Handling stress with the three Cs

Last week I discussed the case of John, an individual who seemed to be happy with himself and his job. John’s reaction to stress and pressure didn’t follow the usual steps.

Individuals who react adversely to stress follow a pattern of:

• Perceiving the situation as threatening and stressful.
• Reacting with resistance.
• Experiencing exhaustion after a period of time.

John not only enjoyed his work and the pressures associated with it but also thrived on what is called negative stress. John possessed a desirable combination of good self-concept and job fulfillment.

Researchers in psychology have labeled individuals like John “hardy personalities.” They possess the three Cs.

• Control. They have a sense of control of what goes on in their lives.
• Challenge. They see change as a natural part of life, a challenge rather than a threat.
• Commitment. They feel a sense of commitment to their work, rather than alienation from it.

Let us examine these three Cs.

• Control. At the end of the day John feels he has put in a full day’s work instead of feeling put through the wringer. Unlike people who react to their daily schedule in a negative manner, he does not feel depressed or exhausted. Instead, he has energy left for hobbies, family and community participating. In his productive day, he feels his input and ideas are valued. He feels he has influence over most areas of his life. Instead of feeling helpless with the options he faces, his ability, imagination, past experience and skills are at his disposal when coping with new situations.

John has control. It is that control that creates a resistance to stress by making us believe it is our actions that makes things happen, rather than chance or outside influences.

• Challenge. People who are challenged believe change is an inevitable part of life. They don’t’ dread change or see it as a threat, but instead see it as an opportunity for new development. Challenge is future oriented. Few challengers have a tendency to cling to the past.

• Commitment. Commitment means involvement in what one is doing, a “oneness” with the job rather than a tendency to pull away and escape. Commitment involves action rather than sensitivity, embracing life rather than pulling away from it.

Researching is ongoing to learn more about how some people adopt the three Cs as a way of looking at life. These hardy personalities seem able to go on year after year in the same career direction, becoming more proficient at what they do instead of burning out and suffering from the ill effects of stress.

My experience with people who possess the three Cs has shown me they frequently come from backgrounds where their parents had the same outlook on life. They have been in work situations, particularly early in their lives, where their supervisors and employers helped them feel challenged, committed and in control. Their innovation and creativity on the job was valued and encouraged. When these individuals made mistakes, the supervisor or employer took time to point out how these mistakes could be corrected without making the individual feel unsuccessful and worthless. These hardy personality types had the opportunity for decision making at a level appropriate to their experience. They were made to feel they mattered in the scheme of things and were more than an employee drawing a paycheck.

I will discuss this topic again in the future as a way of developing resistance to stress, emphasizing that developing a hardy personality is a worthwhile goal in today’s society.

Copyright c 1990 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.