Executive PA Australasia April May 2018 | Seite 57

DEVELOPMENT
actually our belief about stress being bad that’s
bad. It’s our belief that matters – and fortunately
that can be changed.
Myth 2: People don’t cope with pressure
The truth: Pressure is needed to get into flow
In our workplaces, the fear that people won’t
cope with pressure if and when it builds can
stop productivity in its tracks. The truth is that
we need a level of pressure to get into action: a
looming deadline can be just the thing to get you
moving. When we see something as a challenge
and pressure shows up, we shift out of the fear
response – so think of pressure as the energy
that’ll drive action.
Myth 3: The goal is always to take the
pressure off
The truth: Apply pressure at the right time
Five myths of
pressure at work
We don’t need to tell you that EAs spin a lot of
plates and wear many different hats – you know
too well that it can be a high-stress role, so use
Alison Hill’s tips to combat some of the pressure
THE EXPERT
Alison is a registered
psychologist with a
wealth of experience
in working with
organisations and
individuals going
through transitions,
ensuring behaviours are
aligned with company
strategy. She’s also an
author, keynote speaker
and trainer.
Job pressure can be a major source of stress
and it can escalate quickly – and the PA role is
no different. With competitors closing in, digital
transformation at the forefront and a 24/7 work
cycle this can only rise – but, despite this, there
aren’t enough open and useful conversations
about pressure. We know we need to work better
with pressure, but some of the old beliefs that we
hold on the topic can be counter-productive.
Let’s explore five of the most common
pressure-related myths – and I’ll share five truths
that can shift your relationship with pressure in
the EA role.
Myth 1: Stress is bad
The truth: It’s our belief that stress is bad,
that’s bad
During the 1980s and 1990s researchers found
a link between stress response and negative
physiological changes in our bodies, and
concluded that stress was bad. But recent
research, similar to the work of Kelly McGonigal
in her latest book The Upside of Stress, actually
demonstrates that stress itself is not bad – it’s
As a high level EA it’s your job to know your team
and boss well enough to know when to apply the
right pressure at the right time in order to achieve
results. For continued peak performance we
certainly need to tilt the scales and provide some
release of pressure – then it’s about knowing
when and how to encourage others back into the
challenge again.
Myth 4: My environment causes my pressure
The truth: Pressure is an internal response
It’s easy to find an external cause (tight deadlines,
difficult clients, tech issues) when you start to
scan for the source of pressure. And, although
these external situations may have unfortunately
happened, others face very similar situations
and rise to the challenge. An individual’s
response to pressure is internal and you have the
ability to choose to set boundaries, have tough
conversations and have a different relationship
with pressure.
Myth 5: My pressure won’t affect anyone else
The truth: Our emotional experience is
contagious
When someone walks into a room and they’re
under pressure you feel it. Yet most of us believe
we can hide how we’re coping. Research from
the Max Plank Institute for Cognitive and Brain
Sciences found that levels of cortisol (the major
stress hormone) are elevated when we’re around
highly stressed people, so remember that your
experience is contagious. Having a different
relationship with pressure won’t just benefit you;
it’ll boost those around you. S
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