Leadership: The Human
Side of Projects
Managing Stress
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
1
Stress and Business
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Costs US economy $500 billion+/year
75 – 90% of visits to primary care
doctors related to stress complaints or
disorders
550 million workdays lost each year
60-80% of industrial accidents are
related to stress
40% of worker turnover due to stress
$12 billion/year on stress management
training and products
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
2
Project Managers and Stress
How do you, as a project manager,
contribute to stress for people on
your project?
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25 year study: incompetent
management is the largest cause of
workplace stress.
Three out of four people report that
their relationship with immediate
supervisor is the worst part of their
job.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
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Managing Stress: Objectives
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Review causes of stress in
organizational settings
Discuss effects of stress on personal
performance and health
Review some strategies for coping
with stress
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
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Model of
Forced Field Analysis
Current Level
of Functioning
Driving Force A
Restraining Force A
Driving Force B
Restraining Force B
Driving Force C
Restraining Force C
Driving Force D
Restraining Force D
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
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A General Model of Stress
Experiencing Stress
STRESSORS
REACTIONS
Anticipatory
Encounter
Time
Situational
Physiological
Psychological
RESILIENCY
Physical
Psychological
Social
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
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Sources of Stress
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Time Stressors
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Work overload
Lack of control
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Encounter Stressors
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Role conflicts
Issue conflicts
Action conflicts
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
Situational Stressors
Anticipatory Stressors
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Unfavorable working
conditions
Rapid change
Unpleasant expectations
Fear
Burnout: Its Major
Components
Burnout
Physical exhaustion
(fatigue, lack of energy)
Intense and prolonged
work-related stress
Emotional exhaustion
(depression, feelings
of hopelessness)
Attitudinal exhaustion
(cynicism, negative views
of other’s & own work)
Feelings of low
personal accomplishment
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Reduced performance;
other negative effects
Managing Stress
Eliminate
Stressors
Develop
Resiliency
Strategies
Learn
Temporary
Coping
Mechanisms
Effects
Permanent
Long Term
Short Term
Approach
Enactive
Proactive
Reactive
Time
Required
Long Time
Moderate Time
Immediate
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
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Management Strategies for
Eliminating Stressors
Type of Stressor
Elimination Strategy
Time
Time Management
Delegation
Encounter
Collaboration
Emotional Intelligence
Situational
Work redesign
Anticipatory
Prioritizing
Planning
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
10
Stress Management - Four Stressors
Time Stressors: Too much to do in too little time; work overload; lack of control
Encounter Stressors: stress from interpersonal interactions -- role conflicts, issue conflicts, action
conflicts
Situational Stressors: stress from your environment or life circumstances, e.g.; unfavorable working
conditions, rapid change
Anticipatory Stressors: stress from anticipating unpleasant things that haven’t happened but that
might happen; unpleasant expectations or fears
List the things that are currently stressful for you in each area. Then rate the amount of stress you feel
in each area this week:
0..…………… 25..…………… 50……………..75 …………….100
none
a little
bit
a fair
amount
______ My Time Stressors are:
______ My Encounter Stressors are:
______ My Situational Stressors are:
______ My Anticipatory Stressors are:
quite a
bit
a great
amount
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Stress Management – Strategies for
Eliminating stressors
Type of Stressor; Elimination Strategy
Elimination Strategy: Effective time management, efficient time management, Delegating
Encounter:
Collaboration and team building; Emotional Intelligence
Situational:
Work redesign
Anticipatory:
Goal setting; Small wins
Choose one area where you would most benefit from reducing stress.
List three things (or more) that you could do to reduce your experience
of stress in this area:
What will you do this week to start managing your stress in this area?
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Your Strategies
When faced with stressful or time-pressured situations –
scale 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree)
______ 1. I use effective time management methods such as keeping track of my time, making
to-do lists, and prioritizing tasks.
______ 2. I maintain a program of regular exercise for fitness.
______ 3. I maintain an open trusting relationship with someone with whom I can share my
frustrations.
______ 4. I know and practice several temporary relaxation techniques such as deep breathing
and muscle relaxation.
______ 5. I reaffirm my priorities so that less important things don’t drive out more important
things.
______ 6. I maintain balance in my life by pursuing a variety of interests outside of work.
______ 7. I have a close relationship with someone who serves as my mentor or advisor.
______ 8. I effectively utilize others in accomplishing work assignments.
______ 9. I encourage others to generate recommended solutions, not just questions, when they
come to me with problems or issues.
______ 10. I strive to redefine problems as opportunities for improvement.
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Your Strategies
Stress Management Self-Assessment
SKILL AREA
ITEMS
ASSESSMENT
Eliminating stressors:
1,5,8,9
Total:________
Developing resiliency:
2,3,6,7
Total:________
4,10
Total:________
Overall
Total: ________
Short-term coping:
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Comparison Data

Maximum possible = 60 points

Compared to 500 business school
students:

50 or above = Top Quartile
45-49
= Second Quartile
40-44
= Third Quartile
39 or below = Bottom Quartile
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Characteristics of Effective
Delegation
The extent to which:
 delegation was clear and complete
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participation was allowed
there was parity of authority and
responsibility
delegation included adequate support
accountability for results was specified, both
in terms of time and outcome
teamwork, trust, and support were
engendered
Major projects; reoccurring activities;
training; expectations; big picture;
milestones; transfer authority
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
16
Types of Activities That
Determine Time Use
URGENCY
HIGH
LOW
1.
HIGH
IMPORTANCE
2.
LOW
3.
Crises
Developmental
opportunities
Customer
complaints
Innovating
4.
Mail
Ringing telephone
Unscheduled
interruptions
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
Planning
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Escapes
Routines
Arguments
Time Management Work Sheet
– 168 Hours
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Use the worksheet to analyze how you are spending your 168 hours each week.

Think of an average rather than a particularly hectic week.
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Example categories of time use: work, school, family, social, self, sleep, fitness, spiritual…

List activities and time spent, on average, on each. Hours must add up to 168.
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Category: |
|
|
|
|
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Category: |
|
|
|
|
|
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Review your findings with a class partner for 5 minutes.
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What discoveries did you make?
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How might this impact your managerial effectiveness?
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
18
Time Management – Prioritizing Tasks
High-High: Reactive – controlled by someone else
Low-High: Reactive – don’t produce results that are meaningful or valued
High-Low: Proactive – you are in control and focused on accomplishing high priority results
Low- Low: Escapes – can reduce stress of being in high-urgency quadrants or can waste time
URGENCY
HIGH
LOW
1.
HIGH
3.
Crises
Developmental
opportunities
Customer
Complaints
Innovating
Planning
Reactive
IMPORTANCE
2.
LOW
4.
Email
telephone
Unscheduled
Interruptions
Reactive
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
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Proactive
Small talk, busy work
Routines
Arguments
Escapes
Time Management – Prioritizing Tasks
List some of your work activities in the quadrants below. Think about yesterday or the past week to gather examples.
URGENCY
HIGH
LOW
1.
3.
2.
4.
HIGH
IMPORTANCE
LOW
Which quadrants would you like to spend more time in. Which quadrants could you reduce?
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
20
Anticipatory Stressors: Short
Term Goal Setting
1. Establish a Goal
4. Identify Criteria
of Success and a
Reward
2. Specify Actions
and Behavioral
Requirements
3. Generate
Accountability and
Reporting
Mechanisms
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
21
Work Redesign
Effectively
eliminating stress and
increasing productivity by changing
aspects of work.
To eliminate stressors at work:
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© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
combine tasks
form identifiable work units
establish customer relationships
increase decision-making
authority
open feedback channels
Resiliency: Moderating the
Effects of Stress
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Psychological
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Balanced lifestyle
Hardy personality
u
u
u
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High internal
control
Strong personal
commitment
Love of challenge
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Cardiovascular
conditioning
Proper diet
Social
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Small-wins strategy
Deep relaxation
techniques
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
Physiological
Supportive social
relations
Mentors
Teamwork
Confirmed Benefits of Regular
Vigorous Exercise
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Blood pressure is lowered.
Resting heart rate is lowered; better
able to distribute blood where needed
under stress.
Increased red blood cells; more oxygen
is carried to the body.
Elasticity of arteries is increased.
Triglyceride level is lowered.
Fibrin, a protein that aids in the
formation of blood clots, is decreased.
Source: Goldberg, 1978
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
24
The Small Wins Strategy
Small Wins – being sensitive and
celebrating small successes while coping
with a major stressor
 Introduction - in the next 15 minutes,
analyze the past weeks activities.
 Identify – every success or positive
outcome (no matter how trivial).
 Identify – potential positive events for
the coming week (need not be major
events – just small wins!).
 Share the list with your group
members.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
26
Developing Resiliency:
Balancing Life Activities
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
27
Characteristics of a Type A
Personality
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Signs of personal tension
Committed to having, rather than
being.
Unawareness of broader environment
Strong need to be an expert on a
subject, otherwise lack of involvement.
Compulsion to be with other type A’s.
Hyper-acceleration and accentuation of
last few words of a sentence.
Chronic sense of being in a hurry
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
28
Characteristics of a Type A
Personality
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Polyphasic thoughts and actions.
Impatience with normal pace of events.
Doing everything rapidly.
Feeling of guilt when relaxing.
Evaluates activities in terms of
measurable results.
Believe Type A attributes lead to
success.
Frequent knee-jiggling/finger tapping.
Determined to win every game.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
29
PERSONAL TRAITS AND
RESISTANCE TO STRESS
Personal
Characteristics
Description; Effects
Type A Behavior Pattern
Always in a hurry, highly competitive, irritable, highly
susceptible to the adverse effects of stress.
Optimism
Hopeful outlook on life; sees situations in a positive light;
expect favorable outcomes. These traits lead to problemfocused coping which helps such people deal with stress.
Hardiness
High levels of commitment to their jobs; believe they can
control their outcomes; see stress as challenge; together
these traits make them resistant to the adverse effects of
stress.
Tension Discharge Rate
Persons high in this trait dissipate job-related tension
quickly at the end of the day; this reduces the harmful
effects of such stress on them.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
30
Behavioral Guidelines for
Managing Stress and Time
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Use time management principles.
Delegate effectively.
Improve interpersonal competency.
Make your work stress reducing
Reaffirm your priorities
Develop life balance.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
31
Behavioral Guidelines for
Managing Stress and Time
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Increase your physical resiliency.
Implement small wins strategy.
Learn a deep relaxation technique.
Form an open, close relationship with
someone.
Form teams and share tasks.
Learn some short-term relaxation
techniques.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
32
The Four Types of Stressors
and Resiliency
Optional exercise:
 Consider the force field
 Which of the four stressors (driving
forces) do you face?
 For each stressor: What resiliency or
restraining strategies do you use?
 Which force is stronger? Stressors or
restraining forces
 Pick one or two stressors. What type of
strategy would enhance your ability to
cope more effectively?
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
33
In class Case
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Discussion Questions
1. What principles of time and stress
management are violated in this case?
2. What are the organizational problems
in the case?
3. Which of Chet’s personal
characteristics inhibit his effective
management of time?
4. If you were hired as a consultant to
Chet, what would you advise him?
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
34
Reflect on your organization
Describe the most and least effective
manager you have known
 To what extent were they competent
stress and time managers
 To what extent were they able to
control their time
 What evidence is of their stress and
time management skills
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
35
Part B
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Do working students need different stress management strategies
than top executives, homemakers, or professional athletes?

Is there a basic level of stress management skill that is applicable to
all positions?
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To the extent that you are comfortable discussing your personal
results, what were some of the most common stressors that emerged
within your team?

Do you think the stressors results from demands …
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
…by your organization?

… the times we live in?

… your personal situations?

… etc?
Are there any common coping mechanisms that have been used by
the team to address these stressors?
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
36
Turn of the Tide

Discussion Questions

1. What is effective about these strategies for coping with stress, and
why did they

work?
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2. What troubles, challenges, or stressors do you face right now to which
these prescriptions might apply?
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3. Are these prescriptions effective coping strategies or merely escapes?
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4. What other prescriptions could the author take besides the four
mentioned here?
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Generate your own list based on your own experiences with stress.
© Peter Dominick, Zvi Aronson
37