Under Stress: What You and a Minnesota Bridge Have in Common

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Under Stress What You and a Minnesota Bridge
Have in Common
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What causes stress to a bridge?PressureTensionF
atigueOverloadLack of maintenancePoor
designShort-cuts for convenienceExtraordinary
circumstances
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What causes stress to a person?PressureTensionF
atigueOverloadLack of maintenancePoor
designShort-cuts for convenienceExtraordinary
circumstances
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Question Is stress a mental or physical
condition?

• Answer Yes! (Its both at once)
• Bridge no brain, just infrastructure
• People brain is part of the infrastructure

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DANGER
DANGER
DANGER
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Why are we so stressed out?We did not realize
it would take all the freight off the rails, and
put a car in every garage,--New Mexico State
bridge inspector discussing the unanticipated
impact of early highway systems on bridge
design.Humans arent designed to meet the
unanticipated impact of our lifestyles-We now
live long enough for stress to hurt
us.-Extraordinarily complicated social
systems.-diet, exercise, toxins-Culture of
acquisition (stuff, activities)
DANGER
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Signs that an employee is under stress

• High absenteeism and/or tardiness
• negativity, pessimism
• forgetfulness, absent-mindedness
• suicidal or homicidal statements
• frequent illnesses, malaise
• Self-isolates
• Loss of investment in job
• Over-reaction to suggestions/supervision

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Signs that an employee is under stress

• Short temper or crying fits
• Always tired
• Taking on too much
• Uncharacteristically messy workspace
• Defensiveness, anxiety, depression
• frequent accidents
• Self-criticism and criticism of others
• Paranoia
• Boredom

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Signs that an employee is under stress

• Performance worsens
• Uncharacteristic gossiping or badmouthing
• Is contentious or passive-aggressive
• Frequent highly emotional phone calls
• S/he says so

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Murphy, L.R. Occupational Stress Management
Current Status and Future Direction Trends in
Organizational Behavior,1995
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CONTROL CHOICE Virtually all negative stress
comes from a sense of not having control over
the situation.

• Hint When dealing with a difficult personality,
  find ways to give him/her some options from which
  to choose.

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ATTITUDE 75 of conversation is negative!

• We create a lot of our own stress by
• Negative self-talk (My idea sounded really
  stupid at the managers meeting.)
• Projecting negativity on others (He didnt call
  backhe probably thinks Im a jerk.)
• Habitual pessimism (Why bother? Theyd never
  hire me anyway.)
• Need for acceptance (If I tell her that Im
  angry she wont like me.)

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How strong is your infrastructure?
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Fatigue Could Loom Large in Bridge Collapses
Fatigue could be a cause in structural failures
like the one in Minnesota. The challenge lies in
recognizing it Charles J. Murray, Senior
Technical Editor, Design News, Nov. 19,
2007Like most other bridges it gradually
gained weight (as concrete lane dividers were
added). NY Times, Jan. 15, 2008The bridge was
built with a single 458-ft. arch to
avoidinterfering with river navigation.USA
Today, Aug, 2007
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Compromise for ConvenienceWhos responsible for
maintaining your bridge?

• Short-changing sleep affects all systems
• Weak musculoskeletal structure from little
  exercise or unprepared exercise
• Fast food, fat food, little fresh stuff.
• Poor maintenance (no physical exams)
• Elevators, golf carts, mopeds and the culture of
  driving everywhere

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Sometimes our stress isnt obvious, even to
people we see everyday
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The I-35 bridge was of a type called fracture
critical, meaning that the failure of any major
member would cause a collapse, because it had no
redundancy. NY Times, Jan.08

• support strength
• Identify your supports family, friends, faith,
  healthcare, EAP
• Reinforcement
• accepting and
• asking for help

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What can we do to manage stress?There are two
ways of meeting difficulties. Alter the
difficulty, or alter yourself to meet them.
Phyllis Bottome

• Figure out what is ours to control
• Physical infrastructure
• Attitude and assertiveness
• (Some) Conditions
• Help self to deal with the rest
• Relaxation techniques
• Spirituality --Health
• Humor --therapy
• Supports --EAP

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Your challenge is to bridge the gap which exists
between where you are now and the goal you intend
to reach. Earl Nightingale, US author

• Are you on a bridge to nowhere?
• Bridges are inert, people arent.
• Reinforcement What do you want your life to look
  like two years from now? Name the first steps to
  getting there. (or two weeks, months, decades)

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Which bridge do you want to be?
A bridge takes what rolls over it. People dont
have to.