4 ways to stay cool under pressure 

Leaders can stay cool under pressure by planning for the worst, knowing their priorities and remaining flexible, writes LaRae Quy.

I’m not a natural athlete. This sad fact became evident at a very inconvenient time — my first day of new agent training at the FBI Academy. New agents are tested in physical fitness and are required to accumulate a certain number of points in different areas. I landed at the bottom in every category; the pressure to perform was intense because if I didn’t get high enough scores, I’d get kicked out of the Academy.

Everyone experiences stressful events, which trigger a boatload of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can prepare us for action, but they can also make it difficult for our bodies to calm down.