STRESS MANAGEMENT – SUPERVISION

What is Stress?

Stress is your mind and body’s response or reaction to a real or

imagined threat, event or change.

What are your stressors?

• Work Load Stressors

• People Stressors

• Mind Stressors

• Body Stressors

Work Load Stressors

• Always too much work; never able to relax• Excessive workload; over-lapping deadlines• Tedious or meaningless tasks.• Unreasonable performance demands• One or two difficult tasks take all my time;

no time left for anything else

Work Load Stressors

• Seems like I have a lot more work than my colleagues

• I have to work harder than my colleagues and to get the same results

• Efforts often seem for nothing – Don’t get satisfying results

• My stress is complicated by commitments I can’t get out of!

People Stressors

• Distant, uncommunicative supervisors.• Poor performance from subordinates.• Office politics, competition, and other

conflicts among staff.• Bullying or harassment. • Problems caused by excessive time away from

family.• Conflicting job demands.• Multiple supervisors.

Mind Stressors

• Worry about what people think?• No time to think, always having to do• Tendency to get too worked up when under

pressure or in a crisis• Tendency to get down, dwell on how bad

things are

Body Stressors

• Insufficient sleep• Frequent colds, sickness• Negative effects from caffeine, nicotine, etc.• Uncomfortable chair, poor posture, excessive

time hunched over desk or computer.

Body Stressors

• Eye Strain(small fonts, poor lighting, computer screen overload)

• Inadequate nutrition, missed meals, reliance on junk food

• Lack of exercise• Aversive environment

What are your Emotional and

Physical Reactions?

Fight or Flight

Recognize what You can change

• Can you change your stressors by avoiding or eliminating the source?

• Can you reduce their intensity? (manage them over time instead of immediately)

• Can you shorten your exposure to stress? (take a break, leave)

• Can you devote the time necessary to make a change?

Build your physical reserve

• Exercise or Jogging• Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals• Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine and other

stimulants• Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get

away• Get enough sleep. Be consistent with your

sleep schedule

Maintain your emotional reserves

• Develop mutually supportive friendships/relationships.

• Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to you, rather than goals other have for you that you do not share.

• Expect some frustrations, failures and sorrows.

• Always be kind and gentle with yourself – be a friend to yourself.

Eliminating stress from environment

• Improve your air quality• Adjust lightning intensity• Manage decoration and tidiness• Eliminate noise• Maintain personal space• Breathing and meditation• Focusing on object / sound• Imagery

Personal Improvements

• Personal improvements you consider necessary to manage your stress factors

• Personally handling your stressors and improving yourself is enough to eliminate it?

• Might be possible for Mind and Body stressors• But Work and People stressors are mainly

caused due to reasons not in your control

Supervision

Supervision is the supervisor’scontrolling behavior

towards the work or task being done by his/her subordinate.

Controlling Behavior

EUSTRESSEustress or ‘positive’ stress occurs when your level of stress is high enough to motivate you to move into action to get things accomplished.

DISTRESSDistress or ‘negative’ stress occurs when your level of stress is either too high or too low and your body and/or mind begin to respond negatively to the stressors.

Impact of supervision on stressors

• Good supervision helps maintain eustress, which motivates employee to work efficiently.

• Bad supervision causes distress, which raises conflict in supervisor/subordinate relationship eventually results disruption in work.

Good supervision

• A good supervisor maintains a good relationship with his/her subordinates.

A supervisor’s job is not to control you, but to guide you and your peers to do the best

possible work that helps whole organization to benefit & fulfill its purpose.

Good supervision

• A supervisor’s job is different than of his/her subordinates task or assignments.

A good supervisor coaches you, notices when you have done well, identifies you to be an integral part, and motivates you to do even

better.

Good supervision:Your responsibility

• Value• Gain knowledge• Communicate• Be a friend or a son• Manage your negative

reactions• Rid yourself of

destructive thoughts

• Be honest• Hard times behavior• Think it through• Introduce the topic• Ask for some feedback• Practice the rules of

fair fighting• Listen more than talk

Bad supervision

• A ‘difficult’ supervisor impose unrealistic ideals which makes the work more demanding.

A ‘difficult’ supervisor can either be a hands off (absentee manager) when you need regular direction in work,OR can be hands on (ever-present manager) when you need strong autonomy in work (self-government)

Bad supervision:‘Difficult’ or ‘Hard’ supervisor

• The weak supervisor• The political supervisor• The black and white supervisor• The obsessive micro-supervisor• The invisible supervisor• The task master• The nasty supervisor• The bullying supervisor

The Weak Supervisor

• Characteristics– Aggressively avoids taking risks– He’s vague – not clearly understood or felt– May also be ill-trained, and lacking management skills– He won’t stand up for you

• How to cope with?– Work around him– Give yourself the feedback you need– Only talk to him on critical issues and to the point

The Political Supervisor

• Characteristics– Ability to portray himself worthy or good– Only involve you on issues that serves his agenda– He’s sneaky and plays favorites– Doesn’t sympathize with you in any way

• How to cope with?– Support his need of recognition on strategic tasks– Focus your own efforts on ‘high value’ tasks– Don’t trust to consider your interests

The Black & White Supervisor

• Characteristics– Doesn’t get it, may be because he is very concrete– Doesn’t understand slight difference in meaning,

context, logic, or high-level ideas• How to cope with?– Ignore his intellectual deficiency– Shape communications to his needs– Maintain fact-oriented discussion rather than

arguments based on ideas

The Obsessive Micro-Supervisor

• Characteristics– Severe trust issues; just like a trusting a ten year old

to drive a car– No matter how much detail you give him, how many time

redo a piece of work, it’s still not right– Makes you completely de-motivated and lose your

sense of confidence and competence• How to cope with?– Write down the issues you are facing– Try taking those issue in account with higher supervision

The Invisible Supervisor

• Characteristics– You have no one to go for directions; no idea of the

pending task and work load– No feedback on the effort you put in– He/She may be invisible because of a busy schedule,

reluctant to work or an unskilled supervisor• How to cope with?– Take all possible steps at your end, do the task even if you

consider it wrongfully done– Try to set standards for your own self, make regular follow-

ups on tasks to be completed

The Task Master

• Characteristics– He/She doesn’t have a life and doesn’t expect you to

either– You’re loaded with work but he/she keeps giving more– His/Her time-lines are ridiculous– So focused on getting the work done that he/she isn’t

aware of the impact of his/her behavior• How to cope with?– Create your own realistic standards– Don’t be apologetic for creating work-life balance

The Nasty Supervisor

• Characteristics– Ruthless and enjoys you moving around twisted in

discomfort– Apparently so task-focused that he is blind to see

how his behavior makes you feel• How to cope with?– You face him directly, if he apologizes, then try to

accommodate and cooperate for the work benefit

Good vs. Bad Supervision

•It is a joy to work with a supervisor who is understanding, caring, and supportive. •Such association adds to the pleasure of pursuing a career, not just working for a steady paycheck.•The situation is not always constructive.•Adverse feelings arises when supervisors lack feedback, clear guidelines and expectation, recognition or trust.

Good vs. Bad Supervision

• No matter how bad the situation be, try to:– Speak with him, about the behavior in case if

he/she is unaware of– Avoid judgments about his/her personality– If you love your job and enjoy the people you are

working then just ignore your supervisor– “Smile and the world will smile with you.”– Try to find a mentor or co-worker who can

improve your psychological potential

Bad Supervision:Improve your relationship

• Show respect• Don’t be afraid of your boss• Do your best• Give honest feedback• Don’t try to hide problems• Break important news fast• Maintain your boundaries• Manage your anger• Embrace your strengths• Face your shortcomings

• Say thanks for recognition• Ask for more information• Suggest a solution, new

ideas• Respond to criticism• Be positive• Be able to joke around

Golden Words(Final Thought)

• It’s nice to imagine that success of your career rests upon your basic competence at doing your job, but that’s only half the picture

• Raises, promotions, and other perks depend directly on how well you can manage your supervisor

• Marinating a healthy relationship builds a personal rapport and he/she will keep your best interest in mind