By MS Myles Trapp with Adam Pucillo
Everyone experiences pressure, but research has shown that some people perform above average in stressful situations because they are more skilled at managing pressure. This advantage is available to everyone. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to stress, there are many proven techniques that reduce its impacts.
Those in the wine and beverage industry experience stress in a range of professional settings, from high-level wine exams to sales presentations to job interviews. This article will focus on exams and competitions, which, as our personal stories above demonstrate, are often where beverage professionals experience a new, and potentially destabilizing, level of pressure.
What follows is a curated list of strategies that I’ve found helpful in these situations. It was invaluable to workshop these techniques with my study partner, Adam Pucillo, as we were studying together for the Court of Master Sommeliers Master Sommelier Examination. After repeat failures, Adam and
Diana Bender that's so cool. You're tapping into your hospitality superpower with that loving-kindess meditation practice. Not only does it ground you, but it also creates a snowball effect. Your positive regard ripples outward. Joon Ho Baak and I have had similar conversations along these lines. You're a force for good, keep it up!
Thanks for putting this together, Myles! So many great takeaways!
Something that’s really helped me in those max-anxiety moments before exams is practicing metta (loving-kindness) meditation, but directing it outward instead of inward. I remember right before my Certified exam I noticed another candidate who seemed really stressed, so I focused on sending calming energy their way. Less than a minute later, a friend of theirs walked in, and suddenly they were laughing and totally relaxed...so I like to think it worked. ;)
I also try to use this mindset with examiners during service exams. I’ll imagine guest archetypes and scenarios like, “these are exhausted new parents finally enjoying their first night out,” and think about the kind of hospitality I’d want to offer in that situation. It's helped me to redirect the anxiety into empathy, and humanize the experience.
Rasmus Dalgaard you're welcome. I personally recommend Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar for a compilation of pranayama techniques. It helps to have practical instruction if you can find a qualified yoga instructor in your area who teaches pranayama. The next best thing would probably be watching youtube videos to learn the techniques.
Thanks Martin Beally , I love hearing about your process. Coming to terms with the pressure and facing my fears was for me the greatest challenge of the exam journey. Maybe it was the same for you. However, it also ended up being the most powerful growth opportunity.
So much good stuff here Myles Trapp ! Another book I would recommend is How Champions Think which covers a lot of the ideas here.
The ability to deal with a high stakes, high pressure situation is key to doing well at practical exams and I think this is why so many musicians and theater majors have done well at upper level sommelier exams - they are used to the audition process and performing on the spot. So, if you're having troubles with performing under pressure, maybe try joining an improv troupe or putting yourself in situations that are unfamiliar. There's a reason I recommend staging as a way to prepare for service exams - you're in a restaurant where you don't know the food or the wine that well and are expected to execute service ... sound familiar? The music suggestion is killer as well ... my song for service - Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast :D
As another example of how some of these techniques come into play, here's what I had printed out for myself and looked at while I was at the hotel in the time leading up to my final attempt at MS Theory - these were what I would do after every question that was asked of me at theory.