Stress and control

The authors of the Control Questionnaire consider the tool mainly as a tool for measuring the level of stress. As the scale is highly correlated with the Locus of Control of Behaviour, we should be convinced that stress and control are two sides of the same phenomenon. It is natural that we shall be more stressed when we do not control our life. If things happen to us, and we are not even informed of the possible scenarios, we are more frightened than when we know what to expect.

Informed employees

I remember my conversation with a driver in the Suma Wholefood Co-op in England. He told me that before Suma he had worked in a company where everything was wonderful until it went bankrupt and he lost his job. While in Suma, every month he used to take the long printouts of business results to see if everything was alright. In this way, he was in control and the co-op helped him in this by making the financial results available to all members in the recreation room. This is just a small example of the importance of understanding and knowing stress control.

Discussing financial results

Jack Stack of SRC Holdings Corp. says that the financial results of the company are one of the most important pieces of information for everyone. Whether you go on holiday, and where? What can you buy for a Christmas present?  Can you send you children to a better college? Can you buy a new car? Can you take a credit for your new house? All of these depend on how your company is doing financially. While people get a lot of information that is marginally or completely irrelevant to their lives, they do not know anything that is of such importance to them. He organizes weekly half an hour meetings where people can learn what is going on in their company.  You may have a look at one such meeting below:

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How to work on free will