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 Coping With Anger In The Workplace Problem: A recent study done by the Gallup Organization found that one employee out of six reported being so angry at a coworker that he or she felt like hitting that person - but didn't. And even more people in clerical, office and sales jobs (22%) said that they felt that angry. Anger is a growing problem in the American workplace; we are becoming angrier and angrier. Yet we often don't have the skills to cope with it effectively. This anger can have a negative effect on morale, productivity and teamwork in the workplace. It can also have negative effects on our health, e.g. angrier people tend to have more cardio-vascular problems and greater levels of stress. This, in turn, will raise your healthcare costs. So what can we do about the anger that we feel at work? How can we deal with it more effectively? Solution: There are a number of practical things you can do to manage your own anger at work. You may also decide to set up a seminar to teach these techniques to your people. I want to emphasize that the following techniques are not anything brand new. In fact, you've probably been taught most of them before. Yet the sad part is: We don't make use of these practical tools. So, let this newsletter inspire you to actually use these techniques in your day-to-day activities at work. The first technique involves taking a time out. Get away from the situation thatís angered you and go to a quiet place and breathe deeply. As simple as it sounds, this makes a big difference. Try it. The second technique is positive self-talk. Confront and change the negativity of the angry voices in your head and decide to give the other person the benefit of the doubt. You can choose not to blame the other person and make yourself into a victim. The third technique is forgiveness. To forgive someone means letting go of your negative feelings, such as anger and blame, and choosing to give up your need for revenge. Forgiveness allows us to let go of the painful past and to search for solutions in the present. (I've written a number of articles on the practical aspects of teaching forgiveness in the workplace; call or fax me for copies.) Example: A managing partner in a high-tech firm was furious because she couldn't get her partners to do the work they needed to do. Her rage created many arguments and kept her from communicating effectively with them so that they could resolve the problem. She hired me to teach her anger management techniques. I taught her deep breathing, time-outs and self talk tools that would allow her to stop blaming them. Results: The outcome was that she calmed down enough so that the confrontations and outbursts between her and her partners greatly decreased and she was able to reach them in a more effective manner. Summary: Anger can have a very negative effect in the workplace. It creates productivity, teamwork and morale problems. Teach your people these anger management skills and make sure they really use them. If you do, the result will be a more harmonious and productive workplace. |
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