Sian Beilock on Performing Under Pressure and Leading Teams

Sian Beilock studies how performance anxiety can be exasperated or alleviated in the simple strategies we use to ensure success under pressure. In addition to that, Sian is the president at Barnard College at Columbia University. Barnard is one of the most selective academic institutions in the US. Barnard is devoted to empowering exceptional women to change the world and the way we think about it. Prior to her appointment as President, she served as the University of Chicago Executive Vice Provost. She also worked in the Psychology department. Sian is a cognitive scientist by training and is one of the world’s leading experts on the brain science behind choking under pressure.

 

Sian had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include:

“One of the hardest parts of learning how to become a successful leader is learning how to delegate and that you can’t do everything” (5:45).

“We’re limited capacity people. We can only focus on so many things at once” (6:00).

“My favorite part of being in a leadership position is when other people have really good ideas and I get to help propel them forward” (8:40).

“When you have different perspectives at the table and people can speak openly and honestly without fear of retribution, you get the best ideas” (9:00).

“We are teaching students at Barnard how to think. Not what to think, but how to think” (14:10).

“The greatest performers sometimes aren’t the best coaches. It can be hard for them to understand the mistakes of someone who is a novice or someone who’s not as skilled as them” (19:20).

“I’m a big proponent of having multiple selves. All of the research is pretty clear on that having multiple aspects of your own identity that you can enjoy and focus on is really a good mental health buffer” (23:50).

“It’s hard not to be able to do everything” (25:20).

“For me it’s about having the best people at the table” (28:05).

“There’s something special about having women leading and teaching you, and about debunking the stereotype that women can’t do it” (29:00).

“Our students come out being willing to speak their minds and being willing to be uncomfortable” (31:15).

“The classroom is a brave space, not a safe space. It’s totally okay to feel uncomfortable in the classroom” (31:20).

“We want you women who have failed, who feel okay taking risks and knowing it’s not going to be perfect” (32:00).

“Everyone can feel like an imposter, it’s not just women” (34:45).

“Where I get the most satisfaction is when something is stressful, and I don’t know if I can do it all, and I figure out what route we need to take to get there” (35:30).

“Figuring out what you don’t know is so important for success” (36:50).

“Pressure can be both internal and external” (44:00).

“If you’re going to lead an institution, you have to understand what values that institution holds (46:00).

“You can’t come in from the outside and just impose your values on a place. You’ve got to understand what they ethos is and where you can have an impact” (47:00).

“I don’t think you can do well academically if you don’t feel well outside of the classroom” (50:40).

“No one can do anything alone anymore. We all need that support” (51:50).

“It’s got to be fun to work hard in whatever you’re doing” (56:00).

 

Make sure to check out Sian’s website, in addition to watching her TedTalk and buying her book “Choke” anywhere you can buy books! You can also follow her on Instagram @PresBeilock and on Twitter @SianBeilock!

Thank you so much to Sian for coming on the podcast!

I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.

Thanks for listening.

-Brian