Team Work to Counter Stress

by Br. Prasanna Swaroopa, and T D Chandrasekhar

Co-authors of ‘Good Values, Great Business’

A recent survey stated that “close to 82% of Indians suffer from stress on account of work, health and finance-related issues”. [Ref]

A senior executive in the Insurance sector shared the following episode: “One morning, I was unable to get out of bed, feeling listless. I had been on the road for the past 3 weeks and just did not feel like working that day. It was not physical fatigue; but mentally, I was drained out.”

The causes of stress could be many and the ways to redress them varied. Some of the skills and practices which would help us reduce stress in the workplace are:

Togetherness in Team Working: Often, we tend to isolate ourselves, and are forced to fight battles alone. Phil Jackson said, "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." That ‘strength’ is what helps us deal with challenges at work – not just those relating to work content, but also of life in general. Acceptance, empathy, flexibility, and trust are values that help us build camaraderie.

Listening: Fred Rogers said: “In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.” Listening not only helps us strengthen our relationship with members of the team, but also helps us in being more productive and creative. Listening helps us clear many misconceptions, misunderstandings, and apprehensions about others and situations, which tend to become the most significant cause of stress.

Actively Practicing Openness: The Dalai Lama said, “I remain convinced that most human conflicts can be solved through a genuine dialogue conducted with a spirit of openness and reconciliation.” Being open prevents us from bottling up our thoughts and feelings, and reduces the opportunities for creating stress.

Showing Forgivingness: By not forgiving the words or actions of others, we tend to keep a scorecard against names. And any interaction with individuals for whom we maintain a scorecard is always stressful. Here is where ‘forgive and forget’ becomes the greatest stress-reliever.

Sharing: Having someone with whom we can freely share our thoughts, feelings, dilemmas, and conflicts is a very effective way of keeping stress at bay. Having a ‘sounding board’ or a confidant helps us reduce stress.

Reference:
Cigna 360 well-being Study: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/personal-finance-news/82-indians-bogged-down-by-stress-cigna-360-well-being-study/articleshow/68615097.cms?from=mdr 

                                                                  About the Authors                                                     

Br. Prasanna Swaroopa

He began his career in the IT industry serving it in various capacities, including software engineering, design, project management, and general management. After having devoted 14 years to it, he exited the IT profession to explore and discover what lies beyond the usual avenues of employment....read more 

T D Chandrasekhar

He (called TD by friends) has been involved with businesses for three decades now, first as a practicing executive and later as an external expert. In his current role as a coach, a facilitator, and a consultant for over a decade, he has coached over 75 executives, and facilitated over 750 corporate programs, covering more than 15,000 executives...read more