Managers and employees alike are often set near impossible goals and then given completely unrealistic deadlines to meet on the road to achieving these goals. In addition, many of the goals set do not serve any valid business purpose, such as optimizing work flow, improving communications or increasing sales. When this happens such goals are invariably resented.

This is bad enough in itself but now let's add in an unreasonable boss and a few uncooperative colleagues. It is almost unbelievable in this day and age with the emphasis we place and the money we spend on all manner of staff training, but in companies both large and small we all too frequently find managers who simply should not be managers. Many are poorly qualified to lead others and are more interested in flattering their own often equally unqualified managers than they are with getting the job done.

Together, poor goal setting and inadequate managers are responsible for more stress at work than almost anything else you care to mention.

But why should this be the case when most companies have a wealth of talent at their disposal?

For example, many women in the workplace are also mothers and they know only too well how to manage their time, handle multiple tasks and solve problems. After all, they practice these skills every day in managing their homes and raising their children. They are also often extremely good at settling disputes.

Men too also have considerable experience of problem solving at home and are often faced with managing scarce resources, dealing with complaints and having to decide when to compromise.

However, when we move into the workplace we seem to throw all of this out of the window and treat employees simply as machines, rather than as a valuable pool of talent on which we can draw. Goals are often simply handed down from on high and little discussion is permitted and debate is certainly not entertained. In these circumstances employees are simply handed an obligation without being given any authority and this is a certain recipe for stress.

Ask employees what causes them stress at work and they will tell you that it is the fact that demands are placed upon them but that they are not given the resources to meet them. Place any individual in a situation in which he knows that there is something which he 'must' do but which he feels he 'can't' do and you instantly create stress.