Success. What does tension have to do with it?

Everything. Imagine sailing a sailboat, but remaining oblivious to the tension of the wind in the sail. Would you ever arrive at your intended destination? Not likely. And if by chance you did, how much extra time, energy, and resources might have been wasted on the way? Much more than you bargained for.

How effectively is your business managing its tension?

In business, managing tension is also critical for its success. Tension here is defined as the level of intellectual, emotional, and behavioral activity experienced in the moment. Much like the wind in a sail, this tension drives those inside the organization towards achieving intended goals and objectives. But how effectively is this tension being managed?

As with sailing, too little tension causes folks to slack off and go adrift. Whether it's with leadership, management, teams, or front-line employees – disengagement occurs. In turn, boredom, listlessness, and apathy set in. As a result, a vast amount of human potential can go to waste. In addition, when the winds of change set in, the lack of engagement leaves everyone unprepared to manage it effectively. Opportunities are missed, and any emerging crisis can flame out of control.

On the other hand, too much tension creates unsustainable levels of stress. This can compromise effective decision-making, teamwork, and leadership. Reactivity becomes mainstreamed and proactivity goes out the window. Likewise, lines of communication become fractured, high-risk behaviors increase, activity becomes mistaken for productivity, and burnout occurs.

Interestingly enough - as with sailing – just the right amount of tension can produce the best of all possible results. Unfortunately, this is the rare exception rather than the rule in the workplace.

If your business has leaders, managers, teams, sales staff, or employees who are:

• In constant crisis
• Highly active yet marginally productive
• Driving over others when driven for results
• Missing out on opportunity because of being slow to the draw
• Disengaged, apathetic, and disinterested
• Overwhelmed
• Burned out
• Exerting too much control over others
• In constant conflict with others
• Doormats for others
• Lacking a creative spark
• Great at strategies yet poor at implementing them

It's just a matter of tension. To find out more about tension management® and how it can impact your organization, contact us.

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