We’ve talked about anger and the importance of properly managing it in the past. The truth is that everyone is going to get angry while at work at least once during the course of his career. Everyone will handle that anger differently but there are a few who will have no idea how to appropriately respond to anger - especially in a formal environment. While throwing things around or yelling may work in the privacy of your home, it simply doesn’t fly in the work environment.

For this reason it is important to run an anger management class for your entire workplace. Everyone should participate, whether they have shown signs of anger problems at work or not. Someone might be having problems at home that the course might help while others may have something brewing just under the surface.

Simply put, here are a few reasons you can use to justify running an anger management class at work:

• Human resources might want management to take an anger management course as a preventative measure; so that they can control themselves and understand what their employees are going through.
• Your employees may recognize that they have anger problems but may not have any idea where to turn for help - and, as such, won’t get help unless it is offered.
• You can make participation in an anger management class a condition of employment for employees who have displayed anger problems in the past.
• Taking an anger management class might help someone in your group at home - and people who are happy at home will be happier and less distracted at work.
• Anger management classes might help your employees work better together, especially in groups where there is constantly friction due to personality conflict.

Anger management classes aren’t the end-all-be-all when it comes to solving problems - but they can help. Consider adding one to the schedule in your workplace soon. You might be surprised at how effective the classes really are.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Leadership Development

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Mismanagement. That’s a strange way of thinking about anger, in’t it? Every single one of us will, at some point, become angry with another person or situation. When we begin to feel that anger rise up we have to decide how to control (or mange) it - but we have a choice. We can use our anger positively or mismanage it, thus causing us to act out in rage.

Those who mismanage their anger (approximately 1 in 5 people) may soon find themselves headed down a difficult path. They may find themselves in abusive situations, may find themselves experiencing road rage, or maybe even participate in an act of workplace violence.

I could speak to you about anger management techniques until my face turns blue, but here’s an interesting fact. The other day I read an article that talked about a poll taken in the US where in 2 out of every 10 people admitted to having become angry enough at work to want to hurt another employee. The truth? Things like this happen all around the world - no exceptions.

As a manager you need to be alert and aware at all times. Watch for signs of anger mismanagement not only in yourself but in your employees and team members. If the signs you see aren’t triggered by a single event, or seem to continue for a lengthy period of time, you may need to consider whether or not it is safe to keep the employee in question on your team.

Perhaps he or she needs more help than you’re able to give from a mentor/mentee standpoint. In the end, the safety of you and the rest of your team is paramount. Think about it.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Manager Training

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Anger is a natural human reaction to a difficult situation. Humans use anger to convey a change in attitude and to signal others to modify their behavior or suffer the consequences, whether that consequence be in the form violence, loss of job, or some other punishment.

Unfortunately, many people aren’t able to control their anger and let it get out of control. They don’t properly convey their feelings and usually end up hurting themselves as well as others. Here are a few more anger management techniques you can use when you start to feel out of control.

Sit down and have a conversation with yourself. Find a place where you can sit down and tell yourself “I am angry right now because…” and fill in the blank. You can do this alone in order to get control of your feelings or you can use it as an opportunity to start a conversation with the person you feel caused your anger. Just remember – no yelling!

Meditation is a highly recommended stress reliever. Meditation gives people the opportunity to clear their minds and refocus on the task at hand. You’ll be able to revisit any situation without the negative feelings you had initially. You can take a class on meditation or even find a video or recording to guide yourself at home.

Find a reason to laugh. Laughter is, after all, the best medicine. Keep a funny book, picture, recording, or video saved in a place where you can access it at all times. When you feel angry, whip out your favorite funny piece and have a good laugh. It’ll give you a chance to rebalance yourself while diffusing some of your anger.

Remember, while anger is natural, it can be controlled. As a manager, courses in dealing with conflict or being assertive may also teach you new ways to control your anger in a difficult situation. In the end, though, be sure that you never let your anger get the best of you, either at home or at work!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Anger creeps up on even the best of us. The real question is whether or not you have the tools to control your anger so that it doesn’t begin to negatively impact your work. Today I want to share a few techniques for you to implement in your daily life in the hopes that you will be better able to control your emotions in the workplace.

When you feel the rage boiling under your skin, try a few of these ideas:

• It may seem childish, but take a time-out. Close your office door, don’t answer the phone, breathe slowly, and count to 10 – count again if you need to. Always take a few minutes to regroup before returning to the scene of the crime.

• Get some exercise. Get up from your desk and go for a walk – take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk around the outside of your building. Physical exertion is a great way to relieve stress and tension; which is why being involved in an after-work sport or activity is great for your overall well being.

• Keep a journal. Writing out your feelings may help you to identify the sources of your anger and find ways to handle them better. Perhaps you’re getting angry over something silly – writing it out may help you to see things in a different light.

• Calmly and professionally express your anger. Let the person who offended or angered you know that he or she has done so, but do not lash out. Wait until you have calmed down and explain why you feel the way you do. If it’s not possible to speak to the person who upset you, seek out a friend or counselor and talk it out.

• Never speak in anger. You’ll say things you might regret and run the chance of ruining your career or team relationships. Always wait until you’ve calmed down to respond to any situation.

Being able to control your anger will contribute to your developing communication skills as well as ensure you keep your workplace under control. It only takes one or two angry slip-ups to completely disgruntle your employees or superiors – and those relationships will be very difficult to redevelop once they’re destroyed.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Tom had been working on a major project for two weeks, carrying his laptop between his home and the office and putting in countless hours of overtime. The report he was working on was likely the most important of his career thus far – his boss had never assigned him and his team a project of such magnitude before this one.

One morning Tom walked into the office, set up his laptop, and walked away to get a cup of coffee. He was starting to feel the pressure of the looming deadline and had begun to become frustrated with the slow pace some of his teammates were taking with their contributions to the research. As he was settling back into the office to begin working, a member of his team came in and sat across from him at his desk. They began discussing files and the team member reached across to grab and handful of relevant papers. On his way back across the desk, he accidentally knocked over Tom’s cup of coffee – the one he had placed just a little too close to the laptop.

After a frozen moment of terror, both men watched as the coffee settled into the small keyboard, working its way into the computer’s mainframe. There was an ugly grinding sound before the computer halted to a stop and the screen went completely blank. Tom’s project was destroyed – no one would be able to recover the lost document in time.

Tom went absolutely crazy. He couldn’t think straight, began yelling obscenities, and blamed the poor soul on the other side of the desk for his misfortune. His behavior escalated until he had progressed from anger to outright rage. It took three members of upper management to calm him down.

Tom was understandably upset, but was his rage justified? It was not. There is never a good reason for behaving in an inappropriate manner at work. Tom was devastated because he was in a new management position, was coordinating his first project, and felt as though he had just failed.

If Tom had remained calm and collect, he could have mourned his first draft and then collected his team for a meeting to determine the quickest and most effective way of recreating the work that had been done thus far. Each member of his team had a role in the process and, with a little bit of work, what he had done so far could have been duplicated. Instead, he ignored his feelings of frustration until he was pushed over the edge by a single incident. This is a terrible example of anger management.

My example about Tom’s situation is a slight exaggeration. Most people won’t react quite as harshly when they lose their tempers, but their anger will still be blinding. Anger is a natural human response to a bad situation, but you can control your anger and choose your own reaction.

How will you choose to respond?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”