Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates…and Other Difficult People

Chapter 28. Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Only the Bottle Takes Away My Stress

President Thomas Jefferson complained that

The habit of using ardent spirits by men in public office has produced more injury to the public service, and more trouble to me, than any other circumstance that has occurred in the internal concerns of the country during my administration. And where I could commence my administration again, with the knowledge which from experience I have required, the first questions that I would ask with regard to every candidate for public office should be, Is he addicted to the use of ardent spirits?

Perhaps as many as 10 percent of all executives are impaired by alcohol or drugs. The yearly cost in terms of decreased productivity, absenteeism, ...