Stress is a perceived
dynamic state involving uncertainty about something important. The dynamic
state can be associated with opportunities, constraints and demands.
Stress (or
tension, as we commonly call it), is a force inside us which creates a charge
and is felt in the form of energy—both physical and mental. As is the case with
over-charging of electrical appliances, so is the case with human mind. The
greater the amount of charge which is unutilised, the greater are the chances of
bursting.
Stress
results mainly because the individual wants an interaction and not a
transaction with the environment. In other words, stress is caused by the absence
of an answer, lack of return on invested time and effort and/or lack of a
two-way relationship with the environment. These forces compel a person to
either change the environment or himself. If a person cannot change the
environment, he feels dejected and his morale goes down, giving a complex of
insecurity and inefficiency. The result is tension, leading to stress. We
sometimes forget that certain things in the environment are unchangeable and hence
should be left to the superior most force.
This
book on management of organisational stress takes a comprehensive view of the
nature and causes of stress and explains the remedial measures for coping with
the problem. It would prove useful for
academicians, teachers and students of management and commerce and would be a
handy guide for working executives.
