Wise Ways to Handle Anger at Work
By Sandy Schroeder
It happens to everyone. One minute things are fine, and the next minute you are totally angry over something at work. When many people work together with pressures, deadlines and mixed objectives, collisions are likely to occur.
An innocent remark may sound like a rude putdown. Or a last-minute work assignment that ruins weekend plans may seem inconsiderate. The list goes on and on, but how you handle your reaction is really the big issue.
Controlling your anger and responding reasonably takes practice. Here are a few things to do right away from Health.com.
Step away – Take a few minutes, or take an afternoon off. If it’s really a big issue, take a few days to think things through. You may be very tempted to stand and fight, but that usually leads to regrettable remarks that may put you in a bad position overall. It is wiser to cool off and think things through.
Find a friend – Go to someone you trust, preferably somebody who is not part of your work situation. Talk about what happened and ask for suggestions. A good friend who understands people, can help you let go of your anger, and find some solutions.
Review the matter – As a little time lapses, think about what happened and why you were so angry. The situation might look different later, or you might remember details that could provide answers.
Consider a surprise response – A great tactic if you are up to it can be returning to work smiling and upbeat, letting the matter go. If someone was deliberately trying to anger you, they may be surprised and frustrated that their effort failed.
Calmly confront the issue – After having thought through everything and coming up with some thoughts, talk with the people involved and simply say why you were angry. You may find out there was more to the story, good reasons for what happened, or it was simply a mistake. If you are calm, you may establish a better relationship with the person or people involved and more awareness about what happened.
Probably the most important thing you can learn from handling your anger is how to successfully do it. Most of us know someone at work who simply explodes, strikes back or vents continuously when they are angry. None of that solves the situation or appeals to most people.
Instead, play it cool and control your anger as you work your way through it. Other people will notice and respect you for your restraint, and you may gain a better perspective overall which will make it easier the next time.
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