The right level of tension produces the highest level of productivity. However, your reaction to increased pressure will be affected by factors both inside and outside of your work. Your way of responding will be influenced by how you've coped with similar situations in the past, and how successful you were in managing your stress and anxiety at the time. It will also be influenced by your personality and your behavioral style. Each behavioral style possesses predictable behaviors when faced with stress and highly pressurized situations. Each style behaves in an exaggerated form of that style when under stress that appears rigid and extreme.

This is a strategy to try and release tension. The high dominance and high influence styles display fight behaviors driven by their preference around assertiveness. The high dominance style will become autocratic until people They want them to do. Well. The high influence style will attack in a verbal confrontation. The high steadiness and high compliance styles will display flight behaviors driven by their preference around responsiveness.

The high steadiness style will acquiesce to demands. While the high compliance style will avoid confrontation, avoid people and avoid making decisions. These are radically different responses to stress. By understanding these responses, you will know exactly what to expect and more likely to incisively defuse any tension.