Anger Managment: 5 Pratical Skills for Managers

Anger management in the workplace is one of the top concerns of corporate America for some rather unpleasant reasons. Terrible acts of violence in the workplace now make headlines on a regular basis, bringing a new dimension to the phrase "dangerous occupations". But preventing these rare but tragic outbursts of violence isn't the only reason corporations are training their employees in anger control. Workers who lack these skills to deal with the inevitable workplace conflicts that arise in any given office become less productive and less effective at problem solving. Workplaces that have a negative and angry culture overall will find it difficult to recruit and retain good workers.

There are things that managers can do however to train employees in anger management skills.

1) If you are a manger a good place to start is to make sure you are aware of what your employees are thinking and feeling. This involves being present and available. Encourage your employees to resolve issues proactively.

2) Demonstrate good anger management skills in your upper level staff such as supervisors and other team leaders. Train managers and team leaders in good conflict resolution skills.

3) Encourage workers to practice active listening with their coworkers. Avoid language that accuses the other person (e.g. "you" statements") and focus instead on what you need/feel in order to be productive. It's vital that everyone feels heard. Listen to what the other person has to say in a non-defensive manner and repeat back to them what you heard.

4) Since stress is a major cause of workplace anger, do as much as possible to create a pleasant working environment for your employees and encourage them to take breaks when needed. The lost productivity from breaks and vacation is much less than the lost productivity of an overworked, stressed out workforce.

Remind employees --and yourself-- that conflict is inevitable and feeling angry and frustrated are normal human emotions; it's how we deal with and respond to those conflicts and feelings that matters.

5) Lastly, remember that if you work in or manage a toxic work environment, change won't happen overnight. Training employees in good anger management is a process but if you keep at it, you'll find your work relationships are healthier and happier for all.