Preventive Stress Management in Organizations

Preventive Stress Management in Organizations, Second Edition offers a comprehensive framework for creating healthy workplaces.

Chapters examine individual and organizational sources of stress and their consequences; methods and instruments for diagnosing organizational and individual stress; ways to redesign work and improve professional relationships; and methods for managing demands and stressors. New findings from positive psychology are woven in. Methods designed to proactively enhance health and performance at work while averting the costs and discomfort of distress are explored and illustrated by examples drawn from healthy organizations.

Preventive stress management is a philosophy and set of principles grounded in public health, which organizational leaders and consultants can use to help their organization operate to its fullest potential. The approaches outlined in this book may be implemented by leaders in any organization.

James Campbell Quick, MBA, PhD, is professor of organizational behavior and John and Judy Goolsby–Jacqualyn A. Fouse Endowed Chair in the Goolsby Leadership Academy at the University of Texas at Arlington and Honorary Professor, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster, England. He and his brother, Jonathan D. Quick, developed their signature theory of preventive stress management as they launched their careers. Dr. Quick has over 130 publications in 10 languages. He is a fellow of the APA, the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and the American Institute of Stress. He was honored with a Maroon Citation by Colgate University, the 2002 Harry and Miriam Levinson Award by the American Psychological Foundation, and the Legion of Merit by the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Quick is a partner in NelsonQuick Group, LLC. He is married to the former Sheri Grimes Schember, and both are Paul Harris Fellows of the Rotary Foundation and members of the Silver Society of the American Psychological Foundation.
 
Thomas A. Wright, PhD, is the Felix E. Larkin Distinguished Professor in Management at Fordham University in New York and founder and CEO of TKW Consulting Corporation, specializing in finding innovative, positive solutions to employee stress management, health, well-being and character development. His work has been published in such outlets as Academy of Management Review, Journal of Applied Psychology, Psychometrika, Academy of Management Executive, Leadership Quarterly, Organizational Dynamics, Journal of Supply Chain Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Journal of Management and Journal of Management Inquiry. In recognition of his career accomplishments, Dr. Wright has been awarded fellow status in the Association for Psychological Science, the APA, the Western Psychological Association, and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. His favorite stress management techniques are spending time with his wife (Kay), family, and friends; hiking in the mountains; walking on a quiet beach; prayerful meditation; and competitively lifting weights with other gym fanatics.
 
Joyce A. Adkins, PhD, MPH, is an occupational health psychologist with 28 years of military service in clinical, policy, human factors, and executive positions. She was instrumental in establishing landmark programs in clinical and technology-assisted practice, occupational health and safety, deployment health, suicide prevention and health-risk communication. Within the U.S. Department of Defense, she directed combat stress and quality of life programs, served on White House working groups, and was lead consultant in the global transformation of psychological health services. Dr. Adkins received six scientific achievement awards for her work in organizational health as well as the 2011 National Public Service Award for contributions to the health and quality of life of the military community. Dr. Adkins received a PhD from Vanderbilt University and a master of public health from Harvard School of Public Health. She has published across broad areas, including occupational stress and health services.
 
Debra L. Nelson, PhD, is the Spears School Associates' Distinguished Professor of Management at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Nelson is the author of over 100 research articles focusing on work stress, gender issues in the workplace, and leadership. Among her books are Stress and Challenge at the Top: The Paradox of the Successful Executive; Gender, Work Stress and Health; and Organizational Behavior: Science, the Real World, and You. Dr. Nelson has been honored with a host of teaching and research awards, including the Burlington Northern Faculty Achievement Award, Regents Distinguished Research Award, Regents Distinguished Teaching Award, Oklahoma State University Outreach Excellence Award, Greiner Graduate Teaching Award, and the Chandler-Frates & Reitz Graduate Teaching Award. She has served as a leadership consultant and executive coach for several organizations including AT&T, Anadarko Petroleum, Conoco-Phillips, ONEOK, State Farm Insurance Companies, Southwestern Bell, and Williams Companies. She is a partner in NelsonQuick Group, specializing in executive development.
 
Jonathan D. Quick, MD, MPH, is a family physician and health management specialist and the president and CEO of Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a nonprofit global health consultancy working to develop local health leadership and sustainable health systems in over 60 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. He was director of essential drugs and medicines policy at the World Health Organization from 1996 to 2004. Prior to that he served with MSH as founding director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Management, and health systems advisor with the Afghanistan Health Sector Support Project and the Kenya Health Care Financing Project. Dr. Quick has carried out assignments in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. He is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Boston University School of Public Health, a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, and an honors graduate of Harvard College and the University of Rochester Medical School.