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Why Leaders Fail Under Pressure and How The Best Thrive Under It

October 28, 2011

Stress adversely will affect the performance of even the most savvy leaders. On www.Forbes.com, Paul Sullivan, the author of Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Others Don’t writes:

So what makes someone great under pressure? I found five traits: focus, discipline, adaptability, being present and the push and pull of fear and desire. Under pressure, focus is the most important. It’s like gravity on earth: Everything fails to function without it. It is also a higher-level skill than the concentration many of us have. Think of the difference this way: Concentration is a flashlight; focus is a laser beam.

To read Paul’s full article, click here.

Paul Sullivan writes the “Wealth Matters” column for The New York Times and is the author of Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Other’s Don’t (Portfolio, 2010). He will be presenting on Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Some Don’t on December 8, 2011 as part of the Thought Leader Series.

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