Stress continues to be a significant factor in modern life and as stress continues to rise the need to learn to manage stress becomes more vital. In the past twenty years colleges and universities have added support staff to assist students with dealing with the stress of campus life. Unfortunately one’s stress level increases upon graduation and the joining of the world of business. One of the major factors fueling the rising stress level in business is the increased technology available. Technology makes it more and more difficult to leave the work day behind and begin to if not relax at least decompress.

The impact of stress is not restricted to this century or even modern technology. In her book “The Bully Pulpit” Doris Kearns Goodwin points out that in the early part of the last century America experienced an epidemic of nervous diseases amongst “ultra-competitive businessmen and socially active women”. The contributors to this epidemic were believed to be the telegraph and the railroad which increased the speed of life as well as the clamor of the city as more and more people left the rural areas and quiet sounds to move to the cities for new jobs. Compare those contributors of the 1920’s to the speed of life today.

Now a new study from the Harvard Business School and the University of Texas suggests that stress can make people behave less honorably. Their study puts forth the idea that people are more inclined to cheat when they have high levels of the stress hormone cortisol plus the reproductive hormone testosterone. Cortisol is considered a “stress hormone” but is linked to social stress according to Elizabeth Shirtcliff, director of the stress-physiology investigative lab at Iowa State University. Cortisol can make people feel self-conscious, insecure, and anxious. The hormonal interaction of cortisol and testosterone has implications for business per Panjal Mehta, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Oregon. The implications are that the dual hormones can affect decision making and even leadership.

I think most of us in business are aware that stress can have a negative affect on our performance. This new study suggests that poor performance can also be joined by a reduction in leadership skills as well as a tendency to act less honorably. The hormones don’t cause the behavior, they just increase the chance a person will behave in a certain way.

Managing stress is now an even bigger factor in managing your career. It is more important you learn to manage stress in your work life than ever before. Becoming aware of the impact of stress can assist you in learning to better manage it. No one knows you better than you know yourself so develop a personal plan of action for when you feel stress rising at work. It will enable you to avoid the downside of poor decision making, diminished leadership or questionable actions.

As Dante said: “From the little spark may burst a mighty flame”. Learning to manage your stress can keep it as a little spark and prevent it from bursting into a mighty flame.