Can You Hear the Cannon's Roar?

Is your corporate environment like that of soldiers preparing for battle? Are office-place stress levels pushing the max?

The stress found in military units isn't usually as dramatic as that of recruits facing drill sergeants, but the continued training, equipment maintenance, record keeping, and readiness inspections keep stress at very high levels in the military.

Even when war seems unlikely, soldiers continually prepare for wartime. Every unit trains for and is constantly evaluated on their combat readiness. Maybe your company is like this - always pushing the competition, always preparing a response to hold onto market share.

Throughout the year, combat units practice for and are tested on their individual and unit skills at all levels -- squad, platoon, company, and battalion.

The combat-like training prepares soldiers for battle. Tanks roll across difficult terrain and fire their cannons in simulated combat.

Pilots are challenged with real and simulated operations in support of ground forces. Artillery troops prepare their big guns and practice both live fire and the maneuvers required to keep up with the forward units.

Soldiers have very little time to relax properly, and families feel the strain of Army life in the soldiers' long work hours and frequent absences. You've probably seen this same type strain in your company with families wondering whether life will ever slow down, whether parents will ever get a break from the high pressure of corporate demands.

Corporate leaders can identify with the soldiers' plight. Few businesses experience the roar of cannon fire, but almost every corporate manager has known the stress of demanding business conditions and the roar of a dissatisfied boss.

Do a stress check in your outfit and decide whether people are suffering from workplace stress; find out how much this is affecting your bottom line.

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