The Angry Workplace

You may be shocked by this title; after all we are all taught that anger is a bad thing. Don’t get angry, don’t be mad with me, what did I do wrong? All are common responses to someone getting angry.

Where it’s bad.

Some organizations use anger, or the ability to incite someone to anger as a management tool. This may sound crazy, but anger is used in the workplace in several ways. Some managers use anger to intimidate employees which results in:

• Causing them to cower and submit to the “angry one” in order to avoid further conflict or escalation.
• Suppressing feelings and a desire to limit interactions with the manager, or become adverse to any situation causing the manager to “light up” again
• Begin a “brave confrontation” of the angry behavior of the manager, and encourage a less heated discussion of the issues.

I can almost guarantee we have all worked with someone displaying these characteristics and when we submit to this behavior, we condone it. Not because we like it, but we don’t want it repeated. As this happens, the manager creates a relationship of intimidation contributing to a hostile working environment. Other managers see this behavior, note that this is OK or tolerated and may use it themselves. The higher in the organization this behavior occurs, the more it becomes a model.

Where it’s good.

When we become angry it is often because someone or something threatens us. That might be a driver texting in the lane next to us, someone being overtly rude or unjustified criticism. The way we react to these situations defines our character and behavior. Have you ever had a time when you reacted angrily to a situation that you misunderstood, or misheard? Of course … we all have.

Continued on the next page

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