In the modern world, we face a variety of social and technical problems requiring the concentration and consideration of a rational thought process. So, the question at hand is how you make a decision under stressful conditions by using rational thought processes when your natural instincts tend toward a quick and possibly irrational decisions or responses.

The biggest difference in decision making under stress vs. decision making without stress is – irrational vs. rational thinking. When you are able to make a decision under a non-stress filled condition, you are able to think and act more rationally. A decision made under stressful conditions is much more irrational.

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Stressors are events or situations that induce stress. It is found that stressors for high-level decision makers or corporate employees have been shown to be; time pressure, potential layoff threat, workload, and environmental conditions such as noise and weather.

Here are just a few significant stressors you may already be experiencing:

• Serious threat to important values and goals, life, health, environment;
• Danger and fear of loss for one’s own livelihood
• Strain of responsibility;
• Fear of failure-catastrophic consequences of failing to solve the crisis;
• Having reduced ability to be effective, resulting in less control over consequences;
• Rapid changes requiring continuing assessments;
• Time pressure which is not always accurate;
• Insecurity-regarding assessment of the situation and solutions;
• Little information-or information overload;
• Group pressure, and/or subgroups emerging.
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