We all know what it feels like to be angry. Some have asked how HR can possibly be happy all of the time. The truth is we’re not- It’s up to each of us to decide how to react and manage our emotions in a professional environment- or in any given environment. Is anger more acceptable if it is directed towards a situation and not a person? When is anger unwelcoming & what can we do about it? Let’s first focus on different scenarios of anger in the workplace and break it down a little more first before turning red in the face.
Anger on a personal level
We are all human, and humans make mistakes. The ‘blame game’ is an uncomfortable situation, especially when a finger is pointed in your direction. As upsetting as a mistake can be for all parties involved, we make a choice as to how we decide to react. For example, is becoming angry at the person going to help the situation? Not at all. Will anger escalate the situation and make it worse? Undoubtedly. Save your anger for the punching bag – anger will only throw more heat on the fire.
Anger from your Leader
A leader is someone to look up to and learn from. It’s ideally someone to look upon for guidance and have a trusting relationship that is one of mutual respect and open communication. Where does anger fit in here? The short answer is it doesn’t. This doesn’t mean a leader doesn’t get angry – it means that a leader should maintain his or her professionalism when it comes to their audience in front of them, including high-stress situations. This can be easier said than done. Remember to focus on the value-added goals: Ask yourself, “If I do X (i.e. yell at the person), will I get the goal & objective accomplished?” Perhaps, but are you going to risk losing your employee relationships (and worse) to get the job done? If employees don’t respect their leader and feel they are being mistreated, then don’t be surprised if you hear about it from Human Resources, or another 3rd party since they will no longer feel comfortable to speak to you about it first. Best to take a deep breath and remember the goal & objective (i.e. Fixing the problem) and have an anger-free conversation to solve the issue collectively (and appropriately).
Anger from your Employee
It’s a leader’s responsibility to address any anger issues that their employees are displaying in the workplace. If left ignored, an angry employee will continue to display such behaviour if he or she isn’t corrected for this (unwanted) behaviour. Turning your back to a difficult employee will only make the situation worse. This quickly becomes toxic for everyone. Open communication continues to be important here also. Confronting the issue isn’t easy, but if left ignored then the abnormal starts to become the normal. Corrective action is and should be in place for this reason. One step further is to take them aside in a private setting and find out the root cause (if appropriate). Corrective action may still be required, but a good leader can often dig dipper and discover if an employee needs some help. This stems back to having a mutually respectful relationship with your employees, so that the employees feel comfortable discussing their personal issues with their leader.
Conclusion
Anger is in all of us, but it’s seldom ever welcoming to others. Unwelcoming behaviour like yelling and displaying anger at someone at work is never acceptable no matter what position you’re in. This is the definition of harassment. There is (and should be) a zero-tolerance policy for this. Walk away and calm down first if you feel that you can’t stay calm in such a situation. It takes a long time to build a trusting and respectful relationship, but only a moment to destroy it all in a heated situation. Whether you’re an employee or a leader, treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Is there an anger issue at your office that you need advice and/or assistance with? Contact us for a free consultation on how to safely proceed and what steps to take.
