Are You Depressed Because of Workplace Stress?

If you're reading this article, chances are you are experiencing workplace stress, right?  There's also a good chance that your workplace stress have reached a certain level where you sometimes (if not all the time) feel depressed.

You are not alone.  All of us, at one time or another, have experienced workplace stress.  But how do you know that you are stressed?  More importantly, how do you know that you are depressed?


Aft.org have listed down physical and psychological signs that workplace stress (and other stressors) are getting to you:

Physical warning signs are:

• "headaches
• stomach problems
• over/undereating
• sleep disturbances
• muscle aches and pains
• skin rashes
• teeth grinding"*

Sound familiar?  Here's more:

Psychological warning signs include:

• "forgetfulness
• anger
• frustration
• anxiety
• depression
• irritability
• feeling powerless"*

Are you starting to see...you?

 Well, now let's see how serious your workplace stress is.  Is your workplace stress serious enough to cause depression?  How do you know that you are already a candidate for depression?

• Are you demotivated?  Do you hate waking up in the morning to go to work?  Do you have to force yourself, push yourself to get dressed and go to the office?  Are you losing interest on things you used to enjoy?
• Have you lost energy?  Are you tired most of the time?  Do you feel weak as if fatigue have taken over you? Don't you have energy, even if you just woke up?
• Have you become unproductive?  Is your to-do list getting longer and longer and you feel you have not accomplished anything at the end of each day?
• Do you procrastinate?  Do you find yourself putting off important tasks at an increasing rate?
• Are you feeling less and less confident about yourself?  Even feeling worthless at times?
• Do you withdraw from people?  Do you avoid relationships, wanting to be "alone" most of the time?

Workplace stress is one of life's realities.  Everyone get's stressed, especially at work.  It's either the demands are too much or your expectations are not being met.  Either way, if left unchecked, workplace stress can cause depression.  Start managing your workplace stress by acknowledging how stressed you are.  Then, start doing something about it before you get really depressed.
   
Sources:
* http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1137195340877175320#editor/target=post;postID=3832277600063123055
**http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/mental_health/articles/how_to_keep_depression_from_wrecking_work.aspx

Workplace Stress: Is it time to Quit?

I used to complain a lot about workplace stress.  And then I realized - what part of life is not susceptible to stress?  Even children get stressed!  Dogs, too.  So, why not you?

Workplace stress is, therefore, inevitable.  And you shouldn't expect somebody else to deal with workplace stress for you.  It's your stress, deal with it.

But that's not the issue right now.  The issue is that you've tried overcoming workplace stress and yet the signals to "throw-in the towel" are getting way beyond workplace stress management.

What are the signals?  The article, "Is it Time to Quit Your Job?", got some points to a "T": your health is at stake, your "boss" wants to get rid of you, it's a dead-end job, everything else has risen except your salary, you have a better option and your workplace stress is also taking its toll on your family.

Let's talk about your health.  Are you absolutely sure that your aches and pains are caused by work? Are you eating the right kind of food?  Do you have some form of exercise? Is your posture correct?  Is your bedroom conducive for sleeping?  While I agree that workplace stress can reach such heights that you will experience perennial headaches and suffer from insomnia, this is not always the case.  Is your work making you sick?  Or are you sick that's why your work suffers?

The "boss", of course, is a different matter altogether.  Although I believe that there are ways to manage your "boss", there are, indeed, situations where no amount of managing can help.  If you're part of the management team, this is workplace stress in its ultimate form.  Everyone in the office may want to get rid of you.  So what? If you're "boss" is backing you up? But when you're being left out, not given any assignments, treated like a non-entity, then it's probably time to look for other options.

A dead-end job and no pay increase are two issues you must learn to accept.  Unemployment is on the rise.  People who have jobs are lucky to still have one.  What's a dead-end job anyway.? For now, at least, while the economy is on a slump, just consider yourself blessed that you have some work to rush to in the morning and a paycheck to look forward to once or twice a month.  

If you feel you're not growing in your job, well, "grow" yourself.  Go back to school.  Take short courses.  Read books. Use the internet to update yourself.  Make your job more challenging by giving yourself higher expectations about the quality of your work.  When you get into a dead-end street, you don't leave your car do you?

People are losing jobs or getting pay cuts. If money is not expanding, it's time to look into lifestyle.  How are you spending your money?  What expenses can be reduced?  What things can you let go of? When you're having workplace stress that seems to be taking over your life, having savings is very important.  You never know if workplace stress will eventually turn out to be no-work stress. 

If you've been offered another job, good for you.  But I'd be careful.  Of course you've heard of the proverbial "from the frying pan into the fire". No one will guarantee that moving from one office to another will free you from workplace stress.  The only guarantee you'll have is, for sure, there will also be workplace stress.  And always remember, you meet the same kind of people, encounter the same kind of problems, until you've learned to deal with them.

Remember, you have a family to think about.  And when work is interfering with family, what then?  Ever heard of time management? Of prioritizing?  Of making sure you do your work right so you don't have to spend any time at the office anymore than you should?  Ever heard of vacation leaves?  And of making sure that when you're with family, you are with them and not half-way with work?

It's probably obvious by now I am not encouraging anyone to quit.  When workplace stress hits, find time to take a break, think things through and pray for God's guidance.  It's also time to look for other options.  

If workplace stress is getting the better of you, you don't really need to get boxed in your office cubicle.  You can get a job, working at home.  If you're thinking of quitting, don't quit yet.  Explore the idea of working at home.  Here are some links to help you get started:

How To Become a Virtual Assistant : http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4268349

Virtual Assistant Online Workshop: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4268351
On-line mentoring club: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4272657
Social Mentoring Club: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4278581
Online Wealth Breaktrough Seminar: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=4274270

MANAGING STRESS AT THE WORKPLACE

Managing stress at the workplace
indianexpress Express News Service , The New Indian Express
Updated Jun 04, 2011 at 08:03am IST

We all need some pressure in our working lives --- it makes our work satisfying and helps us to meet deadlines. But too much pressure, without the chance to recover, causes stress.

In a 2006 Health and Safety Executive survey, one in six working people in the UK reported that their job was very or extremely stressful. Work-related stress is one of the biggest causes of sick leave. Workplace stress is different for everyone --- what is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another. It can depend on your personality type and how you have learned to respond to pressure.

Often there is no single cause of work-related stress. Although it can be triggered by sudden, unexpected pressures, it’s often the result of a combination of stressful factors that build up over time.

Symptoms

Work-related stress can cause both physical and emotional health problems. In addition to the obvious emotional symptoms, it can cause you to be more prone to physical symptoms like headaches, muscular tension, backache or neckache, tiredness and sleep problems, digestive problems, a raised heart rate, skin rashes, sweating and blurred vision. Chronic (long-term) stress can also contribute to anxiety and depression, and can even increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Sort things out

Prioritise tasks, delegate where you can and make sure you don’t take on more work than you can handle. Take regular breaks at work and try to finish one task before starting another. Make sure your work environment is comfortable. If it isn’t, ask for help from your organisation’s health and safety officer. If possible, don’t work long hours --- sometimes projects need extra time, but working long hours over many weeks or months doesn’t generally lead to more or better results at work. Take a look at your relationships with your colleagues --- do you treat each other with respect and consideration? If not, try to find a way to improve relationships with your colleagues.

Talk to your manager

It’s important to talk directly to your manager about work-related stress. He or she has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to resolve the problem. If you find talking about your concerns difficult, it may help to make notes during your discussion. Ask your human resources department how to challenge these policies and make sure you know what support there is for you if you decide to do this.

At home

There are things you can do outside of work to help reduce your stress levels. Try to exercise every day if possible. Exercise helps to use up the stress hormones that cause your symptoms, giving you a sense of well-being and helping your muscles to relax. Even a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day will combat stress.

MY THOUGHTS

In most cases, we are the ones who cause our workplace stress.  Stress triggers will always be there-at home and at work.  The difference between stressed people and people who seem to be always relaxed is the ability to manage the stressors.

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMPLOYEE FUN DAY

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMPLOYEE FUN DAY

from the article “Employee Fun Day” Won’t Create Job Satisfaction
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | August 25, 2010

http://www.bnet.com/blog/marshall-goldsmith/-8220employee-fun-day-8221-won-8217t-create-job-satisfaction/131?tag=content;drawer-container

"Over the last year, we surveyed thousands of respondents on their experience of happiness and meaning — both at work and outside of work.  While many of our findings were consistent with our expectations, one was a surprise.

We asked respondents to note the percentage of time they spent on activities that produced high amounts of short-term gratification (or happiness) but low amounts of long-term benefit (or meaning). We classified these activities — things like gossiping and watching TV — under the category “stimulating.” Then we conducted an analysis, comparing the number of hours respondents spent on the “stimulating” activities to their overall satisfaction with life at work and at home.

Companies that invest in activities that are supposed to be “fun” but are also meaningless are probably squandering their money and their employees’ time. “Employee fun day” may well be a waste — it only leads to increased cynicism. Most professionals are extremely busy. They don’t need to go to work to be entertained. They can do that at home."

"While a little fun time is great, a lot of it can do more harm than good. Rather than watching another TV show, it might be good if we challenged ourselves by finding ways to help other people in need. Finding meaning can be more important than finding amusement.

As always, we would love to get your thoughts on this topic.  What is meaningful for you?  How does your own search for meaning lead to higher overall satisfaction with your life?"

MY THOUGHTS

Yes, a little fun won't hurt.  A day away from work can do some wonders.  Short term.  If the bigger issues are not handled, employee fun day becomes meaningless.

CRYING AT WORK?

The delicate rules of the crying game

Tears at the office are growing more acceptable — for certain reasons and at certain times.
By Joe Castaldo

When Anne Kreamer answered a phone call from media mogul Sumner Redstone a few years ago, she was not expecting to end up in tears. Kreamer, then senior vice-president of consumer products at a subsidiary of Redstone's Viacom, was in her office celebrating with colleagues a recent business deal. Redstone wasn't calling to congratulate them, but rather to berate Kreamer for failing to move the company's share price. She quickly brought the gathering to an end, shooed her co-workers away, and cried.

Reflecting on the incident, Kreamer, who has just completed a book about emotion in the workplace, says she wouldn't be so quick to dismiss her colleagues today. "I probably would allow people to see that I was upset, and figure out a way to share a little bit," she says. That's because she's come to believe that crying at work, one of the great office taboos, should not be considered the personal and professional failing many believe it to be. Not only do those who have wept in the office report feeling shame afterward, but the general perception of people who cry is that they are unreliable and ill-equipped to handle stress. Some surveys indicate workers believe criers to be manipulative. Clearly, blubbering in front of colleagues could hurt your career prospects.

The issue is particularly relevant for women, who cry more often than men. In a survey of 700 Americans conducted by Kreamer and advertising firm J. Walter Thompson for her book, It's Always Personal (out next month), 41% of women admitted to shedding tears at work at least once over the previous 12 months, compared to just 9% of men. But women were just as quick as men to denounce weepers. In the poll, 43% of women said criers are "unstable."

There are sociological and biological reasons why women become teary-eyed more often than men. Women produce more prolactin, a hormone believed to play a role in crying. Women's tear ducts and even the viscosity of their tears are also more conducive to crying. Some researchers posit that women tend to shed tears in response to anger, whereas men will scream and yell. Yet neither response — tears or anger — is considered appropriate for women in the workplace, according to a study in the Journal of Organizational Behavior. Study participants said men who show anger can make decent leaders, but deemed women who display anger or sadness to have less leadership potential.

The underpinnings of crying and our responses to it make the stigma weigh more heavily on women than men. But awareness of these factors, says Kreamer, can lead to a more compassionate environment. "Women are now 50% of the workforce, so this gives us an opportunity to step back and ask if we can bring more of our authentic selves to the workplace."

Still, changing attitudes is tough. In a soon-to-be-published study, Kimberly Elsbach, a professor in the Graduate School of Management at University of California–Davis, found through interviews with 65 professionals that there are "right" and "wrong" ways to cry at work, and knowing the difference can be essential to a successful career.

Colleagues are most tolerant of a co-worker who is upset about a personal issue, such as a death in the family, Elsbach has found. Surprisingly, crying in response to critical feedback will not damage your reputation so long as it appears the feedback is getting through. A sobfest caused by workplace stress also doesn't seriously hurt your stature — but only if the episode does not affect the work of others and is done in relative privacy. But crying during a meeting — especially if you're the one in charge or your tears become disruptive — is a major no-no, causing a big blow to your credibility. In short, shedding a few tears is tolerated if no one else is inconvenienced.

That said, there may be times when it's not possible to hold back tears in front of colleagues. When that happens, damage control becomes necessary, says Lois Frankel, an executive coach in California. Frankel suggests e-mailing or talking directly to the witnesses to apologize for causing any discomfort, and simply admit your emotions got the better of you. "That's what people want to know: that you recognize what happened, and that you're working on it," she says.

Frankel, like Kreamer, believes that more tolerance in these situations can ultimately lead to a better work environment, but she is a business owner herself. An episode of public crying is acceptable — once. But repeated breakdowns are distracting and might indicate larger personal or professional problems. "There comes a point where I say, this needs to be fixed, or this person has to leave," says Frankel. "If the tears keep coming, maybe it's the wrong workplace for you."

MY THOUGHTS

I guess it depends on why the person is crying.  And where and with whom.  And how often.  You certainly don't want to work with a cry baby.

SHOULDER AND NECK PAIN SOLUTIONS

The Computer Hunch: Shoulder and Neck Pain Solutions
By Gretchen Reynolds
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the April 2010 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Have long hours spent slumped over your computer turned you into the office hunchback? Here's how to work out the kinks.

Amy Markham was once an endurance athlete, running marathons and cycling long distances. Then, at the age of 37, she took a new job as director of admissions at a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts. Her new sport was hunching over her keyboard. At first the pain barely registered, but the tension in her neck and shoulders eventually became so severe that it was sometimes impossible to turn her head, shrug on clothes, or even type. While Markham's pain was extreme, the circumstances that led to it are not uncommon.

As many as 63 percent of all office workers will suffer from neck pain sometime this year, with women at particular risk, according to a recent comprehensive review of neck pain studies. Poor posture is partly to blame; the ever-increasing dependence on computers doesn't help, either. Happily, some relatively simple exercises can help.

5 moves that reduce neck pain and increase neck strength

A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that the five moves below dramatically reduced neck pain and increased neck strength in female office workers. For the best results, complete at least three sessions a week. (A session consists of three sets of three of the moves listed here; for each set, repeat the exercise ten to 12 times.)

1. Shoulder Shrug
Stand, holding a pair of two-pound dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your neck straight, slowly lift up your shoulders toward your ears and lower them again. Repeat.

2. One-Arm Row
With a dumbbell in your left hand, stand at the left side of a knee-high workout bench. Set your right knee on the bench and bend at the waist, setting your right palm on the front of the bench for balance. Your left arm should be straight, palm facing in, with the weight hanging toward the ground. Slowly pull up the weight toward your chest, then gently lower and repeat. Switch sides and repeat with the opposite arm.

3. Upright Row
Stand holding a weight in each hand, resting the weights on your thighs, palms facing your body. Bending at the elbows, slowly lift up the dumbbells to chest height (your elbows should point slightly up, not straight out to either side). Keep the weights close to your body and your neck relaxed and straight. Lower gently and repeat.

4. Reverse Fly
Reposition your bench so it's at a 45-degree angle to the floor. With a weight in each hand, straddle the seat and press your chest against the raised end of the bench. Extend your arms toward the floor, palms facing in. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, extend the weights out to your sides until your arms are parallel to the floor. Slowly lower and repeat.

5. Shoulder Abduction
Stand holding the weights at your sides, pressed against your thighs. With your elbows slightly bent, extend the weights out to your sides until your arms are parallel to the floor, palms down. Keep your neck straight and relaxed. In a smooth motion, lower and repeat.

Create a perfect workstation for mind and body.

MY THOUGHTS

something to plan for. i have the perennial neck and back problems because of working 8-12 hours a day. meaning,i have the computer hunch syndrome. massage works short term. you start working and in a day or two the pain's back. hope this exercises help.

HOW TO DEAL WITH A NARCISSIST

How to Deal with the Office Narcissist
By Jessica Stillman | March 2, 2010

Poets might be known for their higher than average incidence of depression, but the world of business is famous for attracting those with another sort of psychological disorder; “psychologists have studied narcissistic traits in actors, chief executives and politicians, where such tendencies are all but built into the job description,” reports the NY Times.

What exactly is narcissism? According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, the diagnosis involves, “a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration and lack of empathy… a grandiose sense of self-importance.”

Of course, most cubicle dwellers are normal, empathetic people, but your chances of running into a narcissist is probably higher among high achieving business leaders than, say, at a convention of dentists or pre-school teachers. So how do you handle a narcissistic colleague or client when you meet one? A blog post by Karen Leland on Web Worker Daily offers five tips from Connie Dieken, author of the book Talk Less, Say More:

* Give them options. Beneath their bluster, narcissistic people fear being left out of the loop. They crave control. It’s far better to offer them options to choose from, rather than feeding them ready-made decisions. They’ll tear other people’s decisions to shreds. Giving them options helps them feel respected and in control. It also prevents nasty hissy fits.

* Focus on solutions, not problems. When you explain a problem or a challenge to a narcissist, direct their attention to the solution. Don’t allow them to dissect the problem over and over again. Narcissists love drama and revel in the chaos. They’re easily agitated when frustrated. Define problems and present possible solutions, so they don’t smell blood in the water and tear you apart.

* Make them the hero. Narcissists are preoccupied with power and truly believe they are special and unique. They live for attention and admiration. Want them to do something? Tell them how great they are at it and watch them perform. Better yet, praise their performance in front of others. Just keep it real, please.

* Let them think it’s their idea. Narcissists often steal the credit for ideas that aren’t theirs. Why do they do that? Strangely, they truly believe that hijacked results are their own. Grabbing credit is a driving force for them. If this gets things done, I say learn to live with it. Over time, everyone will catch on — wink, wink. Meantime, graciously transferring credit for ideas to them makes things happen.

* Manage their emotional blind spot. Egomaniacs lack empathy. They’re so caught up in their own world that it doesn’t occur to them to consider your feelings or viewpoints. It’s a huge blind spot. You must put your own feelings on the table, if you choose to do so. Just be smart about sharing feelings with a narcissist. Brace yourself for the guilt trips and disparaging criticism that narcissists often dole out when others explain how they feel.

MY THOUGHTS

so, do you have this constant need to be admired? do you have this feeling of self-importance that's way beyond normal? do you lack the capacity to feel for others, understand their situation and actually feel what they are feeling? then you really should be reading about 'how not to be a narcissist".

but if you are on the end of the spectrum and you find yourself dealing with an 'egomaniac', read over the tips very carefully.remember, being honest is still necessary but you can't win with a narcissist if you fight them off.

Win Over Your Boss

How to Win Over Your Boss
By Steve Tobak | January 20, 2011

In Getting a New Boss? Interview Again for Your Job, career coach Priscilla Claman outlines three steps to get yourself “rehired,” as she calls it. Since BNET blogger Sean Silverthorne called her advice “absolutely brilliant,” I thought I’d check out the three steps:

1. Update your resume.
2. Set up a meeting.
3. Present yourself.

Now, I happen to think that this sort of “me-centric” approach can easily backfire. But, the original post does have some decent points and Claman herself has a disclaimer at the end, “I find that the higher up you are, the less successful the “rehiring” method is.”

In any case, if your boss isn’t behind you 100 percent, it can make your life miserable. Believe it or not, you can win him over just by asking a few questions that show him you “get it” and are management or senior management material. Whether he’s newly promoted, newly hired, the result of a merger or acquisition, or has been your boss forever, here are:

10 Simple Questions That Will Win Over Your Boss

1. Ask what he thinks you can do to be more effective.
2. Ask what her top three priorities or goals are.
3. Ask what you can do to make him more effective.
4. Ask what you can do to make the team more effective.
5. Ask if he’s interested in knowing what will make your job easier.
6. Ask what her take is on the company’s top priorities and goals.
7. Ask what he thinks you should do differently or improve upon to be more effective.
8. Ask if she’d like to meet periodically, one-on-one, and if so, how frequently and what format would she like the meeting to take. Then set it up.
9. Ask what his philosophy is on your shared functional responsibility, whatever that is, i.e. marketing, HR, IT, engineering, finance.
10. And, if the meeting’s open-form and you feel it’s appropriate, ask about her background. Most people like to talk about themselves and how they got there, as long as they don’t feel like they’re being grilled, pumped for information, or played in some way.

In case it isn’t obvious, you don’t just plop down in your boss’s office with a notepad and start an inquisition. Ask for a one-on-one meeting because you’d like to know what you can do to be more effective and help him be more effective, wherein you ask a few questions, as appropriate, etc.

And, contrary to the aforementioned HBR advice, do not tell her about your role and your team. Instead, ask if she’d like to hear your perspective on your and your team’s role. If she says, “absolutely,” then set it up. But I still say it’s better to ask for her perspective on your and your team’s role. Get the difference?

And whatever you do, don’t present yourself, your resume, or your achievements either. Frankly, your boss, new or old, isn’t primarily interested in any of that stuff. He’s primarily interested in meeting his objectives and helping his boss meet hers.

The closer you come to demonstrating that that’s your priority as well, the sooner you’ll win him over because you “get it.” And the sooner you’ll be viewed as management or senior management material.

MY THOUGHTS

hmmm. food for thought. calls for some heavy thinking. i remember asking a new boss what my job description was. he said - "NONE". i wanted to resign right then and there. i stayed. wise decision. he said he didn't want to limit what i can do by having a list of tasks. i figured, from where he's from, the term "perform other tasks that may be assigned" does not appear in JDs. demanding as he was, he was also very wise. true enough, my stint with him proved to be very rewarding. there was no limit to what he wanted to achieve. i worked along side him. in other words, i won him over. and he won me over,too.

Things We Wish We Could Tell the Boss

7 Things We All Wish We Could Tell the Boss
http://www.bnet.com/photos/7-things-we-all-wish-we-could-tell-the-boss/490886?tag=trunk

By Dave Logan

I’ve visited dozens of companies in 2010 and keep hearing the same message: the person at the top is clueless and unwilling to change. As a result, employees spend absurd amounts of time managing around him (it’s usually a him). It’s not just the Emperor Has No Clothes. It’s that the Emperor Has No Clothes and Looks Funny Naked. But if you had the courage to have these conversations with the man in charge, you could transform the lackluster leader into a great one, and boost the company's bottom line in the process.

1. You're nothing like Lincoln, Churchill or Clinton.
Nothing is funnier, or more tragic, than a mediocre leader who thinks he’s Lincoln, or Churchill or Clinton. And nothing is a greater waste of time than when an “idiot boss” (thanks, Scott Adams) tries to fine-tune his style by reading about the Greats.

A much better use of time would be for someone with credibility to sit down with the CEO and say, “You’re like none of those people, but if you work really hard, you could become a great leader in your own right.”

The great leaders are all originals. Although many were amateur historians (or in Churchill’s case, professional), they didn’t become the people they were by copying behaviors from people in the past. They became great by finding a way to serve people in their time, and in the process, became leaders.

2. Guess what? YOU are the problem.

Imagine this conversation.

Him: Why isn't the company more innovative?

You : Because you, the CEO, drown us in initiatives, metrics, and plans, and so we don’t have any time.

Him: Why isn't the organization more successful?

You: Because the strategy you want us to pursue is inept, compared to what we could do if you got out of the way.

Him: Why isn't the company a great place to work?

You: Because you’re creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

The single question I’m asked more than any other is: “Can we use the principles of Tribal Leadership when the top person doesn’t get it but thinks he does?” The short-term answer is to create a pocket of tribal greatness, and let the results show that a new way of leading makes everyone win. The long-term answer is that the person at the top needs to get it, or get out.

3. You put a new thing on my 'to do' list. What are you taking off?

I often repeat a story from the darkest days of the U.S. automotive industry, when a major subcontractor to the Big Three held its managers accountable for well over 100 metrics. That story used to make people laugh. Over the last few years, the reaction has turned into, “so what do we do about that?”

Drucker was a fan of the idea of “purposeful abandonment”—determining which activities will be stopped. My friend David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, likes to say that a person’s success can be measured by looking at how long their “stop doing list” is. The same holds for companies. Most people, and most companies, don’t have a “stop doing list” at all.

CEOs should know that their followers measure them, in large part, by how many metrics and initiatives they purposefully abandon. In most cases, that’s zero.

4. If the employees don't understand the strategy, it's your fault.

Often in executive seminars I’ll go through the “must have” list for corporate competence, and then ask people which item on the list they are most concerned about. (One of the better lists is Jay Galbraith’s STAR model.) Almost always, number one is “strategy,” as in “do we have one?” and “ask 100 people and you’ll get 100 answers of what our strategy is.” I also hear, “the CEO thinks our strategy is the tag line from our ads.”

A strategy, by the way, is “the creation of a unique and valuable proposition” to the market, according to Michael Porter. If employees can’t say what that the unique value proposition is, the CEO has failed.

In most cases, the CEO would retort, “we have a strategy, they just aren’t listening to what it is.”

What’s the problem here?

It’s not about how the strategy is communicated, it’s about the listening that creates the strategy in first place. Anne Mulcahy tells the story of what happened when she assumed the role of president and COO of Xerox. It came down to listening to everyone: employees, customers, and suppliers. She didn’t check her brain at the door and merely combine what they said into the strategy. She checked it against everything she knew about the markets, and she also listened to advice from experts. The result from that long process was a strategy that was clear, concise, and that made people around Xerox say, “yes, that’s right!” If your company doesn’t have that kind of a strategy, the blame rests at the top.

5. You don't build loyalty by blaming employees.

Many CEOs try to send the message “you and I have a special relationship” by bad-mouthing other executives. The result? The message people hear is “I’ll throw anyone under the bus. The minute you’re out of favor, I’ll do the same to you.”

Great leaders throw themselves under the bus by taking responsibility for any failure in the company. When the company succeeds, it’s due to others.

6. Your staff will regard your tenure as the bad old days.

Most large companies remember a time when they had boundless energy and felt the potential of greatness knocking at the door. That was before the bullies, brats, and bureaucrats took over.

Most CEOs talk a lot about problems that they’ve solved. But the reality is that the overall vibrancy and vitality of the company is collapsing. People hunger for a leader who will really do things the right way. And until you learn that, you’re just another person steering the ship into the sand.

I should add that most CEOs are good people, wanting the best for their companies. So why does the Emperor Have No Clothes and Look Funny Naked?
It’s due to a variety of factors, including that organizations, by their design, limit or stop upward feedback. Most CEOs become increasingly isolated and cut off from the real issues and so their decisions become increasingly out of touch. Another reason is “CEO shuffle”—hiring from outside the company, based on competency and not shared values, so that the new person comes in with an agenda to change everything. Most successful CEOs in our study were home-grown and promoted from within.

7. Great leaders listen and you don’t.

Any questions?

Ever wanted to have this conversation and didn’t? I hope you’ll let me know, by email or in the comments below.

MY THOUGHTS

bosses! who is not having (or did not have) problems with a boss? one way or the other,at some point in time, we have whined and complained (and probably moved jobs) because we have an incompetent, dictatorial, unfeeling, inhuman, *&#$% boss. don't you get it? the problem is not the boss. it's you. first of all, if "the boss" is that insufferable what are you still doing there? if you have nowhere else to go, then don't you think you owe the hateful boss? he hasn't fired you, has he? even if no one else will hire you!!!

we dream (and probably having nightmares) about that time when we can tell our boss exactly what kind of boss he is. you think that's not possible? think again. it can happen. you can do it. but you have to play your cards right.

i once worked for a man, a brilliant, frustrating man that everyone hated. just the sound of his name made people want to crawl under the desk and never come out. he pushed and he pushed. with ideas that went completely way over your head.it was so frustrating the first thing i do when i get to work is print out a resignation letter with a new date.

guess what? if you ask me, the highlights of my career were those years i worked with the man. i did things i never thought possible. he inspired me to accomplish things that no one else can accomplish for him. he made me forget about titles and job descriptions. he showed me that i am limited only by what i think i can do.

how did it happen? i let him be my boss! obedience is the first key. he was the boss, not me. as soon as i accepted that, i saw him for what he is. a hard, no non-sense, whirlwind boss whose motivations are never questionable. someone to be respected. that allowed me to focus on my work(instead of wasting time thinking of ways to oust him).

that showed him i can be respected, too.as a professional and as a person. i didn't have to dream of telling him exactly what kind of boss he was. he asked. and he always valued my opinion.

Turn Enemy to a Friend to Lessen Workplace Stress

How to Turn Your Office Enemy into an Ally
By Margaret Heffernan | August 26, 2010

Being professional at work implies not letting personal likes and dislikes enter into our relationships with co-workers. It’s a high ideal that can be hard to achieve, especially when you encounter the colleague who, quite simply, just doesn’t like you.

That’s the situation a fine executive at GE encountered some years ago. For obvious reasons, she will remain anonymous -– but you can trust me, it’s a true story.

Carol, let’s call her, joined a new division and, being smart and experienced, dared to make a comment at her first meeting. “I disagreed with a comment one of my colleagues made about a strategic issue,” she told me. “After the meeting was over, he said, ‘Carol, don’t you know you’re just the cunt at the table? No one cares what you think.’”

What’s impressive is the way Carol responded. “I wanted to scream, but I didn’t. And I didn’t run around telling everyone what he said, even though I really wanted to. I knew he would use every opportunity he could to disparage me, sabotage me and hurt my credibility. Instead, when he made good suggestions in other meetings, I endorsed them. If my department was doing something that helped his, I let him know. And if I disagreed with him, I let him know that, too. Gradually he saw I was really good at what I did. He saw that my department could make him look good. He became an ally.”

“A few years later, he left to become president of another company. He called to ask me to be his COO. And no, I didn’t consider it for a moment.”

What’s impressive about Carol’s story is that she was able to see that the wasn’t about her; it was about her colleague. And while he might not always be professional, she always was. In other words, she seized the moral high ground and held it.

This is very tough to do. But it’s essential. You will, at some point in your , encounter someone who just doesn’t like you -– because you’re male, female, short, tall, fat, skinny or because you remind them of a former failed relationship. You won’t be able to change whatever history has formed their impression. What you can do is determine the level of your response.

“It’s really important to recognize that insulting, degrading, ridiculous comments aren’t about you -– they’re about the person saying them,” Carol explains. “Don’t take the remarks personally but do take them seriously, because you need to know what’s really going on.”

Encounters like Carol’s occur at every level in an organization, from the print room to the C suite. You can’t stop them happening; all you can influence is your own response.

MY THOUGHTS

if the workplace is full of machines and not people,i doubt there would be a term as 'workplace stress. but the minute you enter into an office, you encounter a guard, a receptionist, HR people who will provide you with orientation. there won't be a day in your work life when you will just sit in front of your laptop and not deal with people. you're in front of your laptop because you're dealing with email. and your emailing people. so, this article is such a welcome reminder. when i encounter difficult co-workers. the real ____holes. i pray.i pray for guidance.i pray that God will help me turn this enemy into a teammate. better yet,a friend.my best friends are still those i have formed bonds with while at work. some of these friendships started out badly. and i don't mind having more friends. even if you don't even want to hear this person's name in the beginning.

What Matters More than Money? Stamina

What Matters More than Money? Stamina
By Margaret Heffernan | April 1, 2010



What is it that entrepreneurs most need? When I ask that question at business schools, the answer is always “money.” But when I ask it of entrepreneurs themselves, the answer is something else — and it’s always the same: “stamina.”

I’ve interviewed successful business owners around the world, and that’s always the answer I get. When you think about it, the reason is obvious. If you quit, the game’s over and you know the outcome. But if you can keep going, you still have a chance. The question is, How do you keep yourself going? The answer may surprise you.

Liz Elting, who runs Transperfect, one of the world’s largest translation companies, vividly remembers an all-nighter she and her co-founder Phil Shawe pulled for a prestigious new client: “I remember one Christmas Eve that Phil and I were doing a job for Goldman Sachs, and we were in there working through the night. When it was done, we were late (and exhausted!) for our own personal family celebrations… In the first few years, there was a lot we gave up.”

James Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame spent twenty nerve-wracking and nearly bankrupting years bringing his revolutionary design to market. Chronicling the lawsuits and betrayals he went through, Dyson’s autobiography Against the Odds (one of the few great business autobiographies) is exhausting to read. It chronicles years of dishonest dealing, corrupt business practices and sheer bad luck as Dyson bulldozes his way through business deals that always seem to explode at the last minute.

And I’ll never forget Karla Diehl’s laughter when her firm Edison Automation made it into the Inc. 500. What was the big joke? “Everyone’s congratulating me as though we just arrived,” she said. “But we’ve been trying to figure this business out for nearly twenty years!”

What all business founders learn is that success rarely occurs overnight, and the triumph, when it arrives, does so when you’re too tired and battle-weary to celebrate. But what they’ve all learned along the way is that keeping going is the ultimate test. So where does that stamina come from? A colleague once asked me how I’d outlasted the 40 other CEOs in my corporate group, who’d all quit somewhere along the way. I realized that since I had two small children at the time, I had to go home at 6 p.m. Getting out of the office had kept me in the game.

It’s counter-intuitive, but stamina comes from having the courage and discipline to step away from work. Here are three ways to start:

1.Go home before everyone else does. It gives your employees permission to go home, too. Unless you’re in crunch mode, they’re much smarter when they’re rested than when they’re fried.

2.Give everyone a break after hitting big milestones. Otherwise the milestones become meaningless.

3.Be honest about family commitments. Most people don’t work for money; they work for their families. They’ll be more committed if you reduce the conflict they feel between work and family.

All success requires stamina. So why do we persist in thinking long hours are good for us? If you’re running a marathon, why try to maintain a sprinter’s pace?

MY THOUGHTS

i promise. i promise to go home before my staff. so they'll go home, too. maybe there is crunch time because we get too tired.

may solusyon ba ang workplace stress

Solutions to Workplace Stress


Office stressors require solutions
By Jennifer Newman and Darryl Grigg, Vancouver Sun; Canwest News ServiceJuly 31, 2009


Workplace stress is common, yet is not always easy to see or remedy. Poor planning, difficulties with assessing priorities, organizational policy gaps, supervisory issues and immature interpersonal relations among co-workers can create stress.

Here are some stressors that, if left unchecked, harm staff and businesses:

- Accountability Stress: Generally, accountability is something positive. People like a sense of accomplishment and recognition when they reach milestones and deliver on promises.

However, stress results when individuals have an enormous amount of responsibility but no authority. In these situations, staff are to deliver on a project and may even be assigned as the lead person but they have no power to deal with issues as they arise.

For example, if someone on the project is not carrying his weight, the accountable staff person cannot wield enough authority to get the job done. So they are rendered ineffectual because they have no powers of discipline, performance review authority, hiring or firing capacity or ability to influence another's career. Yet, at the same time, this staff person must deliver his or her project in a timely fashion. The resulting stress is difficult to deal with especially when it looks like the project might fail without intervention.

Fixing this situation is difficult without the help of the superior who assigned the project. If that supervisor waves the staff person away, the project will probably fail.

This occurs when the employee in charge is unable to effect change in the composition of the team or offer incentives such as favourable evaluations to work diligently and co-operatively. Instead, staff find themselves up against people who don't have to perform at the standard required or even co-operate fully.

The staff person in charge should either have the authority to lead or the supervisor must partner with him to ensure the job is taken seriously. Many supervisors in this situation abdicate their responsibility for the project by handing it off to a relatively powerless subordinate.

Staff must have a frank discussion with the supervisor when this happens and if there is no change they may want to ask to be removed from the project or to take a different role.

- Work-Life Balance Stress: Juggling work and home life responsibilities can take a toll on those with family and career obligations. When one's standards in both arenas do not match what is humanly possible to achieve, stress results.

People are often inclined to believe that they must perform at Olympic levels both professionally and personally. Being able to stand back and critically examine what is most important and how to achieve these priorities is key.

If for example, a time crunch is occurring at work, it may be time to talk to family members about helping out to make the job at work go smoothly. If responsibilities are mounting at home, a discussion with a supervisor may be in order to offer some respite from scheduling difficulties at work.

Those who believe they must grin and bear it or make every priority a key "must do" are at the greatest risk for this kind of workplace stress. Evaluate what must be done, in what order and in what time frame and ask for help to combat this stressor.

- Discrimination: Enduring discrimination at work on the basis of one's race, gender, sexual orientation or physical disability can be extremely stressful. When this occurs it is important to know your company's policy regarding treatment of minorities.

Sometimes you may notice a particular ethnic or racial group is getting the interesting assignments or there are racial or sexual slurs made at your expense. Many companies have policies that provide recourse in these instances. However, if this is not the case and one can only appeal to superiors, it is important to document the issues about which you want action and your efforts to obtain better treatment.

Letting supervisors know that you want discriminatory activities to stop and that you are expecting action in this area is important. If you are not satisfied, consider moving up the chain of command or to a better company.

- Unfairness: Unfair work practices that don't constitute discrimination are no less stressful. Many employees have found themselves disengaged, thinking of quitting or apathetic at work when treated unfairly. This can include being implicitly or explicitly promised a promotion after completing required tasks to a high standard only to find that the promotion is not forthcoming.

Other instances include being given work beneath your abilities consistently, being appraised critically when circumstances prevented your optimal performance (the project was held up by another department and the responsibility lands on you) or when you weren't provided with the proper resources to do the job effectively. These kinds of situations breed burnout.

It is important to bring unfair circumstances and broken promises to the attention of the organization. Leaving resentment to fester will take its toll on your health in the long run.

- Office-Clique Stress: Social isolation in any situation can be devastating. Office cliques are particularly damaging to morale, given the amount of time spent there. It is normal for workers to be friends with some, but not all staff. But this does not mean others need to be excluded. Supervisors often tolerate this dynamic at their peril.

The difference between normal office friendships and the exclusion of individuals must be made explicit when office cliques are ruining a collegial atmosphere at work. Pointing out to the supervisor that this is occurring is important, but the clique is often subtly sanctioned by the boss who may even belong to the clique.

Appealing to the supervisor's desire to get things done and pointing out how the office clique prevents real collaboration may help heighten the supervisor's awareness. If that doesn't work, it may be time to transfer to another less sophomoric department.

While stress may be common at work, there are ways individual employees, supervisors and the organization can help reduce difficult encounters, harmful dynamics and poorly planned endeavours to generate increased efficiency, productivity and enjoyment.

Dr. Jennifer Newman and Dr. Darryl Grigg are registered psychologists and directors of Newman & Grigg Psychological and Consulting Services Ltd., a Vancouver-based corporate training and development partnership. They can be contacted at sunmailnewmangrigg.com
© Copyright (c)


WHAT I HAVE TO SAY

I totally agree with the workplace stress scenarios - having the responsibility without the authority, the constant pull between work and family, being discriminated because of your gender, nationality or beliefs, finding yourself powerless against the "super powers" - all of these can have a profound impact on one's well being. It is important to note, from this article, the key, the solution is communication - discussing it with someone who can influence or change the situation. Letting things as they are is not the solution to workplace stress.