This illustrative case study applies the distinction explored in this week’s newsletter, “Are Pressure and Stress the Same Thing?”
Marcus is an HR coordinator. Elena is the HR manager and Marcus’s direct supervisor.
Thirty new employees arrive for orientation in an hour. The other coordinator has called in sick, leaving Marcus to handle check-in, help with paperwork, and lead the session.
Marcus: “I’m feeling a lot of pressure about orientation.”
Understanding the Concern
Elena: “What are you concerned will happen this morning?”
Marcus: “Check-in will run late, and orientation will be rushed. The new employees won’t get enough time to understand the information or ask questions.”
Elena: “Do you feel prepared to lead the session? Is anyone available to help at check-in?”
Marcus: “I know the material, and everything is ready. But nobody is assigned to help, and I don’t think I can handle both jobs.”
Elena: “Are you also picturing people blaming you if orientation goes badly?”
Marcus: “No. I’m looking at the schedule and trying to figure out how to cover the work.”
Elena: “Pressure involves getting caught up in imagined consequences, like blame or embarrassment. Your attention is already on the work.”
Elena (Cont.): “Stress develops when you see a threat and doubt that you have the resources to handle the threat. You expect a rushed orientation to leave new employees confused, and you don’t believe there’s enough help to prevent the rush. You’re concerned about a threat you don’t feel equipped to handle.”
Marcus: “With another coordinator handling check-in, I’d feel ready to lead orientation.”
Responding to Stress
Elena: “I can free up another coordinator for check-in and paperwork. Would that give you enough time for the session?”
Marcus: “Yes. I can handle the presentation and questions.”
Elena: “I can move another coordinator’s morning appointments. I’ll arrange the coverage now.”
Elena follows through, and with the additional help confirmed, Marcus believes the morning is manageable. As a result, Marcus’s stress transforms immediately into excited anticipation.
The Transactional Model of Stress
Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress explains the conversation. In the primary appraisal, Marcus perceives a threat: a late, rushed orientation. In the secondary appraisal, Marcus doubts that the available resources are sufficient to handle the threat.
Elena takes Marcus’s concern seriously: handling check-in alone could leave too little time for orientation. Elena then assigns another coordinator to check-in and paperwork. With check-in covered, Marcus believes there is enough time to lead the session and answer questions. The threat now feels manageable, so the stress eases.
Is leadership responding to the label an employee uses or to the experience the employee describes?
I help leaders and high-performing individuals eliminate pressure, reduce stress, prevent burnout, sustain motivation, and build cultures where teams perform at their best when it matters most. Mention this LinkedIn series when you schedule a free 60-minute session to discuss your organization’s challenges and how we could work together.
