Stress in the Spotlight

Brian Claridge is a freelance journalist who writes for national and regional newspapers and magazines. He has interviewed many successful business entrepreneurs and millionaires as well as big personalities from the world of film, entertainment, television, music, sports and publishing. Brian also enjoys writing about travel, property, finance and general lifestyle.Sir Cary Cooper is a Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University, UK. He is Chair of the Academy of Social Sciences (a body comprised of 46 learned societies in the social sciences, representing over 88,000 social scientists); the Editor-in-Chief of the scholarly journal Stress and Health and the author of many books on workplace health (eg. The Science of Occupational Health). Cary received a CBE in 2001 for his contributions to occupational safety and health, and is a regular contributor to radio and TV on topics in occupational psychology and health.

'Brian Claridge and Cary Cooper do for stress and coping, what Studs Terkel did for working women and men several decades ago. Through interviews with 23 successful women and men from a range of occupations, from a bomb disposal officer, leaders of major organizations, a surgeon, and a mountain climber among others, they identify demands and challenges these individuals faced and how they managed them. This engaging collection offers useful insights of benefit to all readers.' -Professor Ronald J. Burke, Schulich School of Business, York University, Canada 'Combining the science of stress management with the experiences of a 'who's who' panel of interviewees, this book is full of wisdom on how to thrive in the face of work stress. The insights from successful people in high pressure jobs are invaluable.' -Debra L. Nelson, Ph.D., Spears School Associates Chair, Management Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University Stillwater, US 'This compelling book is crammed with useful information for anyone in business. It has lots of fascinating interviews and advice on how to cope with stress and achieve the right balance between work and home life. The authors leave no stone unturned in their quest to find out how high profile people achieve their ambitions and how they cope under pressure and there's some valuable advice on stress management. It's a must for anyone in business who wants to get the best out of life.' -Suzi Williams, Director Group Marketing & Brand BT Group (British Telecommunications Plc) 'Stress in the Spotlight is a unique book for business people of all levels. In today's world, we all live life at a fast pace which creates stress at every turn. Accepting that stress is part of everyday life, the best solution is to find ways to live with it, but not allow it to destroy you. Stress in the Spotlight provides the answers via useful tips and interviews with high profile individuals who face pressure in their work. I couldn't put it down!' -Linda Mahoney, Chairman, Better Homes LLC, Dubai

• 1. Introduction 2. Pressures on People in Different walks of Life 3. Dealing with Pressure 4. Managing Difficult People 5. Bouncing Back from Set Backs 6. Thinking One Step at a Time 7. Boosting Your Self-Confidence 8. Juggling Work and Family/Private Life 9. Time Poor: Maintaining Valued Relationships 10. Being Adaptable 11. Glass Half Full 12. Lessons for the Future