The Confident Communicator - Handling High Pressure

In a crisis or high-tension situation, communicators are often the emotional shock absorbers.

Everyone has big feelings.

You’re expected to be calm, clear, and composed.

Here’s what helps:

1.Separate roles from emotions.

Silently tell yourself: “Their fear/frustration is real. My role is to bring clarity, not match their emotional volume.”

You’re not minimizing their feelings. You’re choosing your function.

2. Slow down the pace on purpose.

When everyone is rushing, say: “To avoid mistakes, let’s take 60 seconds to line up the facts we know and what’s still being confirmed.”

You’re not stalling. You’re preventing chaos.

3. Use grounding questions.

Ask:

- “What decision needs to be made in the next 30 minutes?”

- “What does the public absolutely need to know right now?”

These questions pull the room out of panic and into action.

4. Regulate yourself after the fact.

You’re human. After the adrenaline, give yourself time to decompress.

A quick walk, a deep breath, or a written debrief can make a huge difference.

Calm doesn’t mean unaffected.

Calm means you’ve built enough internal stability to lead even while you feel the pressure too.