Jeremy Clarkson is being reported as having told Piers Morgan that his \u201cdifficult divorce\u201d from his wife of 21 years Frances has been one of a number of events in his life that have caused him, in the eyes of this objective onlooker, to spiral out of control.\u00a0 Other events include the death of his mother.<\/p>\n
He also made reference to his first ex-wife \u201ccoming out of the woodwork to give him hell\u201d.<\/p>\n
Is it possible that divorce and other events in a person\u2019s personal life can have such a significant impact upon their behaviour towards others particularly within their professional and working environment?<\/p>\n
Whilst I am pleased to say none of my clients have ever done anything that has lead them to be plastered over the front pages of every newspaper, I have no doubt that some of the seemingly irrational and unreasonable behaviour that I have seen from my own clients and their ex-husbands or wifes in my 26 years of practice, is out of character and a result of the heightened states of anxiety, fear and confusion felt by people going through a separation or divorce.<\/p>\n
Quite often I meet with client and they are perfectly pleasant, calm and rational.\u00a0\u00a0 Then during the course of dealing with their matter I might meet with them in the presence of their soon to be ex-spouse and I find myself shocked at the apparent change in my client\u2019s personality.\u00a0\u00a0 This is what we lawyers often refer to as \u201cthe shadow client\u201d. You think you know your client but then when you see them in the presence of their ex you see a completely different side to them.<\/p>\n
Relationships change us all. The way we interact with our other halves and wider members of our family group has a huge impact upon how we feel.\u00a0 We all know that if we have had a row at home the night before we perhaps come to work with a bit of a black cloud hanging over our heads and we might take it out on those around us.\u00a0 It is very difficult if not impossible to completely separate your personal and professional lives.\u00a0 When emotions are running high they are bound to spill over into our working lives.<\/p>\n
So how to you prevent it?<\/p>\n