Just Enough Anxiety: The Hidden Driver of Business Success

Anxiety is an unfortunate fact of life, but can be a positive force in business success, says psychologist Rosen, contending that today's rapid rate of change is particularly anxiety provoking for businesses and those who work to build them. Rosen believes that business leaders can manage their own anxiety to yield positive company results. Though our minds try to protect us from anxiety by using ego defense mechanisms that can be productive or destructive, either too much or too little anxiety can be a hindrance to performance. But the right amount of anxiety can motivate and encourage. With checklists, questionnaires and self-evaluation forms, Rosen offers tools and guidelines to help readers assess and understand their personal reactions to the emotion. Concrete, real-life examples and explanations of anxiety's various forms, personal effects and potentially positive aspects teach managers how to work with the emotion and elicit its healthy side from employees. Rosen's insights are thought provoking and helpful. (Mar. 13)