Leadership is easy when the stakes are low. It is in the toughest 8 percent of moments where leaders are truly defined. In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry, one of the world’s top experts on pressure, high performance, and emotional intelligence, about how leaders can transform the difficult moments they often avoid into the moments that matter most.
JP has coached and trained elite performers for more than 25 years. He has worked with NASA, the CIA, the US Army and Navy, Olympians, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 100 giants such as Google, Goldman Sachs, Coca-Cola, BMW, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson. His book Performing Under Pressure became an international bestseller published in 65 countries, and his research has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and top global media outlets.
The concept at the core of JP’s work is the Last 8 Percent: the small fraction of moments where leaders hesitate, delay, or avoid difficult action. These are the moments that determine team culture, strategy execution, and long-term results.
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The Pressure That Shapes Leaders
JP’s research shows that people avoid hard conversations and high-stakes decisions because the brain interprets pressure as a threat. Under stress, cortisol increases and short-term emotion overrides long-term strategic thinking.
This survival wiring leads to avoidance, even when leaders know what the right action is.
“The big question is simple,” JP explains. “Do you want anxiety now, or regret six months from today?”
High-performing leaders choose courage. They step toward difficult conversations instead of away from them. They do the work that others delay. Over time, this behavior compounds into trust, alignment, and performance.
Culture Lives in the Hardest 8 Percent
Organizations often believe culture is created through values, statements, and posters. JP’s research tells a different story.
Culture is formed in moments of pressure.
When leaders avoid conflict, teams learn to avoid.
When leaders model courage and care, teams learn to speak up.
In a major study of organizational behavior, JP found that what people remember most are the high-pressure meetings where decisions were made, accountability was enforced, or difficult truths were raised. Cortisol sears these moments into memory, turning leader behavior into culture.
The Last 8 Percent Culture System
JP and his team at the Institute for Health and Human Potential developed a neuroscience-based framework that helps organizations build what he calls Last 8 Percent Cultures. These cultures combine:
• Courage
• Connection
• Accountability
This system has produced measurable results across industries. At Blue Cross Idaho, implementing the Last 8 Percent approach saved tens of millions of dollars in the first six months.
High-performance cultures are not accidental. They are built through norms that encourage truth-telling, challenge avoidance, and create psychological safety without sacrificing accountability.
Practical Tools for Leaders Under Pressure
JP provides simple but powerful tools to help leaders step into the Last 8 Percent more consistently.
One of the most effective is a question teams can ask at the end of any meeting:
“Is there anything we are not saying that we might regret in six months?”
This shifts teams from avoidance to awareness and encourages responsible risk-taking.
He also teaches leaders to recognize the physical signs of pressure and use emotional intelligence to pause, regulate, and choose a more constructive response.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
☑ Culture is built in the moments of highest pressure
☑ Avoidance has a long-term cost and creates regret
☑ Courage and connection together create high-performing teams
☑ Neuroscience explains why leaders hesitate and how to overcome it
☑ Simple habits can shift team culture quickly and sustainably
☑ The Last 8 Percent is the frontier where leaders grow the most
Final Thoughts
The decisions leaders avoid today become the obstacles they face tomorrow. JP’s message is clear. Step into the Last 8 Percent. With practice, the hardest moments can become the most impactful opportunities for growth, trust, and long-term performance.
About the Host
Anthony Taylor is the CEO, Founder, and Senior Facilitator at SME Strategy. With more than 14 years of experience, he helps leadership teams create alignment, implement strategy, and achieve measurable results.
Connect with Anthony: https://linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604
Work with SME Strategy to align your team and execute your strategic plan:
https://courses.smestrategy.net/courses/Leading-Strategy-Execution
Learn more about SME Strategy:
https://www.smestrategy.net
Podcast produced by Rednyne Productions
