How can you be sure to perform at your best?

Initial situation

As a young musical singer, Mia has turned her passion into a career. Her perfectionism has taken her far, she trains a lot and has focused her life entirely on her career. She has also developed her own way of expressing herself and an individual style that goes down particularly well with audiences.  “Performing at your best” is her daily challenge. She has now been engaged for a new musical and is looking forward to her next premiere in just under a month’s time. In the artistic team management there was a short-term absence due to illness and Mia notices a change: she suddenly lacks the confidence to give a perfect performance: she can’t use her wonderful voice to its full potential on stage – especially the difficult part with the high notes no longer works so confidently.

Until now, she could rely on her perfection, it gave her security.

Where has security gone, what helps?

Mia trains even harder and works on her perfect performance. Her trainer asks what else has changed in Mia’s life, because she seems much more stressed when she talks about the rehearsals together. Speaking of stress, valuable tips that could relieve stress quickly and efficiently could help Mia to regain her previously familiar performance. She uses a joint coaching session to work on individual solutions to gain more confidence:

1. Mia registers on betterlinked.eu and books herself an individual coaching session at her home to gain back her best performance .

2 We quickly realize that Mia suspects that the team structure is now “different” due to the absence caused by illness. There are no specific points that she can pinpoint, but Mia has the unspecific feeling that she can no longer show and use her own self in the same way as before. She is worried that she could be criticized, especially at a high position – which is always difficult – and fears negative consequences for her career. Unconsciously, she is now taking a step back, which prevents her voice from being fully heard. She is not happy with this herself.

3. We analyze the team and determine that the previous atmosphere in the team was based on support and mutual trust. “This is the only way we can get the best out of our team and make the musical a success for everyone.” Now there is uncertainty, nobody is talking about it openly, but small gestures such as silence, interrupted conversations and mini-gestures indicate to Mia that “uncertainty is in the air”. Due to the unforeseen absence, the team’s structure is no longer the same. It remains to be seen what will happen next.

4 The next step in the coaching is the joint search for a resource that fulfills Mia’s desire for a perfect vocal performance. We identify the resource “courage”, which will support Mia in living up and performing to her potential.

5. Together we research when Mia has shown a lot of courage in her life so far. Mia talks about a situation from her childhood: When she visited a water adventure park with a high water slide for the first time with her older siblings and her father, they all euphorically climbed up the high tower. Little Mia felt a little queasy at the top, but she didn’t dare pinch herself as she was sliding together with her father. Then it starts: Mia shrieks throughout the whole ride and throws her arms up in the air. She also does this when she talks about the experience during the coaching session.

6. I ask Mia to think of this situation, to raise her arms in the air as if she were sliding, and to sing the particularly difficult part in her piece. Mia hits every note unerringly and expressively. “It’s never sounded so great.” She repeats the part and can’t stop. During the joint coaching session, Mia learns how she can combine the resource of courage with the situation of “performing on stage”.

7.  At the same time, Mia also asks the community for support. Perhaps there are other people who can give Mia tips on how to deal with uncertainty in the team. One user writes that she can understand Mia’s fear of criticism, as an artist she is very sensitive and so far mistakes have been dealt with constructively in a trusting environment. Learning and making mistakes are part of artistic development in a team. To be seen as “flawed” by others now in the transitional situation jeopardizes one’s own self-image. At the moment, with the unresolved succession situation, she can learn to manage uncertainty.

The result WIN – WIN – WIN performing at your best

Conclusion

Psychological security in a team is particularly important for each individual performing at your best. The uncertainty of the open succession has an impact on the entire team and directly on Mia’s performance. Thanks to the coaching, Mia was able to tap into her resource of courage and thus increase her confidence on stage in the long term as desired.