| The attitudes regarding the topic of workplace | | | | throwing objects, and who was easily angered when |
| violence seem to be as varied as the forms this type | | | | he didn't get his own way. |
| of aggression takes. Opinions range from ignorance | | | | It also showed how his previous manager, herself |
| and avoidance, where thoughts like, "That kind of | | | | unprepared for dealing with this type of personality |
| thing doesn't happen here," are the norm; all the way | | | | and needing to avoid conflict, had a tendency to |
| to the development of plans and procedures for | | | | coddle the individual in an attempt to quell his angry |
| preventing it from happening. | | | | outbursts. We agreed that this patronizing and |
| While my predominant focus for my clients is | | | | "mothering" only prolonged the problem, and certainly |
| centered around the fact that, by-and-large, most | | | | did nothing to help the employee to either change his |
| incidents occur where the violence enters from | | | | tactics or make the decision to seek employment |
| outside the workplace, the fact remains that there | | | | elsewhere. In fact, it helped to reinforce his behavior... |
| are a significant number of attacks perpetrated by | | | | ...for more than 10 years! |
| employees against their fellow workers. In fact, a | | | | Human resources, and managers at all levels must be |
| recent conversation with my uncle, a senior | | | | ready, willing, and able to identify and, at the very |
| executive in a large corporation, shows just how | | | | least, isolate the passive-aggressive employee. |
| workplace violence can be at the forefront of many | | | | Employees with this personality disorder can be a |
| manager's minds. | | | | virtual time bomb, just waiting for the right trigger to |
| The story my uncle related to me was centered | | | | set them off. When that happens, only that |
| around an employee who has been with his company | | | | individual's self-imposed limits will determine just how |
| for over ten years. While the company is just | | | | far he or she will go in unleashing the fury from |
| becoming aware of the employee's tendency toward | | | | within. |
| displaying many of the warning signs, a more | | | | Every company must insure that its workplace |
| thorough investigation has shown that this problem | | | | violence plan can identify and handle this type of |
| has existed from the very beginning of the man's | | | | personality type. But, that's only the beginning. Due to |
| employment. | | | | the possibility of this type of individual becoming |
| Our conversation, which grew out of the typical | | | | physically violent, every employee should be trained |
| family chatter about what everybody has been doing | | | | to be able to evade, avoid, and escape from the |
| since they last saw each other, started as I was | | | | damage that may ensue. |
| discussing my consulting and corporate training | | | | Ironically, rather than self-defense training making |
| practice. When the topic of workplace violence came | | | | employees more hostile, as is often believed by |
| up, my uncle's demeanor changed almost instantly. He | | | | many, it actually has been shown to reduce and even |
| then went into a detailed description of what he was | | | | eliminate physical attacks altogether. Since the |
| dealing with since taking over the department where | | | | potentially dangerous worker is surrounded by |
| this individual worked. | | | | individuals capable of neutralizing any attempt at |
| In short, the story spoke of an individual who | | | | physical hostility, he or she tends to seek other |
| displayed a passive-aggressive, inflexible nature that | | | | means to deal with their issues. Or, they simply |
| expected everyone to comply with his wishes. My | | | | change jobs, hoping to find a place where the sheep |
| uncle described a person who routinely became | | | | are easier. |
| verbally aggressive and confrontational, at times even | | | | |