Split-Second Clarity: The Assistant’s Guide to Smart Decisions Under Pressure
- Crystal Marshall
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Here’s the truth most people never say out loud:
Assistants don’t get “extra time.”
We get minutes. Sometimes seconds. And in those seconds, our decisions either create calm… or chaos.
After eight years managing travel, talent, and crisis moments in entertainment, here’s what I know:
Fast decision-making isn’t luck — it’s a trained skill.
And nothing taught me that more than the night of the BET Awards post-show dinner.
1. When Time Is Short, Reduce the Decision — Don’t Rush the Thinking
00Most people rush the thinking and drag out the decision.
Elite assistants flip it.
When you’re under pressure:
Strip the situation down to the essential question
Remove the emotional noise
Identify the real decision you’re making
A perfect example?
The BET Awards Post-Show Dinner Crisis.
My executive and I walked into the venue expecting a curated, VIP-only dinner for 350+ guests — all pre-approved and identified by specific wristbands.
But the moment we approached the door, he stopped.
The room was packed with faces neither of us recognized everywhere.
He literally asked, "What is happening, and who are these people?"
I didn't know the answer to the question because I was witnessing it in real-time with him, but I was certainly going to figure it out. In that moment, the emotional noise could’ve been loud.
The real question was quiet and simple:
“How do I regain control of this room — fast?”
2. Choose the Option That Protects the Goal — Not the Comfort
Pressure exposes priorities. There’s the “comfortable” choice and the “mission-critical” choice.
In that BET Awards moment, the easy route would’ve been:
Panicking
Looking for the event planner
Trying to find the NYC assistant
Explaining to him that I needed more time
But time was the one thing we didn’t have.
So, I chose the mission.
What did I do?
I scanned the room.
Noticed the wristbands.
They were the right color — but the wrong design.
Seat fillers from the award show had been admitted by mistake.
Removing people already inside would’ve caused chaos.
So, I made a fast executive decision:
“Stop new people from entering immediately. Secure the door.”
That was the strategic move that protected the outcome.
3. Use the 3-Point Fast Filter (my real system)
When time is tight, run decisions through this:
✔ Priority — What matters most right now?
✔ Risk — What happens if we don’t act?
✔ Resources — What do we have available this second?
How the filter played out that night:
Priority: Restore access control.
Risk: Overcrowding + fire marshal issues + VIP dissatisfaction.
Resources: Me, the security team, and wristband criteria already set.
Based on that, I took over the front door myself.
Polite, direct, firm.
Anyone without the correct wristband design was kindly dismissed.
I requested a clicker counter from the venue to monitor capacity.
I stood on a stool and made an announcement to guests waiting.
Some were understandably frustrated by the chaos, but I aimed to manage expectations clearly — frank, calm, and kind.
They understood. Minutes later, order was restored.
As guests left, only those with the correct wristbands were admitted.
That’s fast clarity.
That’s leadership under pressure.
4. Communicate the Decision Clearly — Even If You Don’t Have Time to Explain It
Pressure moments do NOT come with presentation time.
During the BET Dinner incident, there was no space to outline:
“Here’s my reasoning.”
“Here’s what happened with seat fillers.”
“Here’s the sequence of events.”
My executive just needed to know:
“I’ve got it. Here’s what we’re doing.”
Clear direction creates stability
Stability restores trust.
Trust speeds up execution.
5. Review Your Decisions Later — That’s How You Build Speed
Debriefing is how assistants become lightning-fast.
After the dinner incident, I reflected:
What signage could be improved?
Should we centralize wristband knowledge next time?
What access points needed more controls?
How could we prevent the same cross-over wristband mix-up in the future?
Every reflection made me sharper for the next crisis.
And there was always a next crisis.
Fast Decisions Aren’t Reckless — They’re Trained
Being decisive under pressure isn’t about adrenaline.
It's about clarity.
It's about presence.
It's about protecting the mission, even in the moments that feel hectic, hot, or high-stakes.
When the room is tense and time is short…your calm clarity becomes the advantage.
And when people see you handle a situation like that?
They trust you forever.
Need a Tool to Stay Calm Under Pressure?
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Download my FREE gift — Grace Under Fire Checklist — the five resets I used for 8 years in high-stakes entertainment to stay focused, clear, and in control.