Sep

11

Best Work Under Pressure?

September 11, 2008 |

Many people have told me: “I do my best job under pressure!”.

I always wonder what this means? For many years, I did wondered which one of these does it means:

  • The adrenaline makes me produce the best results, without errors, and with careful attention to details that avoid costly reparations?
  • I don’t do too much/any work without pressure, I need constant management.

You can pick your favorite of the above two. Reality is that pressure is not a bad thing. But I think this phrase refers to a different kind of pressure.

I have also been an employee — and as many employees do, from time to time I have placed my own personal life interests above my employer’s. I do not blame anyone for this (just don’t blame the corporation for putting their balance sheet above your personal life interests during the annual review).

Ever since I started my own business I have been working under pressure, albeit a different kind of pressure. I have also been provided a superior quality and value than I was providing when I was an employee. I have had the pressure of looking ahead for contracts that provide money to survive, while working on tasks that will get paid 30 to 90 days after I finish the task. There is no manager supervising my work and putting me some pressure, and yet, any current deadlines provide no pressure compared to the worry about not having new business a few months from now. This does indeed creates a healthy, constant, never stopping pressure to:

  • Keep my word.
  • Meet deadlines.
  • Pay attention to quality.
  • Be nice, courteous, professional.
  • Protect my client interests.
  • Find business for my client, so that they pass the work to me.

After all, I do my best job under pressure. Just a different kind of pressure. It is not the pressure of a powerless manager breathing down my neck trying to push me to work (knowing he can’t fire me). It is not the pressure of knowing that I can get just 2% of salary increase next year, vs. the usual 4% increase. It is the pressure of having enough to eat or not.

Maybe people do their best job under pressure after all.


Comments

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

 

Recomended Links:

* Your Link Here