Managing Anger in the Workplace

CHAPTER 7

Dealing With the Angry Individual

WHILE DEALING WITH ANGER in yourself is complex and challenging, dealing with anger in other people is a whole new can of worms. Think about how defensive you feel when confronting your own anger. Now think about how threatened you feel when someone else confronts your anger, telling you to “calm down,” “lower your voice,” “take a timeout,” or “let it go.” By recalling what it feels like when you’re angry and someone tries to engage with and manage your anger, you will be in a better position to deal effectively with another person’s anger.

Dealing with one individual can be very different from dealing with another. There are several factors to keep in mind:

1.   The individual’s idiosyncrasies. Is ...