Chapter 8: Manage Anger Spectrum Pitfalls to Work in your Favor

We all have strong feelings about anger. Those opinions are based upon our own lived experiences in and out of the workplace regarding anger. My doctoral research focused on the motivations of a workplace bully and the bad behaviors they utilize. My work in the academic community has centered upon conflict management in the workplace, while my work in personal consulting has focused on domestic violence offenders and parents who are needing to learn discipline and cooperative parenting techniques. As a mediator helping parties settle all kinds of issues over a broad range of conflicts, I have seen that anger is an ever-present force. As someone also certified in restorative justice, I practice a transformative approach to work and life, constantly asking myself and others, “How do we move forward from here?” Anger is certainly a piece of this body of work—it can be utilized constructively, and there are some tools to help that process. I believe it can empower us, and help us accept change and grow, if handled positively. This chapter lends to the reality that we spend lots of time working, and emotions are a big part of the workplace, like it or not. Workplaces are more and more competitive and challenging; therefore, addressing subjects out of our comfort zone is important in the concept of making our workplaces more peaceful and compassionate.