Transcript Power & Politics

Stress & Power
Stress – Chapter 6
Power & Politics – Chapter 10 pp. 299-313
Stress Defined
Stress is a person’s adaptive response to a
stimulus that places excessive psychological
or physical demands on that person.
Distress and Eustress
Eustress

The pleasurable stress that accompanies
positive events.
Distress

The unpleasant stress that accompanies
negative events.
Stress as a Person x Situation
Interaction
Assumption: Events trigger stress, but
people respond to stress differently
Individual difference factors moderate
INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES
STRESSOR
STRESS
REACTION
Type A and Type B Personality
Profiles
Type A
Type B
The Type A individual
is extremely
competitive, very
devoted to work, and
has a strong sense of
time urgency.
The Type B person is
less competitive, is
less devoted to work,
and has a weaker
sense of time urgency.
vs.
Hardiness
Hardiness
A person’s ability to cope with stress.
 People with hardy personalities:

Have internal locus of control
 Are strongly committed to the activities in their
lives
 View change as an opportunity for
advancement and growth

Optimism
Optimism
The extent to which a person sees
life in relatively positive or negative
ways.
 “Is the glass half empty or half full?”
 In general, optimistic people tend to
handle stress better than
pessimistic people.

Causes of Stress: Organizational
Stressors
Task Demands:
- Occupation
- Security
- Overload
Physical Demands:
- Temperature
- Office Design
Role Demands:
- Ambiguity
- Conflict
Interpersonal
Demands:
- Group Pressures
- Leadership Style
- Personalities
Consequences of Stress: Individual
Consequences
Behavioral:
- Alcohol Abuse
- Drug Abuse
- Violence
Psychological:
- Sleep Disturbances
- Depression
Medical:
- Heart Disease
- Headaches
Organizational Consequences
Withdrawal:
Absenteeism
Turnover
Performance
Declines
Attitudes:
Decreased
Satisfaction &
Commitment
Burnout
Managing Stress in the Workplace
Individual Coping Strategies
Exercise
Relaxation
Time
Management
Role
Management
Support
Groups
Managing Stress in the Workplace
Organizational Coping Strategies
Institutional Programs
Collateral Programs
Power
The capacity of “A” to influence the
behavior of “B” so that “B” does things that
he/she would not otherwise do.
A
B
Behavior
Bases of Power
Reward – control rewards
Coercive – punish or harm
Legitimate – position
Expert – control information
Referent – “I want to be you”
Position vs. Personal Power
POSITION
PERSONAL
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Information
Referent
Expert
Persuasive
Charisma