Healthy coping with operational stress: Insights for leaders Paul T. Bartone Center for Technology and National Securi

3. This work led to a series of studies, and a somewhat crystallized definition of hardiness as the�three C�s: �Hardy persons possess 3 general characteristics� Commitment (vs. alienation) - the ability to feel deeply involved in activities of life Control (vs. powerlessness) - belief you can control or influence events of your experience Challenge (vs. threat) - anticipation of change as an exciting challenge to further development This work led to a series of studies, and a somewhat crystallized definition of hardiness as the�three C�s: �Hardy persons possess 3 general characteristics� Commitment (vs. alienation) - the ability to feel deeply involved in activities of life Control (vs. powerlessness) - belief you can control or influence events of your experience Challenge (vs. threat) - anticipation of change as an exciting challenge to further development

6. A model of psychosocial stressors in recent military operations: 1. Isolation - remote location; family separation; poor communication; culturally isolated; socially isolated in one�s own unit (no cohesion) 2. Ambiguity - unclear mission & chain of command; role ambiguity, uncertainty; indeterminate tour length 3. Powerlessness - can�t get things fixed, no repair parts; prevented from positive action by politics, security concerns, red-tape 4. Boredom - Lack of meaningful work and activities 5. Danger � threat of injury or death from mines, snipers, terrorists, accidents, disease, environmental hazards & toxins 6. High OPTEMPO � smaller force, more and longer deployments A model of psychosocial stressors in recent military operations: 1. Isolation - remote location; family separation; poor communication; culturally isolated; socially isolated in one�s own unit (no cohesion) 2. Ambiguity - unclear mission & chain of command; role ambiguity, uncertainty; indeterminate tour length 3. Powerlessness - can�t get things fixed, no repair parts; prevented from positive action by politics, security concerns, red-tape 4. Boredom - Lack of meaningful work and activities 5. Danger � threat of injury or death from mines, snipers, terrorists, accidents, disease, environmental hazards & toxins 6. High OPTEMPO � smaller force, more and longer deployments

7. This work led to a series of studies, and a somewhat crystallized definition of hardiness as the�three C�s: �Hardy persons possess 3 general characteristics� Commitment (vs. alienation) - the ability to feel deeply involved in activities of life Control (vs. powerlessness) - belief you can control or influence events of your experience Challenge (vs. threat) - anticipation of change as an exciting challenge to further development This work led to a series of studies, and a somewhat crystallized definition of hardiness as the�three C�s: �Hardy persons possess 3 general characteristics� Commitment (vs. alienation) - the ability to feel deeply involved in activities of life Control (vs. powerlessness) - belief you can control or influence events of your experience Challenge (vs. threat) - anticipation of change as an exciting challenge to further development

8. Here�s some data from the Gulf War, showing the typical interaction effect between stress and hardiness N=824 soldiers, stress=combat exposure, outcome indicator is PTSD symptoms This is after controlling for pre-combat anxiety levels or neuroticism, and also separate from cohesion effects This interaction effect is a very robust one, I�ve found it in many more samples, including West Point cadets,US soldiers deployed to Croatia, Kuwait, Saudi and Bosnia.Here�s some data from the Gulf War, showing the typical interaction effect between stress and hardiness N=824 soldiers, stress=combat exposure, outcome indicator is PTSD symptoms This is after controlling for pre-combat anxiety levels or neuroticism, and also separate from cohesion effects This interaction effect is a very robust one, I�ve found it in many more samples, including West Point cadets,US soldiers deployed to Croatia, Kuwait, Saudi and Bosnia.

9. In organizations, leaders may be in a unique position to shape how stressful experiences are understood by members of the group. The leader who, through example and discussion, communicates a positive construction or re-construction of shared stressful experiences, may exert an influence on the entire group in the direction of his/her interpretation of experience � toward hardy interpretations.. This effect may be intensified under high-stress conditions such as deployments, where in part due to isolation, boredom and other deployment situational factors, the influence of leaders may be intensified. In organizations, leaders may be in a unique position to shape how stressful experiences are understood by members of the group. The leader who, through example and discussion, communicates a positive construction or re-construction of shared stressful experiences, may exert an influence on the entire group in the direction of his/her interpretation of experience � toward hardy interpretations.. This effect may be intensified under high-stress conditions such as deployments, where in part due to isolation, boredom and other deployment situational factors, the influence of leaders may be intensified.