Cubicle Conundrum - Day 58

Q’s Lessons in Managing Work Relationships:



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Hi. Today we’ll deal with ‘anger’. We all feel anger at some point. It’s important to know how to channel that anger. Losing control is never an option at the workplace. Anger is the short-cut to getting fired. Working poorly is the long way there.



Sometimes, you might feel tempted to let loose a barrage of expletives towards the person who is the focal point of your anger. It’s important to realize that this isn’t the right way to go about things. While an expletive is easy to utter and might even feel good, it is seldom the right way to resolve conflicts.



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N: You left your donut unattended for more than 15 minutes. I ate it.



Q: That’s alright N,. While I disapprove of your act and while it has caused me certain distress, I am willing to let this slip by as long as you acknowledge my feelings in this situation.



N: Umm, okay.



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Such a response makes sure that while you have conveyed your displeasure, you are still contributing to a productive work environment.



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N: I forgot to mention your boss dropped by earlier. He said something about the deadline being advanced to 2.00 PM.



Q: It’s 3.30 now.



N: Oh. Oops.



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Then again, sometimes expletives are the right way to go.



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Q: #$%^&*!