William D. Stinnett, Ph.D. July 10, 2012

 

“Just calm down! Don’t worry! Don’t get all stressed out!” Such phrases are often said with the best of intentions but may not be the best way to encourage someone facing a high stakes activity like making a big presentation or taking an important test.

In fact, such statements may make things worse, Researchers at Cornell University’s behavioral lab induced anxiety in subjects by administering a series of electric shocks, after which everyone was told to “calm down” and “take it easy.” “We were surprised to find that not only were these phrases ineffective, but in an overwhelming number of cases they actually exacerbated the situation,” psychologist Kenneth Pulaski said.  (Study: Majority Of Calm Downs Are Ineffective)

Sure, stress can be bad for you, especially in large doses. I’ve written about the cost of stress in the workplace before . It is true that excessive stress is debilitating and creates all kinds of problems in an organization but recent research shows that: being stressed out can sometimes be good for you

a little bit of stress can be just the ticket to get you focused and keep you sharp when preparing for and conducting important tasks.

There is, according to Melinda Beck (Toronto Globe and Mail, Thursday, June 21, 2012), “Somewhere between checked out and freaked out lies an anxiety sweet spot, some researchers say, in which a person is motivated to succeed yet not so anxious that performance takes a dive.” Athletic coaches and theater directors have, of course, known this for a long time. As the Olympics approach, we will see plenty of examples of stress run amok as well as athletes who have learned to balance their anxiety with an ability to focus on their performance.

 

Stress butterflies are part of the process

My daughter often gets very nervous before presentations. Sometimes she starts to worry about worrying. “I shouldn’t be so nervous. My nerves will cause me to mess up.” Clearly, that is a viscous cycle. Top performing athletes, good actors, public speakers, teachers, and others who often face stress-inducing situations learn through repetition that those “butterflies” are just part of the process of preparation. Without it, they would not perform as well. So, they learn to accept it, even welcome it.  After more than thirty years of conducting leadership training workshops, I still get nervous every time I start a new class. But, by now that sensation has become a normal part of every workshop. I no longer “worry about worrying.”

 

There are, of course, different kinds of stress and many different ways of dealing with it – some good and some bad.

Apparently, human beings’ primitive threat detection system has not kept up with all of our modern worries.  The body’s threat detection system is an either/or mechanism. Either there is a threat or there is not. If there is a threat, then the system shifts into full alert: increased heart rate, fast breathing, perspiration, and so on. This can happen even if the “threat” is something like, “I have to wait HOW long to talk to the technical specialist about my computer?” Like many behaviors that were once very adaptive, stress can escalate out of control if we are not able to deal with it effectively.

 

Most therapies are designed to help people deal with excessive stress.

Cognitive behavioral therapy that encourages identifying and challenging self-defeating thoughts, coaching people to take action, meditation, certain anti-depressants, and so on are all among the tools that capable therapists use to help people with chronic anxiety, depression, or unusually high levels of stress. Such conditions can grow into more serious illnesses like obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, severe clinical depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. These are serious medical conditions that require equally serious medical treatment. There are, however, people at the other end of the continuum who seem to never experience any stress at all. While that may sound great in a way, it can lead to apathy and an inability to function effectively. Some forms of depression can take this form.

 

Good leaders in the workplace can help

We are not, however, therapists. The leaders of our organizations are not therapists. They are not qualified to diagnose and treat anxiety, depression, or OCD. Not their job! They do have a responsibility to be vigilant and to intervene and make referrals if they have a team member or colleague who is exhibiting symptoms of any sort of stress related problem. They are also obligated to create an environment that is healthy and productive. It is in these two areas where leadership training can be useful. No one should be allowed to remain in a leadership role if they are unable or unwilling to recognize and deal with team members who are in trouble.

Changes in behavior such as a conscientious worker who starts making mistakes, a normally warm and friendly co-worker who becomes withdrawn, sudden absenteeism or tardiness and so forth may be signals that something is not right. Such behaviors may be symptoms of a more serious underlying problem. It is not only an ethical duty to act; it may be illegal to ignore the problem. Serious stress related conditions are often considered disabilities and, as such, are subject to all of the laws regarding discrimination and civil rights. A discussion of the leader’s proper role in such circumstances can be very useful and go a long way toward promoting a healthier work environment and preventing unnecessary health care costs or even legal problems.

 

Creating and sustaining a productive work environment is, of course, one of the leader’s most important jobs.

How to go about that should be one of the most important focuses of any leadership training. There are many ways to go about this but certain things seem to be virtually universal. Remember that a productive environment is not one that is totally stress free (Leave that for the sauna.) but one where it is common to find your anxiety “sweet spot” when you need it but you don’t waste your time in needless fretting.

Here are a few thoughts.

 

    • Have clear expectations. People respond well when they know what is expected of them. They are more likely to work hard and do high quality work when it is clear what they are supposed to accomplish. If you want a lot of unnecessary stress, be vague. Then punish people when they don’t do what you want them to do.
    • Give people challenging work to do. If things are too easy, boring, mundane, people fall into a stupor. Too little stress can be as bad as too much. People like to learn new things, accomplish more today than yesterday, be a part of something that is successful and fulfilling.
    • Listen to your people. Encourage all your team leaders and team members to really listen to one another. It is remarkably comforting to know that those things that are important to you will be taken seriously by your colleagues and your leaders.

 

 

  • Be responsive. Treat every concern as legitimate. Don’t ignore problems. Encourage your people to identify areas that need improvement and create a systematic way to catalogue their concerns and respond to them. This should include concerns about work procedures, environmental factors, and even feedback about your leadership style. Follow through.
  • Be honest. Tell the truth. Let people know what your needs are. Confront problems squarely and factually. Let people in on the state of the business: both good news and bad.
  • Be fair. Don’t try to avoid conflicts but commit to getting them resolved in fair and equitable ways. Teach people the tools that they need to identify the root problems and find good, no-lose solutions to the inevitable conflicts that they will face.
  • Don’t play favorites.
  • Admit mistakes.
  • Develop your people. Make sure that people have the skills that they need to succeed. Putting people into jobs without the appropriate skills is very high stress.

 

This is not a complete list. There are many, many things that leaders can do to promote a productive, healthy work environment. So don’t fret about it (Well, maybe just a little bit.). As they say at Nike, “just do it.”

 
Bill Stinnett, Ph.D. is co-author of the book Corporate Madness: How to Change the System When the System Refuses to Change and is a Master Trainer for Gordon Training International.

Share This