The Stress Effect: Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions—And What to Do About It (Jossey-Bass, 2010) is a must-read book for Leaders who want to become Masters of Decision Making Under Stress and for those who must Hire, Develop and Retain High Potential Leaders. The Stress Effect is listed as a top selling business book in January 2011 by Inc. Magazine and 800-CEO-READ. The Stress Effect integrates powerful issues shaping the future of leadership and business.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Watkinsville, GA (PRWEB) February 21, 2011 --- In his groundbreaking and insightful resource for leaders, The Stress Effect: Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions—And What to Do About It, Leadership Expert Henry L. (Dick) Thompson, Ph.D., explains why leaders are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of stress on the decision-making process and how by following a proven prescription to build a Stress Resilient System™, leaders can become Masters of Decision Making Under Stress.

The Stress Effect reveals in plain terms the correlation between increased stress levels and a leader's ability to access his/her emotional and cognitive intelligences to make good decisions. Until now, experts have argued that increasing your Emotional Intelligence will help you cope with and manage stress. This book suggests that stress actually blocks access to your Emotional Intelligence as well as your Cognitive Ability, impairing these two critical components in the decision-making process. The book also explores the impact of the epidemic practice of hiring and promoting leaders into roles for which they are ill-suited. Operating within an optimal range of high-low stress, using tools to manage stress and building stress resilience with an ARSENAL™ of best practices are all key components of this book.

The Stress Effect appears on the January 2011 Business Bestseller Booklist published by Inc. Magazine and 800-CEO-READ.

"The Stress Effect is superbly written. Every leader can grow personally and professionally from the information it presents on how stress impacts the quality and timeliness of decisions. It should be required reading for CEOs, members of the National Security Council, all military commanders, and university leaders,” says Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, U.S. Army (Ret), former Commander of First Army and Joint Task Force Katrina.

Availability:
Purchase The Stress Effect: Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions—And What to Do About It online at Amazon or online and in stores at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders and 800 CEO Read. Download for Kindle available at Amazon.

Bonus Materials:
Bonus materials for The Stress Effect: Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions—And What to Do About It, including a free Book Review Leader's Guide, a Webcast Series and access to the ARESNAL™ Individual Assessment are available at: www.thestresseffect.com. The ARSENAL™ presents a summary of each of the seven best practice areas that most influence your ability to combat the negative effects of stress and your current level of performance in each area. The Full Report includes a Developmental Plan Outline that you can use to help you begin working on these areas immediately.

About the Author:
Henry L. (Dick) Thompson, Ph.D., speaks to business and professional groups around the world on topics related to Leadership, Stress, Teams and High Performance. He is a senior executive and award-winning organizational psychologist with over 30 years of leadership experience—from the battlefield to the boardroom. He is the President and CEO of High Performing Systems, Inc. (HPS), providing Leadership Solutions for the 21st Century to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and a diverse group of public, private and international firms. For speaking engagement inquiries, please contact Debra Cannarella, HPS Director of Operations, by email at debra@hpsys.com.

For more information about The Stress Effect: Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions—And What to Do About It, visit the website at www.thestresseffect.com. For more information about High Performing Systems, Inc., visit the website at www.hpsys.com.

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For More Information, Contact:
Dana Smith, Marketing Director
High Performing Systems, Inc.
706-769-5836
dana@hpsys.com