Is management stressful?

 Stress comes in many forms. The literature supports the idea that a certain amount of stress, “eustress,” is essential for creativity and productivity. I had the experience of being the chief executive of a non-profit that included 3,000 people and eight different units. I found it both exhilarating, stressful, “heavy” as in responsibility, exhausting and energizing, frustrating and rewarding.

The “background” stress is always there in that one is constantly concerned about the health and well-being of the organization and how to enhance and invigorate the members and the organization as a whole. Most CEO’s IME (as a consultant as well) share this constant stress and deal with it in their own ways. Exercise helps. Sleep helps though not always available. Having good lieutenants helps enormously. A deep conviction in one’s mission/purpose helps. And in the end, as they say, the “buck stops here.”

Some CEO’s show the effects in their health, in their relationships (divorces), and/or in their decision making. Others seem to thrive on the constant challenges. Things never are “perfect” and for a mild perfectionist, that was stressful for me. I was impatient and goal oriented and when things didn’t work, it was stressful.

The Serenity Prayer seemed wise to me, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to see and understand the difference between the two.” And it was hard for me not to want to “do it all.” Eventually, after 7 1/2 years, that wore me out and led to something of a mid-life crisis. Others persist with “apparent” serenity.

So I’d say, yes, management is a stressful job—it demands effective stress management of people in it.