Executive Stress |
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Two of the most common causes of stress to people working in an executive or managerial capacity come in one instance from above and in the other from below. The source of stress in the first instance concerns management style: the manager needs to feel that his or her own style - autocratic or relaxed, directive or participatory, to put it at its simplest - is in tune with the style of the company.
If it is not, a potentially stressful element is present from the very start. The second source of stress, this time from below, concerns the realization that 'the buck stops here',. which can be a profoundly isolating sensation. In a sense, a manager is really only as good as his or her relations with the staff on whom the achievement of required results depends; if these are inadequate, then the knowledge of final responsibility may bring with it the kind of sensation of panic so often associated with stress.
Another important source of executive stress is time pressure - the way he or she is expected to deal with constant interruptions and demands: telephone calls, meetings, correspondence, visitors, and so on. Again, these can come from both above and below, in the form of unrealistic expectations or contradictory demands from superiors, or an unremitting stream of questions and problems presented by subordinates. Unless a manager is well organized and equipped, the result may be a frustrating sense of fragmentation, which can easily lead to stress, especially if resources in the form of budgetary allowance and staffing levels are inadequate.
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