PPB February 2020

T here’s no question about it: today’s workplace can be stressful. The long hours, the endless flow of information, the competing demands for our attention—all of these factors canmake us feel perpetually overwhelmed and out of control if not managed well. The conditions that lead to stress are not bad, they’re just reality. But the best leaders learn to deal with the conditions and problems that lead to stress in a way that keeps everyone on track. How you behave when times are bad truly defines you as a leader and sets the tone for how others manage the situation. If you create a culture where people fall to pieces when things get tough, it will be too stressful for employees (and they will likely leave), productivity will suffer and all this will ultimately make your job harder. When your team sees you pull things together and navigate themout of a Workplace stress is a reality. But how leaders manage themselves in the middle of the storm is everything. These insights can help leaders—from CEOs to middle managers—successfully navigate the stressors of the modern work environment. by Quint Studer Grace Under Fire: How To Manage Yourself During Stressful, Busy Times 62 | FEBRUARY 2020 | THINK