Managing Stress

How do you manage stress?

That was a question asked of me yesterday. It came from someone who understandably must deal with stress. The organization for which he is responsible employs over 1100 people.

He commented, "there is just so much that has to happen at just the right time that I don't know how to keep from worrying about it constantly!"

I asked him if he had competent people in the key positions. He replied that he did -- with the exception of a couple of spots. I then asked him if those couple of spots created most of his worries. He hesitated and then said, "well, yeah, probably."

That is the key -- and the difficulty -- in managing large organizations. Getting competent people in the key spots that you can trust to do their job well. Not perfect -- well.

I then asked if he had a good accountability structure for his organization. "Are your key people accountable for the job that they do? Is there a clear monitoring process and consequences for poor behavior?"

He said, "Yes, but...."

That little word "but" spoke volumes. It contained excuses, past failures, personality issues and myriad other reasons why those employees weren't truly accountable.

The result was worry.

Ultimately, worry is our own failure -- not the expectation of someone else failing. If we do our part well, what is there to worry about?

Many worry about things that are out of their control. That kind of worry is just wasted energy. We should plan, prepare and create backup plans to deal with those things we can't control. But, why worry? They are out of our control.

The only answer to that kind of worry is faith. Faith can be in many things -- but, if they are humans or man made things, they will fail. The only faith that can truly alleviate fear is faith in the eternal. If we place it all in God's hands and trust that He has our best interest in mind, what is there to worry about?

Trouble and Worry

In response to An Appeal, Blazing Cat Fur asks, "What worries you most?" That one required a bit of introspection. I hope that I can do it justice.



It seems that everywhere you turn
The news is not-so-great.
The world seems to be setting up
To fly apart with hate.

The Middle East continues
In never-ending conflicts
That many think will never end
Until the Good Lord interdicts.

Europe and Asia seem to seethe
With terror and unrest.
Africa is so far gone it can't
Be saved by all the resources of the West.

Here in the United States of America
We're faced with crime and drugs
And it seems our inner cities
Are populated by petty thugs.

Morality is something that
Has fallen in decay
To the same failed thinking
Of the Nihilists in their day.

The bickering in Washington
Is enough to make one sick
And I don't think a complete turnover
Of Congress would even do the trick.

The terrorists are crossing
Our borders every day
Prepared to unleash jihad
Until they get their way.

The world my kids and grand kids face
Is one that's filled with gloom.
It makes me wonder sometimes
If they're headed for their doom.

But then I think of Jesus
And how He died upon that tree
And I know that it will be OK
Because we have been set free.


"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." __John 16:33