Overcoming the Paralyzing Impact of Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety is the experience of acute stress, fear, or anxiety in situations where an individual must perform or display their skills and competencies while being evaluated by others. It commonly arises when stakes are high, outcomes really matter, and there is intense pressure to perform well. While a certain level of situational anxiety is normal, when it becomes excessive it can significantly undermine an employee’s capabilities and hurt their performance. Performance stress makes it difficult to concentrate, recall information, and leverage one’s skills fully. Employees struggling with this issue may make uncharacteristic mistakes, have difficulty communicating effectively, and fail to meet their potential – negatively impacting their career trajectory. For organizations, widespread performance pressure can hamper productivity, collaboration, and retention of top talent. Hence, this article on the Harvard Medical School website highlights 2 strategies to keep performance anxiety under control.

According to the article, performance stress is common in situations where skills are required, outcomes matter, and others will evaluate one’s performance. The article suggests this anxiety often stems from the social implications of potential failure rather than just the performance itself. For novices in demanding fields like surgery, the article states that performance anxiety can be especially high due to underdeveloped skills and heightened perceived stakes. However, the article suggests simply acknowledging and verbalizing these anxieties can help improve performance by freeing people from inhibitions.

The article provides two strategies for leaders to help employees overcome performance anxiety. First, it recommends leaders vividly recall and share their own experiences of anxiety when they were novices. According to the article, this allows leaders to connect empathically and create a psychologically safer space for employees. Secondly, the article advocates that leaders be proactive in discussing anxiety with new hires or trainees before overt signs appear. The article suggests reminding them that even the most confident veterans once felt anxious and made mistakes when starting out. By keeping memories of early career struggles alive, the article states leaders can better relate to and empower their teams.

Proactively helping employees manage and overcome unhealthy levels of performance anxiety is crucial for fostering an engaged, confident workforce operating at its full potential. The aforementioned are the two key strategies to help navigate performance pressure.