Confidence In The Workplace

by John G.
(New Orleans, La. USA)

Hello all,

I work in a position that can become high pressure if you're not focused on the task at hand. I am 50 and new to this company. I have experience in my position and work hard to excel. There are two other gentlemen that I work with both in their mid 60's and both have been with the company for over 20 years and have become comfortable in their positions to the point where complaining and time wasting are part of their routine.

My problem is dealing with the panic these guys develop when a deadline is given. Both of them get very nervous under any kind of pressure and blow things out of proportion at the slightest provocation. They curse out loud, rage against whoever asked them to do something, huff and puff and behave as if they've been given the responsibility of launching nuclear warheads, thus saving mankind. We mix ink, no one dies at the end of the day. They can be very pleasant individuals but they seem to have gotten into the habit of becoming annoyed and downright ornery whenever they are given a task to do quickly.

I've been trained to recognize pressure situations and to handle them while maintaining perspective. I'm finding that in order to not become infected with their panic I must distance myself from them personally while at work. Despite doing this, a nervousness has crept into my behavior that I find disruptive. I do my job well and shouldn't have to feel like a jumpy kid on his first day at a new school.