One: Role Conflict

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When directives are in conflict, creating a situation in which your activities work against each other, you experience stress from Role Conflict. Perhaps the needs of your family are in conflict with the requirements of your boss. Perhaps you have more than one supervisor and they give conflicting assignments. Perhaps your boss vacillates from one day to the next saying one thing one day and another the next. Any of these, or all of these, produce stress. Role conflict should be seen as a signal to action. You cannot let it go on and on. Options include these:

• On a sheet of paper write (or diagram) from whom directions are coming and what you think you are being asked to do. At times that process alone can be revealing.
• Make a list of your current priorities and make notes about how those priorities are changed by conflicting requests.
• Through written communication or in a face-to-fact conference with the key parties explore their directives. Explain the conflict and ask their help in resolving the matter.