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Workplace War
ONE OFTEN hears of people storming out of their boss' rooms and throwing things about at their workstations.
We hear of people flinging themselves out of an office window several stories up. And the worst is that it's happening oftener and oftener.
Violence at the workplace and destruction is already part of expected if not accepted human behaviour. We hear of riots caused by the silliest stimuli and of arson and looting happening everywhere. In fact it has become, in our land of peace and harmony, a part of the culture.
We strike, governments call `bandhs' to protest this, that and the other, and it wasn't going to be long before this endemic swept into the office as well.
The misfortune is that during the freedom movement, it was deemed appropriate by the leaders of the day, now half a century on it has become a cultural practice, condemned by the silent majority and condoned by the ruling minority.
The fact is that the consequence of this anger is reflected in everything we do, and surviving it becomes the biggest problem of all. In the work scenario more of us feel active antagonism than we used to ten years ago.
A random survey held across industries in seven major cities revealed that people in offices felt they could do physical violence to a colleague or superior if they had had the chance. While actual instances are, thankfully low in the workplace, many of those who mentioned a predilection towards such behaviour confessed to being violent in their homes, either with their spouses or their children, who they admit, could not retaliate.
As a result it has become imperative that the management of anger be practiced with speed and effectiveness without further ado.
One reason for the incidence of this widespread anger and subliminal violence is because people have certain pre-conceived notions about themselves, others and life in general that causes them to respond and react with inexplicable annoyance to hardly-meant and often harmless stimuli. Such people are termed as having an `attitude' which has very unfortunately, been glorified through exposure to occidental influences and values.
Regrettably, like everything else while we delight in importing the ill effects of Western business practice while commonly overlooking the correctness and sensitivity that are also part of such cultures.
People who succumb to such work-rage and seethe internally and then return home to transfer the rage to people, who cannot retaliate, are not capable of discerning the sensitivities of others or of looking at occurrences and relationships with an empathic outlook.
They value their own ideas, which in itself is not bad, but they tend to de-value those of others.
Such utter unconcern for the norms of politeness is naturally reciprocated, and conflict arises, leading to either a secret or open war between people and later, on escalation, to factions.
Most behaviour like this is born out of a cultural lacuna in an individual and will continue to fan their anger till such time as they develop a more rational world-view and learn to live life in another's shoes, thereby becoming rather more culturally competent. When they do, productivity suddenly improves, and workplace dynamics begins once again to make sense. To attain this happy state of affairs, everybody should:
Try and understand the other person's point of view in exchange for them understanding his own
Extend open cooperation so that cooperation is likewise extended to oneself
Understand that everybody has a right to their opinion and in the expression thereof
Stop putting down fellow workers and try helping them so that they become the recipients in turn
Respect themselves so that they can respect each other
None of the above but the last needs any further comment.
It is important that respecting oneself should not mean taking a dogmatic view of one's own persona, it means developing self-respect. To enhance the effect, to respect another person's persona and views despite anathematic differences and possible character blemishes increases the sense of one's own worth. This does not mean that one compromises one's values to extend such support and show respect, but it means appreciating the differences whatever they might be, unless of course the differences include objectionable characteristics and socially questionable traits.
If we can lend support and agree on even one platform, a case is made for cooperation, in which case the triggers for anger are removed. Avoiding workplace war comes from being tolerant of foibles and aberrant behaviour and allowing people to be the people they are - as long as their attitudes and demeanour does not obtrude on the lives of others. Should it do so, then disengagement procedures should be initiated because the negative effect of that one person will undermine the productivity of the entire organisation!
S.RAMANUJACHARYA
professor1@sify.com
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