Too much adrenaline can be a bad thing when leading

Adrenaline

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Often stress at work is related to too much adrenaline. Did you know that there is a risk that you and your co-workers have a high level of stress? According to the American Institute of stress:

  • 80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help
  • 25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent

If we look towards other continents, there are slight variations, but it is not much different. We are all humans at work. Humans are heavily affected by our hormones. The stress hormone is called adrenaline – and affects your behavior, your decisions and what you are capable of as a business. Too much adrenaline is not good and can have a negative effect. 

14% had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn’t

Today, it is not abnormal in high performance environments that 80% of employees are stressed and that adrenaline levels are high. The American Institute of stress reported that 14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn’t. You do not have to feel stressed to be stressed. Often, they are not aware of their stress symptoms. It is quite normal that one may not feel stressed while they actually are. This is due to a survival mechanism, but it nevertheless affects company performance. If you are in middle management or unemployed, there is an even greater chance that you are stressed.

Stress is an unprecedented response to ensure our survival

Actually, the stress response was meant to enable us to run from a bear or get the strength to defeat our opponents from another tribe who would steal our children.

In the modern life, the stress hormone gets activated in many situations, like when you feel unsafe. It can also happens when there is a change in companies or when someone tries to take a new area of responsibility or overthrow the agenda.

The feeling of being threatened activates the amygdala in our brain, which sends messages to the adrenal gland that starts producing the warrior hormone adrenaline. Adrenaline is then spread into the body and creates various physical, mental and mental responses that interfere with the quality of work and leadership decision-making abilities.

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The modern leader should not be high with adrenaline at work

In the vast majority of cases, it is not constructive for a modern leader to be high on adrenaline. This is the same for a knowledge officer. In the short run, it can increase focus and provide a kick of energy, but it does not make you wiser and it actually reduces your ability to see things from several perspectives. Lastly, it deprives you of your own energy reserves.

The only cure for adrenaline is time, calmness and care. Counting to ten and slowing down will help one’s brain work optimally again.

Do you need help?

If you need stress coaching read more on how I can help you here. Sign up for my mailing list if you would like to be inspired and take leadership to the next level. Your mail is not shared with anyone, and it has advantages to be on the list.

I give lectures, coach, counsel and teach with the vision that people don’t just have to perform but be mentally ready. This, by unlocking the power of personal energy in all organizations to create long-term value in a sustainable way. 

If you would like to be updated with new articles and videos, sign up for our mailing list. Your mail is not shared with anyone and there are advantages to being on the list e.g., getting a mini course in your personal leadership. 

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