Stressed Out, or Chilled Out?

[dougiezerts]

Hi! It's been a long time since I last posted, here.
Do workers work better when they're stressed out, or chilled out? I've been thinking about this question.
We used to have a Boss from Hell, at my job. She was personally responsible for firing a lot of people. I almost got fired by her! During that time, moral was pretty low, in the office. I wonder why. . .
Then she took a buyout. Our new manager was, and still is, a woman recruited from our ranks--one of our employees. Moral improved, and so did our results!
Of course, it could be argued that a boss who's too lax with his/her employees can be almost as bad as a Boss from Hell, so I guess there should be a middle ground.

[Broomjockey]

See, that's a loaded question. And I'm going to tell you right now, there's not going to be anything close to concensus on this. And I'm going to start the controversy.

I need the stress, the pressure. I thrive on it. My mind kicks into overdrive, and I get that bit faster and more competent. The catch is, I've got to have something decently defined to be doing. And the boss can't be interrupting me every 30 seconds, because that's going to break my workflow. But if they ride me and tell me they need X done by Y, they're going to get it, and a pretty good job of it too.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

It really depends upon personality. I, like Broomjockey, thrive in high pressure environments. I loved working at a newspaper, with its constant deadlines. I was always in high spirits at that job, and was referred to as 'the tornado' because I was always running around trying to get as many things as possible done in the shortest amount of time.

Other people with other kinds of personalities don't like it at all. They need a job that is quieter and more chill so they can conconcentrate on what they need to do. Lots of stress just makes them less productive because they spend all their time trying to manage.

[Seshat]

I'm on the 'chilled out' side. My body provides enough stress (due to disabilities) that if you add more stress, I become totally non-functional and my body might crash: force me to sleep, until IT is ready to wake.

Of course, I'm right up one end of the spectrum. But I agree with the others: some people thrive in deadline-pressure stress environments, others thrive in more relaxed settings. Figure out which type your business naturally is, and try to hire people who fit the business' type.

[Rapscallion]

Interesting question.

I'd say I need the stress in a particular way. Yesterday, I went out with a driver who wasn't feeling too great to give her a hand - I felt embarrassed that I earned a day and a half of overtime for very little real effort. However, I was talking to a colleague the other day who'd had to do the sales team rota for a week while the regular (often insane in a bad way) person was off. She asked if I minded doing the workflow coordination, and I didn't.

It's all problem solving - handling situations and finding solutions. I'm on the management committee, doing customer services, coordinating chilled picking, chilled checking (on your own in there) dealing with the last hours available in the week on a Saturday etc. I hadn't thought about it until she asked if I minded - I realised I loved it.

I do need my downtime, though, and occasionally I do get some of the standard tasks such as just being a picking schlep on the floor. It's great to have that sort of diversity of work.

Rapscallion

[powerboy]

With me, I am better if I am chilled out. I can get a lot of shit done, that way. When I am stressed, it helps for a about 30 minutes, and then I start to shut down because of the stress.

[GingerBiscuit]

I do better relaxed. If I'm stressed I make stupid mistakes, whereas if I'm more relaxed things get done quickly and properly.

[bigjimaz]

I'd say I need the stress in a particular way.

Not me. But it's an attitude thing, not a performance thing.

If you push, I push back, which slows things down. I'm not going to do something haphazardly because you want it done faster.

If you let me do my job and keep your nose off my shoulder, the happy, contented me works very well, thank you very much.

[Becks]

I need some stress. Why? Unfortunately for some reason my motivation doesn't match my ingrained work ethic.

I'm special.

[wagegoth]

I like the occasional stress rush I get from a filing, but most of the time I like to have the time to really do the job well.

[dougiezerts]

Thanks for your thoughts.
I suppose it has to do with the kind of stress, right? If your boss says, "Come on, we have a deadline, this evening!," that's one thing. But if he says, "If you don't improve your results within one week, I'm firing you!," that's another.

[Broomjockey]

Thanks for your thoughts.
I suppose it has to do with the kind of stress, right? If your boss says, "Come on, we have a deadline, this evening!," that's one thing. But if he says, "If you don't improve your results within one week, I'm firing you!," that's another.

Actually, the "or you're fired" I'd just say "What do you want me to improve?"

And if it was something within my power, I'd bust my ass, checking my numbers. If it was something I couldn't change, then he'd see just how slacker I could be. But I'm weird that way

[XCashier]

I'm somewhere in the middle, closer to the "chilled out" side. Too mellow, and I do tend to slack off, I'm ashamed to admit. However, I don't appreciate some Boss From Hell screaming his head off at me while I'm trying to work, as that will get me so frazzled I'll make mistake after mistake, causing the BFH to yell some more, thus is born the Vicious Cycle.

Tell me what you need done, how to do it (if I haven't done it before) and what time I need to finish it by, then step back and let me do the work. Don't micromanage, don't bear down on me, don't bully. If I want input, I'll ask for it.

Oh, and "please" and "thanks" are always nice to hear.

[Jester]

I need the stress, the pressure. I thrive on it.

I work better when everything is crazy. Making me like you. But that tells me that high pressure DOESN'T stress you out, it merely makes you work better. Which means for people like you and me, at work, being "stressed" IS being "chilled out."

Hell, I am a good enough server when things are slow, and give great service. And my tip percentage is ridiculous. But when everything is going crazy, and I have tons of tables, all seemingly sat at once, and everyone wanting this that and everything else...then I am at my best. My efficiency level goes up, I go into "get things done" mode, and the only complaint most of my bosses have had with this mode is I tend to move TOO fast. (Sometimes almost running people over.) I have had customers tell me when all this is going on "You seem like you're wearing roller blades!" Because, frankly, I rock.

This is not arrogance nor conceit. It is simple acknowledged confidence of my abilities to handle such situations after 21 years in the industry. Do I sometimes get in over my head? Yes. Do I sometimes get completely flustered? Sure. But I challenge you to find many people that, the majority of the time, are better at taking on more than yours truly.

So, as I said, sometimes stressed out IS chilled out.

[Seshat]

Tell me what you need done, how to do it (if I haven't done it before) and what time I need to finish it by, then step back and let me do the work. Don't micromanage, don't bear down on me, don't bully. If I want input, I'll ask for it.

I'm in this school, but with one addition. Take me seriously if I say 'I can't get it done by then, what parts of the job do you want me to leave not done?'

I am of the opinion that it's typically better to do a good job of a smaller task than a lousy job of a larger task. If I estimate that I don't have time to fully finish the task I'm given, I'll break it down into pieces and make my boss pick which of those pieces I'm to do.

If my boss doesn't listen to me and says 'do it all' - I get stressed and anxious, and my ability to function declines. So long as he listens to me, accepts that I know what I can and can't do, and gives me priorities to work with, I'm fine.

If given a proper prioritization, I'll do the 'must dos' by deadline (so long as all the musts are within my estimate), and if my guesses were wrong I'll eat overtime to get it done. I'll do the next lowest priority if I have time, and keep going down the priority list until I'm out of time to do subtasks properly.

(Obviously, this doesn't work as well in stuff like hospitality, where you can get a sudden rush and your bar is stuffed to the gills with patrons.)