WORKPLACE SPECIAL................ ANGER MANAGEMENT LESSON 5

ANGER MANAGEMENT LESSON 5

 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 5

Situation#5: when a colleague takes credit for your work
This can be humiliating and annoying. You know you went the extra yard for a certain project – sacrificed a vacation, missed a cousin’s wedding, weren’t there for your best friend when she needed you. This project was snatched from you right under your nose and you were too stunned to react.

The immediate reaction: Any person would feel shocked, cheated and disheartened, say experts.

How you should react: “You ought to discuss the matter with your colleague in a calm fashion,” says Chandna. “Tell her or him ‘I didn’t feel good about this or I will be careful the next time I have such an idea’. It’s important to talk to people, and not about them,” he adds.

Damage control: “Confront your colleague and also let your boss know about what happened, albeit in a gentle manner,” says Singh. And if this happens more than once, you can also report the matter to HR. “Employees should be encouraged to route the complaint through the right channel,” says Bajaj.

What you definitely shouldn’t do: Never humiliate the individual in front of everyone.

Cubicle cool tip
“Be very wary of such colleagues. If they’ve stabbed you once, they can stab you again. Don’t share any information with them,” advises Rachna Singh.
(Courtesy: Satya D Sinha, CEO, MANCER Consulting (that provides talent management solutions)
Shreya Sethuraman, HTBR 1307079