Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of executive coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want to be perceived.

I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today we're talking about mastering anxiety. Maxine was going to be a star if she could just get out of her own way.

Those were the words people used when they talked about Maxine.

They were even the words she used

about herself. During a coaching session after she had spoken the phrase once

again I asked her what did it mean to get in her own way? She replied without a pause, oh you've heard me do it

Tom. I suddenly start talking really fast and can't stop. I'm just jabbering away.

I asked why is that getting in your own way?

Because I suddenly sound like a girl, and being a girl around here gets you nowhere.

But it's how I feel like a jumpy teenager.

When it comes over me, I am not effective at all

I asked Maxine what is the it that comes over you? Oh golly she said as if the list of things that came over her were long.

And then she breathed out.

After a minute she shook her head and smiled.

It's the work, that's all.

Getting the work right is what comes over me. I start worrying about

making mistakes and that's when I get in my own way. I nodded but didn't speak. She went on,

ironic, isn't it? I try so hard not to make mistakes

and then I get in my own way, which is a mistake.

What would you fix if you could, I asked? I'd stop that babbling stream of words and stop

apologizing. That's another one where I kick myself later. I look back and I think

what was that? You've known better than that since

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