Choking hazard warning for policymakers

This post is written by Nellah Ndaka, Policy & Global Health. Nellah’s training is in public policy and social sciences with professional experience in global health and international affairs; she was part of an advisory group that led policy recommendations for the European Commission in mainstreaming R&I cooperation for health systems. Her interests lie in the research, policy and practice nexus, often deliberating on the communication gap between academics and policymakers across diverse sectors at multiple levels. She is also deeply interested in tech and digital innovation, behavioural science and research into women’s and gender issues.

• The problem: Choking under pressure often undermines policymakers’ performance. It is an inevitable universal phenomenon.
• Why it matters: To overcome choking under pressure, policymakers need to understand why it happens, and what coping strategies are available. Ultimately, to have better results in our work it is worth learning how to handle pressure with the right strategies.
• The solution: Understanding the mechanisms of choking, situations it is likely to happen in, and common strategies to cope means that policymakers have the right to tools to ensure they consistently perform at a high level despite facing high pressure.

We have all heard stories of people who performed exceptionally well during the course of their studies or work, only for them to trip at the very last and perhaps most significant tests. With pressure mounting and the expectations of others to perform remarkably well (lest they be damned to life-long mediocrity), it is enough to make even the most well-prepared amongst us, well, choke—despite months, even years, of practice. Performance under pressure, contrary to what we put on our CVs, does not come easy.

The feeling is universal. The tightness in one's throat and panic that inadvertently overrides any prior preparation and rationality, your stomach does a flip or two, resulting in shaky hands, cold sweat on the forehead, a dry sensation in the throat and just then, the right answer or response escapes your mind. You are in all senses of the word, choking.

It pays to know why the best amongst us have their performance undermined by their nerves.

One may ask why choking is a phenomenon that needs to be discussed widely by policymakers? The answer is simple: it happens to the best of us—orators, politicians, well-practised athletes, and people working in or around policy. It pays to know why the best amongst us have their performance undermined by their nerves. For years psychologists have discussed choking in detail as an experience whereby well-prepared people such as public speakers, students about to sit an exam, athletes, or people to be tested on skills they have practised for years and years, when put to the test end up performing subpar to their expectations. A lot has been written to explain why people choke in the first place. A short video on 'How to stay calm under pressure' by the Ted-Ed online education platform breaks it down to two main theories. Each explaining that our focus, whether on the activity itself or how we perform every step of the activity, usually seals the deal.

So back to our policymakers, suppose they are aware that high-pressure situations such as presentations are likely to make them choke? How should policymakers approach these events any differently? I reiterate a non-exhaustive list of ways to prepare and avert a choking situation, all backed up by the science of course! Sian Leah Beilock in her Ted Talk on 'How to avoid choking under pressure' cites a dance choreographer who made it easy: do not think, just do it. That is right, for policymakers worried about their presentations or public speaking, the answer is as simple as just doing them. By this time the assumption is that the policymakers have practised as much as they can. The simple act of talking your points out in front of a mirror also does the trick. And just to shake things up a bit more, why not try practising under stressful conditions to become accustomed to pressure? Finally, overcoming the fear of failure by writing down one's thoughts and worries on paper just before the situation also helps calm the nerves.

Our performance is likely to suffer when you are preoccupied with worries, doubts, or fears, instead of focusing your attention on performing the task at hand. And yet those with months or years of practice under their belt, are able to perform actions subconsciously, instead of looking at the precise details! So the next time you or your colleague finds themselves experiencing a bad case of brain fog, or forgetting your points under pressure, remember to take in a deep breath and just do it. Turns out Nike has had it right all along!

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