WORKPLACE SPECIAL................ ANGER MANAGEMENT LESSON 4

ANGER MANAGEMENT LESSON 4

 Why so angry?

Speak when you’re angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” Do these words by American journalist-satirist Ambrose Bierce resonate with you, too? When you are angry, it is tough to judge between right and wrong. And at emotionally-fraught workplaces, it’s easy to lose your lash out at co-workers. However, it never leads to anything positive. Either your relationship with that person sours forever or there’s a permanent stagnancy between the two of you. 

Some situations call for a good loud scream. But that’s hardly practical. Let the experts tell you how you to react with civility and professionalism, when all you want to do is roar the place down.

LESSON 4 
Situation#4: when a colleague is rude or nasty to you
The first thing to do when there is a war of words between employees, is to disengage, says Suveer Bajaj, co-founder and director of HR and Operations at FoxyMoron, a digital ideas and solutions agency. “Before giving your point of view, it becomes important to listen to their side of the story. They may be in the wrong, but it becomes our prerogative to give them a chance to voice their opinion about how they have been aggrieved,” he adds.

The immediate reaction: Many think the ‘an-eye-for-an-eye’ theory is apt for such a situation. “The instant reaction would entail you being rude and nasty to your colleague,” says Llamba.

How you should react: “If it’s a one-off situation, it is best to talk about it at a suitable time,” recommends Mukherjee. “However, if it becomes a recurring issue, take it to the higher authorities.” 

Damage control: If you want to rebuild bridges, just talk it out with your colleague. You’ll never reach any solution if all you do is bicker.

What you definitely shouldn’t do: Never turn around and be nasty or nastier in return, tempting as it may sound. You don’t want to be the person with a terrible temper.
Cubicle cool tip
To succeed in interpersonal relationships, understand that we are all products of our circumstances. “We  have a choice to stay calm and intelligently understand the situation,” says Llamba.


(Courtesy: Satya D Sinha, CEO, MANCER Consulting (that provides talent management solutions)
Shreya Sethuraman, HTBR 1307079