Stress Quotient: What You Need to Know

You need to find out how to control your stress, or your stress will end up controlling you. Here’s all of the information you need to know about Stress Quotient.

What is Stress Quotient?

Stress Quotient is a diagnostic assessment developed by Rick Bowers and Dr. Ron Bonnstetter, of TTI Success Insights (TTI SI) in 2014. Stress Quotient measures 7 categories of stress (Demand, Effort/Reward Balance, Control, Organizational Change, Manager/Supervisor and Social Support) that break down into 17 sub-segments. This tool can be used for individuals, teams and entire organizations to get an accurate snapshot of their stress levels in different departments.

Why Did TTI Success Insights Create the Stress Quotient Assessment?

Much like the Emotional Quotient assessment, Stress Quotient is built to increase and improve awareness of problems. You can’t fix a problem unless you know there is a problem in the first place.

“We created this tool because as businesses go through ups and downs, people perceive stress and react differently,” said Rick Bowers, TTI SI President. “If you can understand a problem to the point that you can name it, it’s easier to fix. Once you have the awareness, then you can regulate.”

Who Can Use Stress Quotient?

Stress Quotient can be used by individuals, teams, and entire organizations.

Personal Reports

Take the assessment and find out your personal scores for 7 categories of stress.

Team Reports

The results of a team can be combined to create an overall team result using their collective scores and finding the average.

The Stress Quotient assessment can also be used for an entire organization to get a company-wide score, or can be used for individual teams and compared across departments. If one team is overly stressed while the rest of the organization isn’t, it’s time to re-evaluate roles and responsibilities within that team. Having a baseline is invaluable for planning and proactive interventions.

“If you can understand a problem to the point that you can name it, it’s easier to fix. Once you have the awareness, then you can regulate.”

How Can You Use Stress Quotient Right Now?

This tool is a great first step or next step in a team development strategy. By getting a better understanding of their personal stress levels across different areas, they can find out potential areas of improvement.

Remember, this assessment is a diagnostic tool. Stress Quotient will tell you where you need to focus to lessen stress, with helpful suggestions. Going deeper can uncover root causes for determining next steps.

This is where other assessments come in. Emotional Quotient is an excellent tool for increasing and improving all around awareness, while Talent Insights (DISC behaviors and Driving Forces) will reveal an individual’s behavioral style and personal motivations. Our flagship assessment, the TriMetrix HD assessment, combines behavioral style, personal motivators, acumen and soft skill competencies. The knowledge from each assessment serve as layers to create a full picture and multifaceted understanding of the individual.

What’s Your Next Step?

Contact Carl Nielson today! cnielson@nielsongroup.com or call 972.346.2892.

To schedule a convenient appointment time, visit Carl’s calendar at https://my.timetrade.com/book/2L3GC.

Carl Nielson is Managing Principal Consultant and Executive Coach of The Nielson Group. He has over 20 years of experience in the field of strategic human capital management and organization development including leadership development, team and professional development, coaching and talent acquisition. Prior to consulting, he successfully led a financial turnaround of a global nonprofit professional association and implemented human capital management best practices as Chief Human Resources Officer for a large law firm that resulted in significant improvement in net profit, employee morale and talent retention. He also managed an across-the-board re-engineering project for the HR function of a Fortune 100 company resulting in millions of dollars in HR operational savings and increased HR effectiveness.

Today, Carl Nielson serves a diverse group of Fortune 500, Inc 2500 and family-owned business clients in growing revenue, strengthening leadership talent and cross-functional teams and hiring the best talent using state-of-the-art tools and processes.

Carl has served on several volunteer boards in key strategic and leadership positions. He also gives back in the form of community service using his expertise to assist high school and college students with career coaching using Career Coaching for Students, a program he developed in 2005 as founder and Chief Discovery Officer of Success Discoveries, He has created several programs for Success Discoveries including Success Discoveries for Couples (SDC), a program for use in premarital counseling, couples retreats and as a self-directed program.  

Nielson has been recognized annually for the past 10 years by TTI Success Insights, a global assessment company, for his active and continuous community service and is a member of TTI’s Visionary Partners Forum.

Carl is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (DISC, CPBA), Professional Motivators Analyst (CPMA), Professional TriMetrix HD Analyst and is a certified facilitator of The Coaching Clinic for Managers. He holds an IAC certification as a Relationship Coach and uses a number of organizational and business-focused personal talent assessment tools including individual 360s, organizational employee engagement 360s, and leadership talent.