Performance Under Pressure

Ceri’s involvement with the All Blacks has allowed the team to grow greater understanding of how we can perform far better under pressure. This has let the team use their abilities to far greater effect and in doing so enhance the All Black legacy.

– Steve Hansen, All Blacks Coach

Human performance in Formula One is about more than two drivers – it’s a team of up to 1000 people, all of them elite performers in their own areas. Working with Ceri has helped us shape our ethos, strengthen the resilience of our internal culture and unlock greater performance from the team. Our people are our sustainable source of competitive advantage; Ceri’s straightforward, practical and humble approach has been an important building block for the success of our team.

– Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes–AMG Petronas Motorsport

Performing under pressure is the platform for a successful career. Ceri helped me clear my mind, focus on decisive matters and strengthen my vision for the team. His contributions to the team helped them analyse what we faced and target individual and collective performance. Thank you Ceri for your great contribution.

– Arsène Wenger, Manager, Arsenal FC 1996–2018

Ceri’s approach is a unique blend of practical experience at the cutting edge of the pressure continuum that goes beyond the intuitive – it is scientific, practical and results oriented. He provided me with a more disciplined, clinical and deliberate approach to understanding and dealing with pressure than I had previously encountered; and enabled our leadership team to embrace pressure and operate in an increasingly complex political environment.

– Brendan Boyle, Chief Executive, Ministry of Social Development 2011–2018

Ceri changes lives! Ceri’s unique ability to take a complex, highly personal and often challenging subject and make it alluring, memorable and actionable is a true gift. The leaders on our programmes have embraced the RED–BLUE ‘secret’ for thriving under pressure and are building more effective organisations, communities and home lives as a result.

– Roz McCay, Co-Founder Hiakai CEO programme, Facilitator, NZ Global Women Break Through Leaders programme

Everyone in business wants to be world-leading, but very few are. Ceri’s Perform Under Pressure programme provides leaders with the framework and tools to shift an organisation’s performance towards its vision of excellence. Ceri has helped me focus on making decisions that drive positive movement towards this.

– Bill Moran, Chair of Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport NZ

Ceri provided us with the common language and a united approach needed to thrive in investment attraction, a very competitive, pressure-filled environment. He shifted the conversation of high performance behaviour from a sensitive topic to an energising and fun experience.

– Dylan Lawrence, General Manager – Investment, NZ Trade & Enterprise

I harassed Ceri for a few months until he gave in to working with me as an entrepreneur, and I’m glad he did because he changed my life. Ceri brought my attention to unconscious habits that were slowing me down and causing me to fold under pressure. Now I’m more aware of my emotional state, make clearer decisions, and my business is performing better too.

– Sam Ovens, Entrepreneur

Ceri took an impossibly complex change environment and broke it down to a simple, clear and easy-to-use framework, delivering thinking beyond what we have seen before. He has held me to account and is relentless in his quest for improvement of both himself and our business.

– Garry Lund, General Manager, People and Culture, Gough Group

Ceri treated our coaches and 60 amateur teenage rowers vying for national titles with the respect of international athletes. He showed us that pressure is relative and universal, and taught us fun ways to deal with it. Ceri’s sense of humour and language ensured that his message was relatable – his RED/BLUE analogy is still embedded in our squad culture three years on!

– Mark Cotham, Director of Rowing, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Christchurch

Ceri’s clear approach provides tools which can be used by anybody who wants to perform to their very best under pressure. His framework was enlightening and resonated with surgeons, who also face pressure and expectations of high performance.

– Andrew Vincent, Orthopaedic Surgeon

Perform Under Pressure was the most impactful – and challenging – leadership programme we have participated in as an executive team. Ceri armed us with knowledge and tools that have been invaluable in understanding how we each deal with pressure and drive improved performance. The real ‘aha!’ moment came when we discovered that our performance gap was in how we were working together, allowing us to commit to closing the gap together.

– Neal Barclay, CEO, Meridian

A wise adviser, perceptive facilitator and enlightened educator. He has helped me and the teams I work with immensely.

– Gilbert Enoka, All Blacks Manager – Leadership

We were a young, ambitious and highly successful team already leading our industry, but Ceri’s approach completely changed our own perception of ‘what good looked like’. It was a revelation – we found it refreshing, enjoyable and were excited to take it further, compressing months of work into a matter of weeks to regularly achieve timelines that even our own team would call absurd and ridiculous. It stuck – ruthless speed became our new ‘normal’ and the business results (and awards) flowed.

– Mark Soper, General Manager, Powershop 2016–2019

Excellence in any field requires our psychology and physiology to be in harmony. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Ceri Evans’ RED–BLUE model provides a unique and accessible framework that supports clear thinking and adaptive behaviour under pressure. He builds on contemporary thinking in physiology to explain the neurobiological basis for a counterintuitive mental strategy: challenging ourselves to face the threat and find a solution.

– David Paterson, Professor of Physiology, Head of Department, University of Oxford

PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE

Dr CERI EVANS

Copyright

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

While this book is intended as a general information resource and all care has been taken in compiling the contents, it does not take account of individual circumstances and is not in any way a substitute for medical advice or treatment. It is essential that you always seek qualified medical advice if you suspect you have a health problem. The author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any claim or action that may arise from reliance on the information contained in this book.

Thorsons

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

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www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in 2019 by HarperCollinsPublishers (New Zealand) Ltd

This edition published in 2019 by Thorsons

© Ceri Evans Consulting Limited 2019

Cover design by Darren Holt, HarperCollins Design Studio

Illustrations by Renzie Hanham

Author photo by Diederik van Heyningen, Lightworkx Photography

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Ceri Evans asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Source ISBN: 9780008313166

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Dedication

In memory of my father, Gwyn, and mother, Joy,

both pioneers in their own way.

Te waka taiuhu, monā I whakatau akē, ngā ngaru āwhā.

The prow of the waka will cut a decisive pathway

through the stormiest of ocean waves.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

List of Illustrations

FOREWORD by Richie McCaw

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: RED AND BLUE – UNDERSTANDING PRESSURE

CHAPTER 1: THE NATURE OF PRESSURE

CHAPTER 2: TWO MINDS – INTRODUCING RED AND BLUE

CHAPTER 3: BALANCED BRAIN vs UNBALANCED BRAIN

CHAPTER 4: THE RED–BLUE TOOL

PART 2: PREPARING TO PERFORM – LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

CHAPTER 5: CREATE THE GAP

CHAPTER 6: BRIDGE THE GAP – THE MENTAL BLUEPRINT

PART 3: PERFORMING UNDER PRESSURE

CHAPTER 7: PRE-PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES

CHAPTER 8: COMPLAIN OR COMPLETE – ADDING TIME PRESSURE

CHAPTER 9: DEFEND OR DISCOVER – ADDING CREATIVITY

CHAPTER 10: MASTERY

CHAPTER 11: FOR LEADERS

CHAPTER 12: AFTER WE PERFORM

CHAPTER 13: Tough Days

CONCLUSION

Glossary

Further reading

Acknowledgements

About the Author

About the Publisher

List of illustrations by Renzie Hanham

The Human Brain: External structure

The Human Brain: Internal structure – side view

The Human Brain: Structure & function

RED vs BLUE State

Mental Strength Sliding Scale

RED–BLUE Tool

Step Back, Step Up, Step In

The Pressure Equation

The Scale of Mental Intent

Create the Gap

Mental Blueprint

Skill Ladder

Three Circles

The ICE Technique

The Offload Technique

RED–BLUE Debrief

Foreword

Richie McCaw

In 2015 I played my final game of rugby with the All Blacks. It was our second consecutive Rugby World Cup final victory. No other team had achieved that. We felt a huge expectation but were able to deliver. As captain, I couldn’t have wished for a better way to retire.

Roll back the clock to when I was captain in 2007 and it was a very different story. Despite being favourites we had, yet again, failed to win on rugby’s biggest stage. We’d even left the tournament earlier than any previous All Blacks team. We hadn’t dealt with the pressure and knew that something needed to change.

We looked around for answers and it became evident that Ceri was an obvious choice.

You’ve only got to speak to Ceri for a few minutes: he doesn’t just tell you how it is, he takes you with him. The things he said and the way he said them struck a chord with me straight away. As well as being a doctor working in forensic psychiatry, he’d been a pro-footballer. He made things real.

Ceri explained what happens to the brain under pressure. He showed us examples of how people react differently under pressure and how they go ‘into the RED’. It all made sense. He helped us understand that it’s OK to feel pressure and showed us ways to manage ourselves differently. I learned it wasn’t about pretending it doesn’t happen, it was about how you deal with it. We started to use the RED–BLUE model and straight away I began to see it work.

Over time, we completely changed the way we dealt with pressure.

In the last 20 minutes of the 2011 final, when we really got tested, I realised how important that was. The match was touch and go and I felt myself going into the RED. It could have unfolded like in 2007, but I got back into the BLUE and thought, ‘This is the moment I have pictured and prepared for.’

Not everything was perfect towards the end, but I felt calm. I could see what I needed to do, and I felt myself getting stronger. I wanted to be there.

The tools Ceri gave me had worked but after the weight of expectation in the four years leading up to the 2011 World Cup and the energy it took, the thought of repeating it all again felt too much.

Ceri helped change my perspective. He said, ‘If you try to do it the same way again, you set yourself up to fail.’ From that I knew I needed to look at things differently. He talked about being pioneers, becoming the first team to win back-to-back world cups. I got excited again. He helped change the mindset from ‘What happens if we lose?’ to ‘What happens if we win?’ Simple but powerful.

The things that are really worth chasing involve pressure and that’s what makes them rewarding. I knew we needed to be tested under pressure to be taken to our limits. I began to crave those moments.

No matter what the challenge was, Ceri always had an idea or angle to help me anticipate, deal with it or improve. I was always intrigued to see what he had next. RED–BLUE was just the start.

Now I’m retired from rugby, the things I learned with Ceri are still relevant. I’m a husband, a father, a pilot and although these might not look the same as playing rugby, the lessons in this book relate to anything you do.

When the pressure is on, we all know it affects the way we behave. Anyone can feel under pressure from many different factors: dealing with stress, conflict at work, managing relationships. If you’re curious about how to learn and do those things better, the tools in this book will help you develop the ability to step back, clear your head and deal with it all much more effectively.

From my time in rugby I remain most proud of how we went from a team that struggled to deal with pressure in the big moments to, by the end of my time playing, leading the way. The expectation became that, when it was tight at the end of a match, the All Blacks would get there. Whatever was thrown at us we had learned to find a way. Ceri was a huge part in that turnaround, helping shift our mindsets and raise our thresholds to deal with pressure.

Whatever it is you want to improve in your own life, this book will help you do it. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

RM, 2019

Introduction

When I hear the phrase ‘high performance’, the word ‘PRESSURE’ automatically comes to mind. I don’t think you can have one without the other.

But for many of us, ‘high performance’ feels out of reach – just getting through the day feels like a struggle. That’s why I prefer to think in terms of performance under pressure.

I’m talking about all fields of performance here. Whether your arena is the stage, the classroom or the shop floor, or whether you’re trying to lead an executive team, an operating theatre or your family, if you face a mental barrier that has, to this point, limited you from reaching your goals, this book is for you.

Whatever your performances look like, the aim of this book is to change the way you feel, think and act in high-pressure situations. But my bigger goal is to show you how you can reach your full potential through powerful responses to powerful moments. I want to help you go from ordinary to extraordinary.

The key lies in those moments of truth when we either shy away from a challenge or rise to the occasion. Because these moments carry more significance, they carry more pressure.

Most of us try to minimise the number of these moments in our lives, because they make us feel uncomfortable, and we’re afraid we might fail. But some individuals, teams or organisations relish these moments and seek them out deliberately.

If you want to get better at what you do, pressure is unavoidable – but does it stop you in your tracks, or open a window into a new world of opportunity?

In this book you’ll learn about the RED–BLUE mind model, which helps explain why pressure has such an impact on all of us. The RED–BLUE tool and related techniques for performance under pressure will provide you with practical help to think and feel clearly – and perform better – when you need it the most.

Why I Developed the RED–BLUE Mind Model

In my teenage years I was either kicking a ball or reading a book – usually about how our bodies and minds worked. The crossover between the sporting and mental worlds fascinated me. Everyone in sport seemed to know that the mind was critical to performing well – but no one really seemed to be able to explain in a practical way what was going on inside someone’s head that caused them to perform poorly or well. In those days, the attitude towards psychology in sport was sceptical and often cynical. In team environments, ‘seeing the shrink’ was taken as a sign of mental weakness. Later, my work as a forensic psychiatrist in hospitals, prisons and the courts gave me new perspectives. Understanding the mind was one thing, but understanding how it worked at its limits, under stress, was what captivated me the most.

One relationship stands out as the turning point. I met Renzie Hanham – co-developer of the RED–BLUE mind model, and illustrator of this book – and things began to fall into place. Renzie is a highly accomplished martial arts instructor and gifted graphic artist. His perceptive insights, and ability to translate those insights into graphic format, showed me the way forward.

I remember the day when I asked him to produce a diagram that would map out the pathways to both effective and ineffective performance. I had an ‘aha!’ moment, and realised that the diagram should be colour-coded. The first RED–BLUE mind model was born.

The learning curve was steep: some of our early efforts were too complex and confusing, and others were too obvious and simplistic. (I figured it was about right when the criticism was evenly balanced between the two!)

But despite the false starts and cringe moments, two things rapidly became clear. First, people got the RED–BLUE mind model – quickly – and second, it really seemed to help them.

The implications of the model soon spread beyond the sports world. Countless individuals, teams and organisations were involved in ‘stress-testing’ the model not just on the pitch, but also in the classroom, on the stage, in the workplace, and in many other environments. Their insights have been invaluable. Every tool in this book has been used many times by many people who are serious about what they do and how they do it.

When people tell me they’ve used the model – with their children, with their partner, or for themselves – and seen a real shift in their performance, it feels hugely satisfying.

The RED–BLUE mind model draws on several different schools of thought, but in the end it has one intention: to help you gain emotional self-control to enable you to think clearly and act effectively when you need it most – when you’re performing under pressure.

The RED–BLUE mind model has taken me down an immensely rewarding path. It’s the central piece of a jigsaw in which many things I’m passionate about come together.

Here are 10 reasons why I strongly believe in the RED–BLUE mind model:

1 It works. It wouldn’t exist if people didn’t feel it had significantly helped them. (Nor would this book!)

2 I use it myself (all the time). My best and worst moments – as a parent, footballer, clinical director or speaker – all relate back to my use (or non-use) of the model in my own life.

3 It’s for all of us. I have seen the best in the world get mentally better – and worse – in different moments. I have also seen those in the mid-range, and those with everything against them, get mentally better – and worse – in different moments. Everyone is on the same RED–BLUE page.

4 It’s practical. I’ve met experts who know more about the theory behind the brain than I ever will, but just like the rest of us, they’re still held back in their performance when it comes to putting it into practice. No amount of theory can alter that.

5 It changes lives. It has encouraged people, time and again, to venture into more challenging areas, which have proved to be personally significant, and occasionally life-changing.

6 It provides balance. In every performance environment I’ve experienced there is an opportunity to be exceptional in the technical aspects of that field and the mental elements, but few are exceptional at both. Even in those fields seemingly ruled by technology, human elements still have their say – and often the final word.

7 It’s easy to use: People quickly pick up on the main RED–BLUE ideas and make them work, because the model is intuitive.

8 It works for young and old. I’m not an expert in child psychology, but (as you’ll see) ten year olds have picked up the model and run with it; and I’ve seen people of advanced age change their philosophy even after a lifetime of unhelpful mental habits.

9 It’s enjoyable. It takes what for many is an unwelcoming area – performing under pressure – and turns it into a personally relevant road map.

10 It surprises people. It surprises – and even shocks – experienced performers when they suddenly realise that they have been trying to ‘get better’ most of their lives by trying to become more comfortable when they perform, guided by an unspoken assumption that this is the only or best way forward. The idea that significant opportunity exists in the space of becoming more effective when they are uncomfortable can come as a revelation.