The Stress Doc does a little market research and PR campaign sharing two evolving developments: a new book proposal and a "Q & A" experts column with AOL/Digital City and Netscape. Both involve work stress, especially in light of a volatile, "lean-and-mean economy and unstable job picture. Creative risk-taking in your career path anyone?
From Burnout to Breakout
Everything You Wanted to Know
Time for a little market survey and a PR heads up. Two events are coinciding: work on another book proposal and starting a "Q & A" on work stress for AOL/Digital City. This "ask the expert" column will be available on Netscape's website. So, please send in your work stress questions and, eventually, responses will be posted. I'll send you the link and actual startup time shortly.
Along these work stress lines, below is the "Introduction" to the book proposal. It's based upon work with individuals and organizations enduring a downsizing -- both the "reorganizational survivors" and those who have been laid off and are in career transition. With a threefold purpose, the book provides ideas and strategies for: 1) surviving emotionally the organizational eruption and shockwaves, 2) rebuilding faith, focus and fire, and 3) evolving a risk-taking mind set for exploring jobs and career paths outside a comfort zone.
Feedback is definitely appreciated. To hard work, inner peace and good adventures.
Mark Gorkin "The Stress Doc"
The Path of Creative Risk-Taking Confronting Your Intimate FOE: Fear of Exposure
Today's business buzz revolves around global markets, a roller coaster Wall Street, corporate reengineering and mergers and high tech industry volatility. Can an organization survive highly competitive "lean-and-mean" times, gain some competitive edge or effect budget/profit statement enhancement? Who knows but, as strategic solutions, corporate and government downsizing and reengineering have become as popular as seasonal/holiday sales in the retail marketplace. (Some might replace the term "giveaways" with "throwaways"). Even amongst traditional "white collars" and the supposed high tech vanguard, there's a growing sense that Corporate America treats human beings as expense, or expendable, items rather than as human assets. And then, incomprehensibly, ineffective or incompetent executives may not be penalized but, rather, are handed golden parachutes for poor business performance. For employees pushed out without a safety net, this irony can only be cruel.
Amidst all the affluence, for many there are depression/dust bowl era parallels. Volatile economic and techno-cultural forces, career uncertainty along with a "do more with less" bottom line mentality are compelling job and geographic dislocation for numbers of Americans. Maybe we should call it the "fin de siecle" cyberdust bowl phenomenon. Like a blazing meteor, many companies or divisions, perhaps most visibly illustrated in the high tech sector, quickly burn bright then, even more rapidly, succumb to disintegration or to organizational and/or departmental burnout. From manic startup to depressive skeletal survival, employees are definitely touched, if not torched, by the reorganizational fallout. Scores can relate to this plaintive cry of a female postal employee on a management fast-track caught in the explosive upheaval of a restructuring in the mid '90s: "I once had a career path then this boulder fell from the sky and crushed it." The feelings of loss, helplessness, fear and rage along with a sense of injustice and betrayal are palpable.
Then there's a new label for those who have been burned and bounced around more than once -- the "Multiply Downsized." And in our winning is everything society, if you're not making it, there's something wrong with you. Though, sometimes, it's hard to tell who is less fortunate -- employees who are left out or those who are left behind? For the reorganizational "survivors," chronically adjusting to personnel shortages and scarce resources can help induce "Lean-and-MEAN." (See postal service reference above.)
Is it any wonder that employee loyalty is increasingly perceived as an endangered species, often tracked down and exterminated by bottom line hunters and hi-tech bean counters? Fifteen to twenty hour days, all night "death marches" toward irresistible and equally unreasonable workloads and deadlines, sudden and capricious firings and layoffs only tightens the stress knot, if it doesn't totally "cut off the air supply." These conditions inexorably loosen the ties that bind. Ever greater number of employees -- from techie burnouts to Baby Boomers and beyond, let go after twenty or thirty years of service -- are tired of feeling so helpless and out of control. Like the newscaster in the movie "Network," many are, "Mad as hell and won't take it anymore!"
The Purpose of "The Path"
People want to escape this vulnerable, if not vicious, cycle; legions long for operational, psychological and, of course, financial emancipation. Alas, when grappling with burnout or depression it's hard to break out. It's daunting trying to envision, let alone pursue, career independence when if not feeling like a total "loser," then as if damaged goods. The process becomes especially poignant and perplexing when lying fallow stretches for two months, to six months…to two years or more. Prolonged unemployment or extended "career transition," however, may not just reflect a tightened job market. It may also reveal unrealistic expectations or insufficient knowledge and skills of the job seeker. Even more complex, this "Prolonged Transitional Stress Disorder" (PTSD, a Stress Doc subcategory of the Post-Traumatic variety) may expose significant unresolved or unrecognized biochemical-emotional- maturational issues and smoldering family tensions -- past and present. These dysfunctional dynamics cloud both the road to rejuvenation and a new career path horizon.
Clearly, rebuilding a personal and professional identity and/or role is not simply a logical process, but a highly psychological and interpersonal one. The working wounded or downsized career path seekers often need to strengthen maturational skills and work-life strategies, including: 1) embracing grief therapy and steps for burnout recovery, 2) adjusting to a downsized world and, perhaps, exploring mutual support and a "simplicity" lifestyle, at least for some transitional period, 3) doing a life/career self-awareness inventory involving mind-body-spirit- family needs, strengths, aspirations, vulnerabilities and toxins, 4) exploring a range of job or career path options, especially one's that are more entrepreneurial, that are outside the traditional job box and that may stir up considerable learning curve anxiety, and 5) building bridges from a new creative risk-taking career base to more passionate and playful, nurturing and soulful relationship intimacy and spiritual homeland discovery. (This section will be expanded into a second book.)
But have no fear (well, maybe a little) that national writer, speaker, reorganizational consultant and World Wide Web expert on stress, loss, change and humor -- the Stress Doc - is here to guide readers from burnout to breakout. The Path of Creative Risk-Taking: Confronting Your Intimate FOE is a thought-provoking, fast-paced and fun series of insightful and inspiring "how to" counseling and coaching sessions. The reader gains hope and energy along with skills and strategies for recovering from burnout, depression and loss. Reading Creative Risk-Taking (CRT) will rekindle purpose and passion; it will help rebuild and sustain ongoing fire and focus. For those grappling with turbulent transition, this book is a transformation seeker's guide. The CRT apprentice learns how to respond proactively to the dangers and challenges of an unpredictable, highly volatile workplace and career path environment. And by adding higher power humor to a coping repertoire, one may even "laugh in the face of layoffs."
The Path of Creative Risk-Taking demonstrates that, even in "Risky Business" times, by harnessing emotionally courageous, imaginative, persistent and playful capacities there are opportunities for strengthening personal integrity, exploring short-term survival and evolving long-term career growth. Creative risk-taking through intimate self-confrontation offers more than a meaningful worklife; it's a blueprint for lifestyle liberation and passionate fulfillment.
And, of course, for...Practicing Safe Stress!
Mark Gorkin, "The Stress Doc," Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a nationally recognized speaker, workshop leader and author on stress, reorganizational change, anger, team building, creativity and humor. He is also the internet's and the nation's leading "Psychohumorist." The Stress Doc is a columnist for the popular cyber-newsletter, Humor From The Edge -- HUMOR FROM THE EDGE HOME PAGE . Mark is also the "Online Psychohumorist" for the major AOL mental health resource network, Online Psych -- ONLINE PSYCH: THE STRESS DOC and Financial Services Journal Online. And he is an offline writer for two mental health/substance abuse publications -- Treatment Today and Paradigm Magazine. His motto: Have Stress? Will Travel: A Smart Mouth for Hire! Reach "The Doc" at (202) 232-8662, email: Stress Doc@aol.com, or check out his "Hot Site" website: http://www.stressdoc.com or click STRESS DOC HOMEPAGE. (The site was selected as a USA Today Online "Hot Site" and designated a four-star, top- rated site by Mental Health Net.)
** For his free newsletter, Notes from the Online Psychohumorist ™ or for info on the Stress Doc's Online Coaching program, email stressdoc@aol.com .