Self-esteem, work pressure and decision-making

Self-esteem can be understood as the value we place on ourselves and the sense that we are capable and worthy. In work, it can include how we feel about our place in the organisation.

It is important that we are supported and helped to feel positive about ourselves. Feeling more secure in ourselves can support decision-making, motivation and the way we respond to challenges, all factors that can be important to personal and business goals.

In seeking coaching - executive, business or career - it is probably not surprising that many senior and competent people find that an accumulation of pressures and demands can rock even the highest sense of self-esteem.

Pressure can come from the day-to-day job, from the difficult decisions that need to be made and from staff, peers and senior colleagues. For some, it can also come from shareholders. For many people, work pressure can also coincide with demands in their personal life.

Periods of high pressure can make decision-making feel more difficult and may leave someone feeling overwhelmed or less confident in their judgement.

Creating space to consider your options

A coach may first help you create some space to step back from the immediate pressure and look more clearly at what is happening.

From there, it is possible to begin discussing your potential options, testing each one for:

1. Feasibility- Are the necessary resources available?
2. Achievability- Is this realistically possible?
3. Acceptability - Does it fit personally, socially and organisationally?

This can then move into a discussion about how well the options fit with your goals, both business and personal. A balance sheet of all the potential advantages and disadvantages can then be produced so that you can start to become more confident and secure with your goals.

By this time, you may begin to feel a greater sense of influence over the situation and more confidence in the decisions available to you.

Sometimes, however, a clear-cut answer will not be apparent. This can be frustrating and may leave you questioning what to do next.

In this situation, it can help to step back and spend some time dreaming about what you want, discovering possible options and designing potential ways forward.