In today’s fast-paced, high-stress workplace, performing under pressure is part of the job.  Constant change, deadlines, and expectations—all create a continuous hum of urgency. The truth is, if you are human, you’re likely feeling the weight of delivering results.

But even the most seasoned professionals can stumble when the stakes are high. Stress has a way of clouding judgment, derailing communication, and turning effective leaders into reactive ones. And while organizations depend on individuals to perform, few recognize the critical link between stress and our ability to lead, connect, innovate, and collaborate.

For years, professionals were told to “leave emotions at the door.” Suppressing emotions in the workplace was seen as strength, control, and professionalism. Yet, over time, this mindset has proven flawed. Suppression leads to disconnection. It erodes trust. It stifles creativity and workplace performance.

The reality? Emotions aren’t obstacles. They’re powerful tools and allies. When understood and leveraged, emotions can provide clarity, strengthen relationships, and help us navigate pressure with greater purpose and resilience.

The Role of HR: A Steady Hand in Turbulent Times

Human Resources is the heart of any organization—especially during change and uncertainty. HR professionals are often called upon to guide others through emotionally charged situations, from layoffs and restructuring to cultural shifts and policy changes.

This role requires more than logistical expertise. It demands emotional intelligence and emotional agility, the ability to steady the ship when emotions run high. By understanding how stress impacts both individuals and teams, HR professionals can:

• Help employees and leaders reframe stress as a tool rather than a barrier.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, empathy, and clarity in decision-making.
• Strengthen relationships to build resilience that lasts beyond moments of pressure.

In short, HR professionals are uniquely positioned to help people move from reactivity to thoughtfulness, turning stress into an opportunity for growth.

How Stress Impacts Leadership and Teams

Even the best leaders and teams can lose their footing when stress takes over.  Emotional triggers flare, self-awareness diminishes, and reactive behaviors often follow.

For example:

• A stressed leader snaps at their team during a meeting, eroding trust and morale.
• An overwhelmed team member shuts down, withholding valuable insights or ideas.

Both scenarios undermine performance, relationships, and overall organizational health. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Leaders and teams can break these cycles by building self-awareness when stressed—understanding unique stress responses, triggers, and patterns. With the right tools and strategies, they can:

• Pause and respond thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively.
• Show up with curiosity and respect, even under pressure.
• Strengthen trust and collaboration, creating space for innovation and problem-solving.

Self-awareness isn’t just a “nice to have” skill—it’s the foundation for navigating high-pressure situations with confidence and clarity.

Emotional Intelligence Under Stress: The Missing Link

Here’s the hard truth: most professionals lose access to self-awareness when stress kicks in. They default to autopilot—reacting emotionally to hidden patterns and behaviors, often developed in childhood, rather than responding with intention.

To support our clients in being more effective under pressure, we use a specialized Emotional Intelligence assessment, allowing leaders and teams to uncover their unique patterns developed in childhood that they default to without even knowing it. In short, it reveals what we can’t see about ourselves so that we can build our self-awareness in challenging moments.

When leaders and teams understand their individual patterns and blind spots that influence their emotional triggers, they can show up more effectively by developing specific strategies to stay calm, connected, and effective—no matter how intense the situation.

Key Learnings Under Stress

We consistently see three key learnings across the board with our clients when looking at how stress impacts their performance and their access to Emotional Intelligence.

First, when stressed, most professionals don’t ask questions to gain clarity, collect information, or better understand perspectives and experiences.  They think they know more than they do OR are too afraid to dig deeper.  In either case, a lack of clarity creates confusion and conflict.

The second is that under pressure, most professionals aren’t open to learning – perspectives, ideas, thoughts, approaches, solutions, etc – keeping them stuck in limiting beliefs, avoiding change, and prohibiting growth.  Instead, most will double down on knowing what’s ‘best’ or what’s ‘right’ based on past behaviours and experiences.

Third, most professionals don’t have the emotional energy or vitality for involvement in challenging situations.  They don’t have the capacity to stay in relationships in effective ways which leads to burnout and exhaustion.

When we lack clarity, aren’t open to learning, and have no energy or capacity for involvement in challenging situations, performance is deeply compromised.  We shut down and become reactive, losing access to the skills and knowledge that make us successful when calm.

Start with Curiosity

Curiosity is the antidote to reactivity. It’s a powerful tool for building self-awareness and shifting your mindset under pressure.

By cultivating a curious mindset and reflecting when you’re not stressed, you can better understand how your behavioral patterns, when stressed, influenced interactions and overall performance.

• How often did I tell vs how often did I ask?
• What assumptions did I make?
• How open was I to things I disliked or disagreed with?
• What was my capacity to stay in the challenging situation without wanting to shut it down or walk away?

Then, in moments of stress, curiosity becomes a lifeline—shifting you from a reactive state to a connected one.  In practice, this means asking open-ended questions and gathering information rather than jumping to conclusions. This approach calms emotional intensity and uncovers valuable insights, allowing you to stay in challenging situations more effectively. The result? Cooler heads, deeper connections, better solutions, and improved outcomes.

The bottom line, stress is unavoidable. Sabotage is optional.

If you are ready to optimize your or your team’s performance under pressure, let’s talk.  Or better yet, join us at HR Conference & Expo in Vancouver on April 29 and 30, 2025. In our session, Mastering Change: Leveraging Emotional Agility Under Stress, we’re diving deeper into how Emotional Agility can support you in communicating change effectively under stress, navigating change in organizations under stress, and empowering leaders and employees under stress so they can navigate change themselves.

Kirsten Siggins and Kathy Taberner, founders of The Institute of Curiosity, help organizations turn pressure into potential. Using certified assessments and their proven Curious Conversation Framework, they equip leaders and teams with the tools to communicate better, collaborate stronger, and thrive when it matters most—under pressure.