It’s surprising how prevalent shouting and yelling is in the workplace. Managers who get frustrated allow their emotion to get away from them. It destroys respect and works against the leader. Let’s examine this in more detail and see what can be done.

Temper-tantrums get rewarded

Most children at the age of two (the terrible twos) are beginning to explore and experience emotions. They are also beginning to establish links between behavior and consequences. They may learn for example that when they scream and yell at a store, they will be rewarded by getting a treat or a toy. Repeated often enough, this cycle could develop into a lifelong behavior and show-up in slightly different form in the future. You may see it in yourself and others when complaining about a product or service. You may get rewarded by making a big fuss.

Frustration can lead to aggression

An interesting thing happens if you observe someone trying to communicate with someone who speaks a different language. As they become frustrated by the other person’s lack of understanding, they begin to raise their voice – thinking that by increasing the volume, it will somehow increase the other person’s ability to understand.

Life can be frustrating at times. We will experience not getting what we want when we want it. Instead of taking personal responsibility, the person deflects the blame to others.

Mistaking anger for passion

The behavior may be hidden until the person is promoted to a position of leadership. The reason these individuals get promoted in the first place is that they are usually driven, competitive and get results. As an individual contributor, they may enjoy success and yet as a leader of others, they do not find it as easy to achieve the success through others. Because many leaders are uncertain about what a leader is supposed to do, and their companies are reluctant to offer training and development, the leader does their best, even if their best is yelling and shouting at others.

Loud on the outside may cover inadequacies on the inside

The more self-confident someone is, the more likely they are to be stable, relaxed and steady in their approach to challenges and opportunities. Overreaction, yelling and shouting is often a defensive mechanism designed to protect against others discovering a weakness. Think of it as defending by attacking.

Turning it around

Senior managers in many companies put up with this behavior because the individual who is behaving inappropriately is perhaps generating acceptable results or they are fearful of confronting the person. These senior leaders ignore the fact that the employees who work for that individual are paying a steep price in terms of self-esteem and personal satisfaction.

Often the behavior is tolerated until it hits a breaking point and then the person is fired. The company rids itself of the problem and exports the problem to another company when the person gets hired there and the cycle begins again.

Solutions

If you have managers, supervisors or employees who inappropriately use yelling and aggression with others, these ideas will help correct the situation.

1. Decide that the behavior is unacceptable – there needs to be agreement at a senior level that this will not be tolerated.

2. Confront the individual about the behavior. Layout the consequences, offer assistance, gain commitment from the individual.

3. Offer additional training or coaching or perhaps other assistance or counseling if the person admits that they have a problem and need help.

4. Monitor progress and provide positive encouragement and feedback to reinforce the new behavior.

5. Take additional progressive corrective action if required should the behavior reemerge later.

Unique Training & Development Inc. (UTDI) has helped leaders gain insights into their personal style and the behaviors that support their success and those behaviors that work against success.

Many managers and supervisors have never received leadership training that clarifies the expectations of them as leaders and builds the necessary skills to be successful. UTDI provides this training in a number of cost effective formats.

Recognizing that senior leaders may consciously or unconsciously support the continuation of the undesirable behaviors, UTDI provides coaching to turn the situation around.

Overview of UTDI’s leadership development options:

Leadership Courses Outline

Assessment tool for communication effectiveness:

Communication Effectiveness Assessment

Our new Course Catalogue

Course Catalogue

To explore the possibilities, call (800)622-6437, (519)685-2116 or email info@uniquedevelopment.com