Stress management stress and managerial performance

Annals of DAAAM & Proceedings, Annual, 2007 by Viorel Bucur, Mihail Titu

Abstract: The authors aim is to draw attention to certain aspects regarding stress-related influence on managerial performance, emphasizing the need of organisational decisions for the training of managers so that they become aware and minimize stress-related effects. We have also underlined the relevance of acknowledging "post-shock" traumatic experience that the body is undergoing and, consequently, helping the body to get to the initial state in order to overcome any pressures.

Key words: stress management, communication, managerial performance, Selye syndrome, model and organisation.

1. INTRODUCTION

In the context of specialized literature, a significant part is played by stress-related consequences on the activity of managers in organisations, at the behavioural, physiological and psychological levels, and thus generating a number of responses:

* Behavioural--they suffer important changes engendered by a diminished professional and physical capacity;

* Physiological--manifested by some malfunctions of the body (e.g. heart beating);

* Psychological--resulting from certain emotional and cerebral processes, and requiring the employment of some defence mechanisms by people undergoing stress.

Studies performed in the field of stress analysis have shown the relevance as well the necessity of identifying stress-engendering sources. (Bucur, 2002)

2. STRESS-INDUCING AGENTS AND MANAGERIAL PERFORMANCE

There is an interdependent relation between managerial performance and the multitude of internal and external factors that act upon an organisation.

Stress-inducing agents, engendering psycho-somatic adaptive responses, generating endless diseases and they obviously affect managerial performance.

Specialized literature highlights a multitude of stress-inducing agents whose impact on the human organism is evinced by D. Mechanic and T. Holmes and shown in the following figure. Thus:

* Level 1000--implies the death of a beloved person;

* Level 50/53--implies an accident, a disease;

* Level 30/36--implies the change of work place;

* Level 25/30--affects relations, customs, etc.

At the organisational level, the destructive effects induced by stress lead to absent-mindedness, change of attitude, poor communication, etc. Stress factors determine a diminishing of the body's capacity to cope with prolonged effort, disease, uncomfortable situations, etc.

It is imperative to devise and apply some prophylactic measures meant to diminish or eliminate such effects in view of insuring an increase of managerial performance as well as the performance of other categories of employees.

3. SELYE SYNDROME DEVELOPMENT (GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME)

Studies performed so far highlight the necessity of adapting the "SELYE Syndrome" to the context of internal and external factors that affect managers' performance at an organisational level, and not only.

Hans Selye's pattern requires its development, including a number of factors and elements that occur in the "shock" and "post-shock" states - see figure 1.

Apart from the three existing stages (alarm, resistance, exhaustion) an important part is played by emotional and cognitive intelligence, as well as the three stages engendering the post-shock state (recovery, re-adaptation and rebalancing) of the body. (Cungi, 2003)

No thorough analysis can be performed without taking into account the place and role played by emotional and cognitive in Selyes pattern.

Considering the systemic approach of the human body it is necessary to get the system to its initial state (shock/post-shock, tidal flow) in view of insuring a re-adaptation of the human body to new processes and challenges.

Further requirements that cannot be overlooked include a re-adaptation of the human body to "effort", training by specific programmes aiming to improve human qualities.

4. CONCLUSION

It is imperative that organisations insure training programmes for managers, and therefore convey specific management-related concepts allowing:

* An objective assessment of employees and their performances;

* Identifying the causes of lower performances;

* Supporting employees to cope with stress;

* Encouraging continuous creative professional development;

* Studying human qualities.

Managers should be aware that "emotions determine temperament", and intelligence control of our emotional life is a consequence of the knowledge and study of human qualities.

Conflict is a ubiquitous notion in our daily lives, and it is a result of differences among people--their needs and perspectives being different from one another--however, to deny its existence or to disguise it on purpose leads to serious disturbances. Whenever two or more individuals or groups of people have diverging interests, aspirations, options, sets of values, information they acquired, understanding of events, etc. the outcome is disagreement--whether verbalized or not--which is the first stage of conflict.

The word conflict can be interpreted--according to the Romanian Encyclopedic Dictionary--as "misunderstanding, conflict of interests, disagreement, quarrel, argument (violent, too)."