Does stress or worry are undesirable? (Metaphor of the bow and arrow, or metaphor Bowman)
Executives have everyday concerns that must find solutions to problems that require timely and accurate answers to keep the organization running, for the fulfillment of objectives or exit undesirable situations.
When problems accumulate, are more intense and
significant concerns can turn into stress, according
to the intensity that may or may
not cope successfully without
losing sight of the executive activity. In any case, the executive
should have the answers, also must remain calm, use available
resources and lead the organization .
For situations of stress or
concern within a reasonable
range, there are solutions that are generated in executive action and would
be lost if paralysis or inaction
occurs. Use of the
best personal and professional resources,
use of other human,
material, financial resources in new ways and demonstrate the ability and
skills to perceive the problem from different angles skills, overcoming the constraints or obstacles that are
imposed by impose problems or means available.
While worries or stress are within a reasonable range of psychological pressure mechanisms do not prevent or reduce the ability of
the executive to act appropriately; the organization is the subject and object
of executive action. When it exceeds the reasonable
level l, it is possible that the
control and the need for a
solution for the organization to
be displaced by the need for a
solution to a personal problem ; in this case is
the person the subject
and object of executive action, so that the organization can be adrift. This is the situation that must be avoided or when it arrives, the executive must be prepared to find quick solutions.
There is a risk that concerns with intense or sustained high level of stress, the executive sits locked, unable to perceive the problem in its true size, from various angles, unable to break the vicious circle that can be generated, with no possibility to see beyond himself without clarity or lucidity potential solution to find other resources. Why can be possible this situation? How you can successfully address the pressures that are associated with worry or stress?
First is not to deny the existence
of valid concerns
and avoid responsibility for finding
solutions to problems. Stress
is part of life of
the executive, even more when the environment is competitive, so he can not ignore or abandon the
effort involved staff cope. There is a bold
challenge to find creative solutions and even dangerous, but some action must exist to find a solution.
Moreover, both the ability to overcome personal and psychological pressures or concerns involving stress, as the ability to find solutions and adapt or in exceptional cases, to abandon organizational paradigms are based on continuous and comprehensive preparation executive. Preparation includes permanent academic upgrading, organizational learning through the lessons derived from the successes and mistakes, observation and ongoing assessment of the environment, in the exercise and development of personal skills, the ability to achieve synergy between work equipment or harness the talent of its employees or subordinates.
We now present the figure of the archer. Whatever goal requires the archer´s attention, participation in a military action, hunting for subsistence or an athletic competition as happens today, the archer has a set of tools combined in an appropriate form, materials and best quality, and personal appearance supported by continuous training and belief to win, and hit the target even in adverse circumstances.
Figure of the Bowman resembles that of the executive:
both aim at one target, both have
instruments or means to do so,
both must share a mental state, the victory and both
must continually train, learning from failures and strengthen the potential competitive by the victorious experiences.
The following table shows the basic factors that contribute to the successful solution of the problems caused worries or stress are shown; states which correspond to the 'keeper and his organizational equivalent, the executive.
Criterion
|
Archer
|
Executive
|
Training
|
Continuous practice, successes and failures, personal safety (attending competitions,
championships)
|
Continuous practice, successes and failures, security personnel (academic update, readings, new
theories seminars, corporate
events)
|
Knowledge of the environment
|
Favorable or unfavorable events or
facts, quick answers (knowledge of headwinds, response forms, knowledge
of its resources)
|
Favorable or unfavorable events or
facts, quick answers (knowledge of internal and external
environment, competitors, markets, consumers , internal resources,
human, financial knowledge resources)
|
Attitude
|
Confidence, competitive desire, resilience (overcoming failures),
|
Trust, competitive desire, resilience (overcoming failures),
leadership
|
Objective
|
Well defined, unique (white or target, winning
the championship)
|
Well defined (market segment, be first against
competitors)
|
Source: Carlos Rivas R /
August, 2014.)
William Tell, a famous Swiss archer did not run the risk of killing his son only by despair or unsustainable bravata. He was prepared, aware of his personal power, aware of the quality and performance of their bows and arrows, rely on achieving your goal, because he had a faith backed dexterity gained in years of continuous practice. An executive facing a problem and proposes a solution must be in the same situation; concerned but confident their personal skills or resources, rely on the quality and relevance of resources organizations, confident that knows its target.
Worry or stress should not be reasons to quit acting but is also recommended, to act as the expert archer. When faced with the real need, has bow and arrows with maximum body tension and absolute concentration on the target, unleashes the power, expertise and vision to shoot. Then comes the calm, bloating, abandon, until the next event. There is constant tension even if there is no a warning sign, a permanent environment recognition, adjustments or mechanisms to achieve this goal and of course, the willingness to act timely and certainty.
In the chart below you can see that
the intensity of stress or concerns you determine
degree of difficulty or complexity of the tasks or problems that can be addressed and resolved.
The more intense you are, greater competitiveness and therefore greater complexity and scope of the problems that can be solved
are expected. Moreover, the increasing or sustained
intensity eventually finds a
critical limit that can not be exceeded
unless a high cost is paid (including the health
or life of the executive) .
There is moreover the ability to stay away from the critical level or raise it to a higher level, increasing the ability to tolerate even higher level of worry or stress. The training, the acquisition of new and improved professional skills, greater ability to combine the resources available in the organization, genuine leadership can face critical problems without surpass personal capacities, with no risk of paralysis or inaction. As if the archer had at its disposal a team, bow and arrows designed for longer distances, better wind resistance or adverse weather events, and with a greater chance of success. Of course, the archer is prepared, technically and mentally, and ready to use the new equipment. In this new situation the graph is explained in the passage of the curve C1 to C2,
In a recent article on the impact of stress, Bradberry (2014) made important suggestions about the need to keep stress under control for better decisions, avoid exceeding the capacity and the level at which decisions are optimal, avoiding complacency and the false security when all is seemingly under control, so careless immediate response capability is lost.
References
Travis
Bradberry (2014, August 05) How succcessful people stay calm
