Help Desk Books
Call Center Management
Automation Aids
Online Support
Customer Satisfaction
Knock Your Socks Off
Help Desk Institute
Telecom Books
Communication Skills
Call Center Monitoring
Bargain Books (50% off!)

Seminars

Title Index
Subject Index
Author Index
Catalog Index

Email the Librarian
Ways to Order
Shipping Options

Stress management has done little to prevent burnout among talented support professionals.  But a new approach called "stress optimization" can reduce stress before it hurts people.  Becky Nordeman, a support researcher and consultant, explains why controlling stress is good business. You'll discover three attitudes that make individuals and organizations "stress resistant," and learn to cultivate those traits to create a healthy and productive support center.

Table of Contents

1. Beyond stress management
   • Why stress management fails
   • The two-edged sword
   • Stress optimization, briefly defined
2. The war on stress
   • Major pressures on the support center
   • The casualties: your best support analysts
   • Survival of the hardiest
   • Creating the hardy organization
3. Building commitment
   • Developing a credible leadership
   • Establishing a climate of trust
   • Contracting for clear expectations
   • Committing to share information
   • Insuring personal and professional development
4. Building control
   • Promoting self-knowledge
   • Discussing unique stressors and developing a plan of attack
   • Breaking the stress cycle
   • Encouraging participation at all levels
   • Renegotiating psychological contacts during times of change
5. Building challenge
   • Modeling optimistic attitudes from the top down
   • Identifying growth opportunities
   • Rewarding creative organizational problem solving
   • Valuing continuous organizational learning
   • Establishing support systems, and "caring harder"
6. Stress is a leadership issue
   • Stress is an organizational problem
   • A three-step approach optimization

Appendix - Where to learn more