I’m a supervisor in a manufacturing plant.  As you can imagine, the stress levels are high right now, with fear of downsizing, layoffs, and lots of unknowns.  Emotions are running high as well and I’m dealing with a lot of angry people.  How can I deal with the anger without causing it to escalate?

Anger, like many emotions, produces energy and power that may be used positively or negatively.  Anger often goes unchecked until it escalates into behavior problems and is then met with punishment or retaliation.  Here are some tips to help people channel the energy of anger into constructive action.

Personal Awareness.  Know and understand your own typical responses to anger, recognizing those that are ineffective such as defensiveness, disinterest, and hostility.  Manage your own emotions.  Never challenge, threaten, belittle, or dare others, nor attempt to shame or embarrass them.

Show interest.  Anger doesn’t happen in a vacuum so remember that an angry outburst is often based on more than the circumstance which triggered it.  When you show interest in understanding what’s causing the anger, the angry person will calm down.  Underneath anger is often fear, pain, and a sense of powerlessness.

Posture is important.  Maintain a relaxed yet attentive posture while positioning yourself at an angle rather than directly in front of the other person.  Project calmness; move and speak slowly, evenly, and confidently.  Allow for personal space.

Listen.  Allow the angry person to talk and to let their feelings spill out.  Listen caringly and without interruption.  When the anger is allowed to flow without judgment, it will usually dissipate.  Paraphrase facts and feelings so the person feels heard.  The angry person will be more receptive to your help when the bad feelings are communicated and understood.

It’s okay to feel angry.  Emotions are normal, human responses.  Whether or not you agree with the stated reasons for being angry or would have the same emotional response to the circumstances is beside the point.  It’s not okay for people to take their anger out on others.  If a person’s behavior starts to escalate beyond your comfort zone, disengage and get help.

Communicate clearly.  The angry person is not functioning with optimal accuracy so there’s a high likelihood that what you say or do will be misinterpreted.  Slow down and take care to make your communication particularly clear.

Empower them.  Help them clearly identify their concerns and break big problems into smaller, more manageable problems.  Help them see where they do have some control.

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