Managing Priorities Under Pressure

Business - B2-C1 | Advance Level

8 $

Feb. 20 Fri , 18:00 USA

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Description

In fast-moving workplaces, professionals regularly deal with overlapping deadlines, shifting priorities, and unexpected demands from managers or clients. The challenge is not simply working harder, but deciding what deserves attention first and communicating those decisions clearly. In this lesson, students analyze how priorities are set, what happens when everything feels urgent, and how cultural expectations influence reactions to pressure. Through guided discussion and realistic scenarios, learners practice defending choices, negotiating timelines, and describing consequences. By the end, students will be better prepared to handle high-pressure moments while maintaining quality, professionalism, and trust.

Session Activities

1: When was the last time you had too many tasks and not enough time?

2: Do you usually work better under pressure or with plenty of time?

3: In your experience, what creates more stress: unclear instructions or tight deadlines?

1: Your manager gives you two urgent projects due at the same time. How do you decide which one comes first?

2: Is it ever acceptable to miss a deadline? Under what conditions?

3: How do people in your company typically react to pressure: collaboration or blame?

4: If everything is labeled “priority,” what should you do?

5: Imagine a client changes requirements at the last minute. How would you respond?

6: What strategies have helped you stay effective when your workload exploded?

7: In your country or industry, is it normal to challenge unrealistic deadlines?

8: Who should be responsible for setting priorities: employees or leadership?

9: If you had to choose between quality and speed, how would you justify your decision?

push back (on) –

resist or question a request

juggle tasks –

manage many responsibilities simultaneously

tight deadline –

very limited time to finish

manage expectations –

help people understand what is realistic

bottleneck –

a point where work slows down

trade-off –

a compromise between two advantages