In the current issue of Origination News, I wrote an article that warned business owners about the damage an employee like former flight attendant Steve Slater can do to one's business.
Anger management expert Janet Pfeiffer also believes that calling Slater a "hero" is wrong. Still there are some things employers can do to help prevent such occurrences.
“Anger is a choice, not an inevitability. After all, most folks don’t like getting arrested, and most customers don’t like being ‘JetBlued.’ Most stressed out workers have a lack of understanding of the root cause of their anger which further leads to conflict and a miserable on-the-job experience and in some cases, classic flameouts like the JetBlue incident. It’s not just about angry workers or unruly customers, but it’s also about employers recognizing the warning signs and taking steps to equip their employees with the tools to defuse potentially explosive situations,” she said.
Pfeiffer, a certified domestic violence counselor and motivational speaker, believes that while expressing anger is perfectly acceptable and essential for our well being, the manner in which we do so is equally as important.
It is never permissible to use anger to hurt, berate or threaten another person. Nor is it acceptable to use anger to damage property. Anger can, and needs to be, expressed with confidence and respect.
She worries about copycats popping up, people who act out like Slater (though none have emerged, at least publicly, so far).
Employees need to send a clear message that this type of behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated, Pfeiffer said, adding it is "irresponsible to hold others accountable for his poor behavior. Anger is a choice and is based more on our perception than the reality of what is occurring. As adults, we all need to asses the situation we're in, decide if it is worth getting upset over and choose the best possible way to resolve it rather than just react to it. And the solution does not involve rage and violence.
“I think it’s important to erase the anger reflex from our lives, and eliminate blame and self pity. It’s actually quite easy to choose inner peace and serenity as a way of life. Angry outbursts may get you your 15 minutes of fame but the long-term consequences are anything but glamorous. Some believe that if you have your health you have everything. I believe when you have inner peace you have it all.”
