Startup Advice #4: Stress Is Good, If You Know How to Deal With It
One of the first questions I ask during interviews to increase the ranks here at the startup is
“Do you have any hobbies or other ways to vent stress?”
That’s a very important question, and I’m reminded of it more often now that things are ever approaching our new site launch where unmovable deadlines rear their ugly heads. Stress can be a wonderful thing, it inspires heights of production and creativity you can’t imagine, but you have to have the stamina and the outlets necessary to be able to cope with it in a healthy manner. Otherwise, it can quickly run you down and pop any bubbles of grandeur your vision may have portended.
Stress is something I’ve personally always thrived on, if I don’t have stress I feel like I’m slacking or not progressing down the road of goals I’ve set out for myself. I live, breath, and eat stress, and the only times I can truly say I had concerns for my ability to cope at work was when stress was completely removed from the equation. It’s probably one of the biggest reasons I’ve always gravitated towards sales environments where you only get to eat what you catch.
Now stress does not mean conflict, although conflict will happen in any work environment especially when inevitable levels of brow furrowing startup stress builds within the ranks. It’s important that any conflicts that arise are put to good use such as challenging preconceived notions, or communicating your ideas with vigor and passion. That type of conflict I can handle everyday. It’s when you let conflict become the crux of a problem, instead of being used to solve problems that things can go awry.
When any conflict arises it’s important that those involved always take a step back and communicate after the fact to ensure everyone felt things were constructive and helped you down that path to achieving your goals. Copious amounts of communication can move mountains, and especially at critical times like these should be used without abandon to ensure that misconception and miscommunication don’t ruin the great chemistry that you’ve worked so hard to develop with your partners and co-workers.
Remember that stress is an integral part of any startup, and especially for those who are stress junkies like myself; the way you handle it is one of the most important ingredients to being a successful entrepreneur.
