| In the realm of workplace violence and policy | | | | stake. And, it's true when you are face-to-face with |
| development, there is a problem that is both | | | | a violent aggressor trying to beat, break or kill you |
| preventing companies and their employees from | | | | on the job! |
| being safe, causing policy and procedures to miss the | | | | This type of thinking - the "why is this happening?" |
| mark, and resulting in damage, financial loss, and even | | | | and "why would this person do such a thing?" |
| the loss of life. | | | | mentality, instead of taking action is not what's |
| What I mean is that, managers and administrators | | | | important during an attack. It reminds me of an old |
| focus most of their time, either in denial about the | | | | story about a warrior who was shot with an arrow. |
| problem of workplace violence or the possibility of it | | | | Before he would let anyone take the arrow out of |
| occurring in their business, or creating more policies | | | | him, he wanted to know the name and family of the |
| related to prevention and reporting. Meanwhile, they | | | | archer who shot him, the type and materials the |
| are creating or, more to the point, "allowing" a gap to | | | | arrow was made of, the bird that the feathers came |
| exist within their overall workplace violence and crisis | | | | from, what poison it was tipped with, etc., before |
| management plan that leaves themselves, their | | | | they could answer all of his questions - he died of his |
| employees, and the company, as a whole, completely | | | | wounds. |
| unprepared for actual physical violence. | | | | Too much overthinking and not enough action based |
| If you are to be able to escape from or survive an | | | | on knowledge and experience will do nothing to help |
| actual act of violence, you must first accept that | | | | you, and anyone that you're responsible for to |
| violence exists AND can touch you. Living in denial or | | | | escape from or survive a real workplace violence |
| under the delusion that you are somehow invisible or | | | | attack. And, let's also not forget that no amount of |
| impervious to danger - that you are the one | | | | whining, blaming, or punishment for the attacker will |
| exception in the whole human race that can't or | | | | take away the pain, loss, or fact that you just |
| won't be targeted by another irrational human being | | | | weren't prepared when you needed to be. That's |
| or other natural disaster will only leave you paralyzed | | | | why there are 8-phases to an effective plan or |
| in fear when something happens. This first phase of | | | | formula for developing the section missing from most |
| an overall 8-phase strategic formula for safety and | | | | workplace violence plans - the piece that deals with |
| self-protection that I teach my clients is called | | | | the operative word in your plan - violence! |
| General Awareness. | | | | If you don't have the knowledge and experience to |
| In this phase, we consider not only the fact that | | | | put this critical, life-saving element into your existing |
| danger exists, but what forms it could take and the | | | | plan and procedures (don't worry, most managers |
| types of attackers you could encounter. This | | | | and administrators don't) then your first step is to |
| information allows you to seek out exactly the types | | | | find someone who does. And remember, you're not |
| of self defense training, tactics, and techniques that | | | | limited to choosing between gung-ho karate masters |
| would work to de-escalate, escape from or defend | | | | or ex-military commando types, nor the other |
| against an attack if and when it does come at you. | | | | extreme of the passive consultant with no |
| Remember, violence is random. It can happen in any | | | | experience at dealing with violence. |
| business, and at any time. And when it does, you are | | | | To be safe, you and your employees do not have to |
| either prepared for it, or not. | | | | have a training program that will turn you into martial |
| But, I digress. The information that we gather in the | | | | arts black belts. You also don't have to train for |
| "General Awareness" phase of our plan is absolutely | | | | years to be proficient. There are programs and |
| useless in the moment of an attack. Because, in the | | | | trainers out there who can give you the content you |
| moment when pure, unadulterated and uncivilized | | | | need, and within the context of your business needs. |
| brutality is being thrown at you, the only thing that | | | | You can get the self defense training to be able to |
| matters is quick, decisive, and pre-planned action. This | | | | protect yourself during a workplace violence attack - |
| is true in emergency situations where medical | | | | training that is both easy to learn and effective, |
| professionals are trying to save lives. It's true when a | | | | as-well-as being liability conscious and allows your |
| company has a crisis where massive amounts of | | | | managers and employees to convey professionalism |
| money are being lost and the company's future is at | | | | and concern throughout the incident. |