Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Psychological distress, whether caused by personality traits, biochemical imbalances, or
difficult circumstances or events, can have a profound effect on a one's physical wellbeing
and quality of life as an individual, manager and executive.
Personality traits include type A personality, type B personality, being emotional as well as
management style.
Difficult circumstances or events include changes at work, the birth of a child, the death of
a family member as well as a promotion received at work.
Experiencing constant stress at work, in addition to having unresolved emotions such as
sadness, anger, fear and anxiety can have an effect on one's physical health. This can be
observed in management as sluggishness, tiredness, and depression, increasing
susceptibility to infections, heart attacks, burnout, and rheumatoid arthritis. Personality,
personal experiences and circumstances shape the way one responds emotionally to
problems in life. A particular problem may cause one person to become ill, whereas
another person might cope comfortably with it. However, because responses to problems
are not set in stone, managers can learn to manage their emotional problems more
effectively. Above all, managers can teach their subordinates techniques that can help
them steer clear of self-neglect.
People find themselves living and working in an era dominated by real-time business
decision-making, and many managers are struggling to cope. Of course, there are also
people who are happy, healthy, peaceful and wealthy and who seem to have it all. They
have good positions and seem to have a balanced life regarding their family and work.
They have achieved equilibrium. There is a perception that such people are just lucky.
Perhaps they are, but more likely they simply possess appropriate coping mechanisms
that others too can acquire.
The objective of this dissertation is to assist not only managers, but also the individual to
overcome the rat race that the new millennium has bestowed upon us. It further aims to show that everyone is capable of achieving the necessary tools to combat self-neglect and
destruction of the inner self.
It is suggested that by learning to change ones thinking and behavioural approach to an
event it is possible to change the outcome of the event. By learning a few thinking
(cognitive) and physical (meditation) techniques it is possible to overcome the mere
interpretation of an event, which will allow the individual to improve their ability to cope
with stress and maintain not only their own physical well being, but also the well being of
the organisation.
Furthermore, organisations may assist their employees by encouraging or creating a good
working culture in order to improve both the coqqitive and physical environment as
experienced by the individual. This "looking after the other" relationship can and will only
have a positive effect.
The poet, Khalil Gibran (2002), reflects:
"But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream,
assigned to you when that dream was born.
And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life
And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's innermost secret."
Thus to enjoy life through work, one should learn to enjoy what life hands out by changing
ones perception of the event as well as the attitude towards life and work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sielkundige distres wat ontstaan as gevolg van óf persoonlikheidstrekke, biochemiese
wanbalanse, moeilike omstandighede of gebeurtenisse ongeag die oorsaak daarvan, kan
'n wesentlike uitwerking op 'n persoon se liggaamlike welstand en lewensgehalte as 'n
individu, bestuurder en bedryfsleier hê.
Persoonlikheidstrekke sluit tipe A-persoonlikheid, tipe B-persoonlikheid, emosionaliteit en
bestuurstyl in.
Moeilike omstandighede of gebeurtenisse sluit veranderinge in die werkplek, die geboorte
van 'n kind, die sterfte van 'n familielid sowel as 'n bevordering by die werk in.
Voortdurende spanning by die werk tesame met onverwerkte emosies soos hartseer,
woede, vrees en angs kan 'n uitwerking op 'n mens se liggaamlike gesondheid hê. In
bestuur kan dit waargeneem word as traagheid, moegheid en depressie, wat 'n mens se
vatbaarheid vir infeksies, hartaanvalle, uitbranding en rumatiek verhoog. 'n Mens se
persoonlikheid, ervarings en omstandighede bepaal hoe jy op die lewe se emosionele
probleme reageer. Een mens mag siek word weens 'n probleem wat iemand anders heel
maklik sal hanteer. Bestuurders kan egter leer hoe om hul emosionele probleme meer
doeltreffend te hanteer. Bowenal kan bestuurders hul onderskiktes tegnieke leer om te
verhoed dat hulle hulself verwaarloos.
Die individu leef en werk in 'n era wat oorheers word deur die neem van vinnige en goeie
sakebesluite en bestuurders sukkel om by te bly. Natuurlik is daar ook mense wat
gelukkig, gesond, vreedsaam en welgesteld is, en lyk of hulle alles het. Hulle beklee goeie
poste en ly skynbaar 'n gebalanseerde lewe tussen hul gesin en hul werk. Hulle het 'n
balans bereik. Die persepsie bestaan dat sulke mense eenvoudig geluk aan hul kant het.
Miskien het hulle, maar dalk het hulle net die regte meganismes om probleme doeltreffend
te hanteer wat ander ook kan aanleer.
Hierdie skripsie se doelwit is nie slegs om bestuurders nie, maar ook die individuele
werknemer wat vasgevang is in die "rat race" wat teweeg gebring is deur die nuwe eeu, te
help om die effekte daarvan teen te werk. Dit streef verder om te bewys dat elke persoon instaat is om die nodige hulpmiddele te bekom om eie-nalatigheid en uiteindelik die selfvernietiging
van die innerlike mens te oorkom.
Dit word verder voorgestel dat deur die aanlering om mens se denkwyses en
gedragspatroon benadering tot die aangeleentheid te verander, is dit moontlik om
sodoende die uitslag van die aangeleentheid te verander. Deur die aanleer van 'n paar
denkwyses (kognitiewe) en fisiese (meditasie) tegnieke is dit moontlik om selfs die
interpretasie van die aangeleentheid te oorkom, wat sal toelaat dat die individu sy vermoë
om spanning te hanteer en die instandhouding van hulle fiesieke toestand te verbeter.
Maatskappye kan ook sy werknemers bystaan deur die aanmoediging van, of die daarstelling van 'n goeie werkskultuur om sodoende beide die kognitiewe en die fisiese
omgewing soos deur die individu beleef, te verbeter. Hierdie "omsien na die ander"
verhouding kan, en sal net 'n positiewe uitwerking hê.
Die digter, Khalil Gibran (2002), reflekteer:
"But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream,
assigned to you when that dream was born.
And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life
And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's innermost secret."
Dus, om die lewe deur middel van werk te geniet, moet mens leer om dit wat die lewe
uitdeel, te geniet. En dit kan slegs bewerkstelling word indien 'n mens se persepsie van
die aangeleentheid sowel as mens se houding teenoor die lewe en werk verander.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50091 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Issel, Rashida |
| Contributors | Denton, M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 129 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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