Stressors Leaders/Followers Encounter Module

This module includes: 1.) curriculum related to types of stressors leaders/followers encounter including the STRESSORS acronym, teaching notes, reflection questions, and more; 2.) two classroom exercises to help students practice navigating stressors and apply their learning. 

Leadership is often associated with heightened levels of stress. The STRESSORS acronym addresses types of stressors leaders and followers encounter. Knowing the types of stressors can help leaders better diagnose and navigate the challenges in the task at hand. Leaders must often work through serious time limitations (e.g., having a lot to do in very little time), tough working conditions (e.g., crises, tense situations, long hours, limited resources), rapid change (e.g., changing circumstances), and extreme lack of control (e.g., when there is no formal authority). At times, they must also work through strained relationships because of interpersonal tensions (e.g., conflict, differences in style) or because of a disagreement about the issues (e.g., when there are differing perceptions about how a challenge should be solved). Organizational bureaucracy (e.g., often relates to working through multiple layers of authority) and role uncertainty (e.g., not having clear responsibilities and tasks) are also sources of stress. Finally, leaders are in the public eye, and they could face shame or fear if they experience a public failure. 

Collegiate Leadership Competition is a nonprofit organization focused on researching leadership development and using that knowledge to create resources that will help move the field of leadership education forward. CLC’s underlying theory is that leadership skills are primarily strengthened through deliberate practice