1. GOOD
STRESS, BAD
STRESS
PETER KAWALEK
DAVID ROBERTS
peter.kawalek@mbs.ac.uk
david.roberst@mmu.ac.uk

2. GOOD
STRESS &
GREAT WORK

3. THE MESSAGE.
HUMAN BEINGS ARE DESIGNED TO HANDLE
STRESS (PRESSURE).
WE TEND TO CALL IT ‘PRESSURE’ WHILE ITS STILL
MANAGEABLE.
PRESSURE CAN BE INTENSE. AS LONG AS IT IS
RESOLVABLE (OR OTHERWISE TRANSIENT) AND
SHAREABLE, IT CAN BE PART OF THE PROCESS OF
GOOD WORK.

4. CREATIVITY UNDER
THE GUN
Low Time Pressure + Little or No Encouragement,
Little or No Collaboration, Groups (rather than
Individuals): Autopilot  Low Creativity
Low Time Pressure + Exploration: On an
Expedition  High Creativity
High Time Pressure + No focus: Treadmill  Low
Creativity
High Time Pressure + Focus, Meaningful Urgency:
On a Mission  High Creativity
Louise Amabile, Harvard.

5. CONSENSUS CAN BE
OVERRATED
Manageable tensions often characterise the best
teams.
Apple (e.g. Steve Jobs / Jonathan Ive).
Most boardrooms.
The Beatles (and lots of artistic endeavours).
Siemens Case Study (Manchester University).

6. BAD
STRESS (&
ITS
REMEDY)

7. THE MESSAGE.
STRESS HORMONES RETAINED IN THE
BLOODSTREAM LEAD TO WORSE HEALTH
OUTCOMES AND INCREASED MORTALITY.
PEOPLE LOWER IN THE HIERARCHY HAVE
MORE STRESS HORMONES RETAINED IN THE
BLOODSTREAM.

8. 1. Robert
Sapolsky

10. 2. Whitehall I
and II (British
Civil Service)

11. Twenty five year study
Those of lower rank exhibit poorer health
Those of lower rank have more stress hormones in the
bloodstream.
Some studies show that at awakening after sleep, all groups
are equal but after 30 minutes, lower ranks show more stress
(especially on a workday).

12. 3. Why?

13. Lack of control.
Lack of predictability.
Uncertainty and fear.
Humans are engineered for fight/flight, not long-term residual
stress.
Chronic Stress Disorder develops, worsening the immune
system developing vulnerability to disease.
Chronic Stress Disorder is associated with strong team-
players, carers, hard-workers.

14. 3. Can
Anything Be
Done?

15. Elizabeth Blackburn on the mum’s group in California

16. Telomere deterioration (protective tips on the end of
chromosomes) proportionate to severity of stress and
duration.
Compassion promotes repair and potentially longeivity
Even though there is no solution.

17. RECAP OF THE MESSAGE.
STRESS HORMONES RETAINED IN THE
BLOODSTREAM LEAD TO WORSE HEALTH
OUTCOMES AND INCREASED MORTALITY.
PEOPLE LOWER IN THE HIERARCHY HAVE
MORE STRESS HORMONES RETAINED IN THE
BLOODSTREAM.

18. RECAP OF THE MESSAGE.
BUT ….. HUMAN BEINGS ARE DESIGNED TO
HANDLE STRESS (PRESSURE).
WE TEND TO CALL IT ‘PRESSURE’ WHILE ITS STILL
MANAGEABLE.
PRESSURE CAN BE INTENSE. AS LONG AS IT IS
RESOLVABLE (OR OTHERWISE TRANSIENT) AND
SHAREABLE, IT CAN BE PART OF THE PROCESS OF
GOOD WORK.