STRESS HAS BOTH FINANCIAL AND HUMAN COSTS
Stress generates enormous financial and human costs. Studies in the United States indicate that
one-fifth of American professionals and managers are involved in the abuse of a wide range of
prescription and illegal drugs. American per capita consumption of physician-prescribed
mood-altering drugs averages 80 tablets per year. It’s estimated that headaches and other forms
of stress-related pain generate approximately $50 billion of business costs in terms of absen-
teeism and reduced productivity.
STRESS IS CONTAGIOUS
As a leader, you will regularly encounter people whose feelings are not especially pleasant, and
who harbor continuing undercurrents of fear, anger, and hostility. As a result, you may experi-
ence levels of anxiety that are related to feelings you have unknowingly picked up from others.
A nonsolutionis tuning out or becoming less sensitive to the emotional undercurrents of others.
This would simply deaden your awareness of what is going on around you. Rather, you need to
stay alert to subtle cues from other people. You need to become even moresensitive, constantly
monitoring your feelings and those of others in your organization. Then, whenever you start
feeling stress, you can ask yourself whether your feeling is a signal that something needs atten-
tion. Simultaneously, you can contribute to other peoples’ well-being by remaining alert and
allowing them to pick up yourfeelings of calmness, emotional balance, patience, and optimism.
HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“We think much more about the use of our money, which is renewable,
than we do about the use of our time, which is irreplaceable.”
—Stephan Rechtschaffen, TIME SHIFTINGWEB WORKSHEET
Here is a list of symptoms you are likely to encounter when you experience stress. As a first
step in determining your level of stress, rate the degree to which you experience each of these
symptoms. You might also use this instrument to assess stress levels within your workgroup or
team. This could be used as a kick-off for a group discussion of stress.
SECTION 15 TOOLS FORTAKINGCARE OFYOURSELF 473
Stress symptom Rating
0 (not at all), 5 (very much)- I am bothered by disturbances in my sleep.
- I frequently feel that my interpersonal relationships suffer from tension.
- I feel bothered by lapses in memory and concentration.
- I feel tense muscles or jitters in my body.
- I worry too much.
- I become immobilized.
- I can’t make up my mind quickly enough.
- I perspire excessively.