your body. Next time you feel yourself spinning out, try this: 💚Pause whatever you’re doing. 💚Take a deep breath and place your attention on a sensation in your body (like your feet on the floor or the rise and fall of your breath). 💚Stay with that sensation for 10 seconds. Focusing on your body or breath for even 10 seconds can create a noticeable shift in your nervous system. It interrupts the stress response by activating the parasympathetic system (the Green Zone) and bringing you back into the present moment. While deeper regulation might take more time, those 10 seconds are often enough to create space for clarity, calm, and intentional action. The beauty of this practice is its simplicity—you can do it anywhere, anytime. Whether you're stepping into a high-stakes meeting or navigating a tense moment, it’s a powerful way to reset and lead from a place of grounded confidence. The best leaders don’t just manage stress; they master it. What’s one moment today where you can practice this? #LeadershipTips #StressManagement #MindfulLeadership #CalmUnderPressure #ResilientLeadership #ExecutivePerformance #WellBeingAtWork

Don't Let Anxiety Dim Your Brilliance! I had made a life-changing decision that should have been exciting and I should have been celebrating. Instead I felt like hiding. Anxiety chipping away at my joy. Crippling my decision making. That wriggling knot in my solar plexus! Do you know that feeling? Like a can of worms. I have felt it almost every time I make such decisions. This time around I decided to not let this overwhelm me. So I went for a walk with that knot and said: "Hello, Anxiety, My Old Friend! Please come in. Wash over me. And tell me every single worrying thing you want. I will listen to all the thoughts racing though my brain! One by one." Do you know what happened? Not a single thought came. Not one. And instead I felt it draining away from my body. By allowing the emotion, rather than suppressing it, it may reduce it a lot quicker. Lean in and see what happens! What's one specific technique or habit you've found effective in managing anxiety and maintaining peak performance in your high-pressure role? Share your insights in the comments below. #AnxietyManagement #change #DecisionMaking

🔑 Are You Busy or Productive? In a world where busyness is often mistaken for success, it’s time to pause and reflect. According to a fascinating study by the University of Chicago (highlighted by Dr.Travis Bradberry), many of us fall into the trap of idleness aversion—a tendency to stay busy, even when it harms our productivity. Why? Because we equate constant activity with hard work and achievement. Interestingly, this busyness often masks deeper issues like fear of failure or laziness. We fill our time with trivial tasks—like responding to non-urgent emails—while avoiding the meaningful, high-impact work that truly matters. The irony? To perform at your best, you need to slow down. Constant busyness can lead to burnout, missed opportunities, and decreased effectiveness. 💡 How do you ensure your busyness doesn’t hinder your productivity? I’d love to hear your strategies in the comments. Let’s learn from each other! #Productivity #Mindfulness #Leadership #Growth #HRInsights

People often comment on how resilient I seem when I function under stressful circumstances. And believe me, I’ve been in many: • A team member shows up with no work the day before a deadline? I remain calm. • An accident happens on-site that could warrant an investigation? Unfased. • Being shouted at by a client during a meeting? Not one bead of sweat. Externally. I may look composed and in control, but internally? It’s a different story. Here’s what’s really going on during those moments: 1️⃣ Out-of-body experience – Sometimes, I have to mentally disconnect and think about something completely unrelated to the situation. Like being on Lumley Beach, Sierra Leone. 2️⃣ It’s not about me – I remind myself that what’s happening is usually about them, not me. I don’t take it personally. 3️⃣ Legal perspective – In those rare moments when I think things could get physical (thankfully never happened), I remind myself, “If they touch me, that’s a legal case… and honestly, I could use the cash for a trip!” Managing stress can be just as much an internal game, as external. On the outside, we may appear cool and collected, but the real skill lies in how we manage the storm inside. Whether it’s humor, mental reframing, or grounding yourself in the bugger picture, it’s possible to remain resilient when stressors spike on the outside… …then go to an anger room and break some walls to let it all out! Having a strategy to handle stress in the moment can give you just enough time to get out of the immediate threat into a space where yu cn find a more sustainable solution. If you’re struggling with stress in your workplace or need strategies to navigate these moments with composure, feel free to reach out. Let’s talk about how to build your own resilience toolkit. #StressManagement #Resilience #CorporateWellbeing #Leadership #BurnoutPrevention #EmotionalMastery #CalmUnderPressure #Mindset

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸, 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗮 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀, 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗨𝗽 What motivates you to take the step? Andy Riise says leaders and athletes come to him to get unstuck. This makes sense to me. If I’m stuck, I want help getting unstuck. Steve Ware posed this related question last week:   Do you prefer a kick up the backside or a cuddle? Most people commented they want a little of both. In a recent poll I asked what gets in the way of relieving your stress: 40% Overwhelm 33% Too busy caring for others 27% Not sure where to start Whether you are overwhelmed, not sure where to start, Don’t have time, feeling stuck, or running ragged Start SMALL Follow the 1% rule. 1% improvement each day yields 37% improvement in a year. As James Clear reminds us Every small action casts a vote for the person we want to become. Julie Hutchinson reminds us that if we make an accountability appointment with someone else, then we are 95% likely to take the step. I’m recommitting here to all of you to one minute of calming breath first thing in the morning and last thing at night. In 10 days, I’ll teach four micro pivot practices, less than one minute each. Turn these into habits and reduce your stress forever. (see link in the comments). What small action are you taking today to shape the future you are living into? I’m here for you and for all of us to take the next step. Image:  After Skool take on Atomic Habits by James Clear. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆, 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹! 🔥🦋 #HabitsMatter #Motivation #SomaticLeadership

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 - 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐭 Do you replay situations you wish had gone differently? Wishing you had or hadn’t said something? Regret not volunteering for a project now getting recognition? These thoughts are called 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Rumination is linked to poor problem-solving, anxiety, and depression. The good news is there are simple and practical solutions to break the cycle: 𝟏. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬.  Think about what has triggered you in the past.  Have you worked with colleagues in the past whom you did not trust? Do you feel self-conscious around more accomplished people? Do you get stressed by having to make significant financial decisions? 𝟐. 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬.  Do you tend to blame yourself or others? 𝟑. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.  Recognize irrelevant perceptions and small worries.  For example, do you worry about others' opinions? Focus on minor issues? Feel like an underachiever despite success? 𝟒. 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.  Instead of thinking, “I’m inadequate,” create distance between thoughts and feelings. Reframe your mindset to “I’m FEELING inadequate.” 𝟓. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦-𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠.  Rumination decreases problem-solving effectiveness.  Shift to improvement mode by asking, “What’s the best choice right now?” 𝟔. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤.  Distract yourself when ruminating with short, absorbing activities.  Focus on a few pages of an article or a book, jog, walk, meditate, or do yoga. 𝟕. 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐬.  Start to recognize thinking errors when emotions are heightened.  For example, if you get an email from a colleague or superior and get hung up on one word or sentence, take some distance and return to it to avoid misinterpreting the tone of the entire email.  The first step to stopping rumination is to become aware of when it is happening.  𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨. #Leadership #LeadershipCoaching #HealthcareLeaders #NursingLeaders #HealthcareOnLinkedIn

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions you face in a day? I’ve experienced this firsthand. It's called decision fatigue—when every decision feels harder than the last because your mental energy is simply worn out. I remember a time when I was leading a project that required multiple complex decisions in a short span. I could feel my energy draining as each choice became more difficult, leading to a sense of overwhelm. The deadline loomed, and it was clear: I needed a different approach to decision-making. That’s when I turned to emotionally intelligent decision-making. Here’s what I’ve learned: Making smart decisions isn’t about having endless willpower. It’s about managing your emotions so they don’t cloud your judgment. It’s about knowing when to push through and when to pause, reflect, and regain clarity. Emotionally intelligent decision-making isn’t about perfection. It’s about emotional awareness and self-regulation in moments of stress. → Build self-awareness to identify when emotions are influencing choices. → Practice self-regulation to pause before reacting. → Prioritise decisions to conserve mental energy for what matters most. → Set boundaries to limit unnecessary choices and avoid overwhelm. The result? More clarity, better decisions, and reduced stress. I’ve seen leaders regain control over their workdays and teams achieve goals without feeling exhausted. Remember, decision-making isn’t just about being logical. It’s about staying emotionally balanced and clear-headed even when faced with countless decisions. P.S. Let’s connect if this resonates with you and you want to take action make emotionally intelligent decision-making and break free from decision fatigue. 🌟 #decisionfatigue #emotionalintelligence #mindfulleadership #resilientdecisionmaking #stressmanagement #selfawareness #emotionalbalance #mentalclarity #selfregulation #leadershipdevelopment #productivitytips #decisionmakingtips #worklifebalance

**Train Your Mind to Be Stronger Than Your Feelings at Work** Let's be real: the work world isn’t always a walk in the park. We’ve all faced tough days—projects falling apart, difficult colleagues, or moments when stress takes over. But here’s the key to thriving: training your mind to lead over your emotions. Why? Because emotions can be fleeting. They might push you to snap at a coworker, give up on a task, or second-guess yourself when you’re capable of more. But a strong mindset? That’s where you tap into resilience, clarity, and sound decision-making. 💡 Here’s why mastering this matters: - **Clarity Over Chaos**: When your mind is stronger than your feelings, you respond with logic, not just a gut reaction. - **Long-term Vision**: It’s easy to let temporary feelings cloud your judgment. Strengthening your mind helps you stay focused on the bigger picture. - **Better Leadership**: Others rely on you for guidance. By controlling emotions, you set an example that inspires trust and confidence. Remember, training your mind doesn’t mean ignoring your feelings. It means choosing how you respond, turning challenges into opportunities, and staying grounded when things get tough. 🌟 Stay strong. Stay steady. Make choices that push you forward. #MindOverMatter #ProfessionalGrowth #StayResilient #WorkSmarter

In the ever-evolving landscape of our professional lives, one concept remains curiously undervalued: the **Power of Pausing**. 🌟 Think about it. How often do we get caught in the relentless hustle, sacrificing our well-being on the altar of productivity? Yet, the magic isn't in doing more—it’s in doing with intention and clarity. Here's why pausing is pivotal: - **Strategic Thinking**: Pausing isn’t procrastination. It’s an opportunity to assess, re-evaluate, and pivot with precision. - **Mental Well-being**: It’s OK not to be 'on' 24/7. A mindful break can replenish your cognitive resources, leading to better decision making. - **Creativity Boost**: Often, the best ideas brew in the quiet moments. Pausing allows for those eureka moments that constant activity suppresses. Let's reframe the narrative around pauses. Instead of seeing them as disruptions, view them as essential tools for growth. Taking a break doesn’t mean falling behind. It means you’re gearing up for a quantum leap forward. 🚀 Next time you find yourself overwhelmed, remember: pause. Reflect. Then proceed with greater purpose and vigor. #Leadership #Productivity #MentalHealth #WorkLifeBalance