| One way of describing the small business manager's | | | | doctors are advised to be careful in dealing with loved |
| typical day: organized chaos. | | | | ones when the patient gets a bad result or dies. |
| In clinical terms, however, it would be more accurate to | | | | Consider the impact that anger brings to the small |
| say that for much of the time managing small business | | | | business setting. |
| involves a great many frustrating episodes occurring | | | | Anger is part of grieving. Grief is only one source of |
| among people who may also be angry because of | | | | anger. There is the daily dose of frustrations. There |
| other events and relationships not related to the | | | | may also be resentment over compensation issues, |
| workplace. | | | | over performance reviews, over bids that do not work |
| Consider the many daily events and situations that | | | | out profitably, or over customer disputes. Folks, |
| must be dealt with but cannot be controlled: | | | | including yourself who manages the operation, might |
| Phone calls from everyone in North America: | | | | come to work while still angry over traffic jams or |
| solicitations, charitable causes, customers, wrong | | | | some irresponsible driver who tried to cause an |
| numbers, vendors, employees, and family members. | | | | accident. Anger is part and parcel of human life. |
| Persons walking in with no warning and no | | | | Nobody can live anger free. But not everybody is |
| appointment. | | | | equally responsible or effective about managing anger, |
| Complaints. | | | | as witnessed by the massacres that sometimes occur |
| Workers who arrive late or need to leave early. | | | | in the workplace. |
| Poduction and delivery snafus. | | | | Management Implications |
| Reports that are overdue. | | | | Assume that your workplace has its share of |
| Requests for meetings. | | | | frustration, grief and anger. Some of this might be |
| Bills waiting for your attention and checks to be signed. | | | | noticeable and much of it may not be visible. Doing |
| Consider the impact that grief brings to small business: | | | | nothing about these powerful emotions will likely breed |
| The census tells us that each year in the United States | | | | trouble. The trouble might include arguments, hard |
| there are 2.6 million deaths with an average of five | | | | feelings, conflicts, high employee turnover, absenteeism |
| grievers per death: 13 million grievers. | | | | and even carelessness leading to accidents or poor |
| There are 1.25 million divorces, each with two grievers | | | | quality of work. For the manager who ignores personal |
| not including children: 2.5 million grievers. | | | | emotions, poor quality of work means flawed decisions |
| There are 7.8 million romantic breakups: 15.6 million | | | | and questionable judgment: the kiss of death. |
| grievers. | | | | It would be good practice to vent out your powerful |
| The total grievers from these events is 31 million or | | | | emotions before beginning the workday and again |
| statically speaking about one in every ten persons. This | | | | when ending the workday. It would be good practice |
| does not reflect many other grief-producing and life | | | | to encourage any and all who work with you to use |
| shattering events such as wildfires in California, | | | | time outs, perhaps to get off alone and emote or |
| hurricanes and tornadoes, floods, loss of jobs, | | | | brood for a few minutes. Hospitals have grief rooms |
| bankruptcies, families having a child kidnapped, | | | | and rage rooms. That wouldn't be a bad idea for the |
| robberies, assaults, identity theft, news of serious or | | | | workplace! No manager wants their drivers to be on |
| fatal illness, and various other upheavals. It is a safe | | | | the verge of road rage or their associates to be |
| bet that you, the manager, or some of your workers, | | | | snarling at the customers or at each other. It takes |
| vendors, or associates are in deep grief at any given | | | | careful thought, however, as to the best way of |
| time. | | | | providing space, time and encouragement to support |
| Grieving makes management difficult. It is stress | | | | people in their humanness. Consultation helps: ask your |
| producing. The same is true for workers and | | | | people what would work for them. Good example also |
| associates. Generally speaking, persons in grief find | | | | helps: develop ways to work with your own frustration, |
| decision-making difficult and are prone to snap | | | | grief and anger and don't hide that from those around |
| judgments if pushed to make decisions. Emotions | | | | you. |
| sometimes override clear thinking. There is a need to | | | | One good way to promote a happy workplace is to |
| pull away and not interact. And there is always some | | | | take account of the human element. Yes, managers |
| amount of anger involved with grief. That is why | | | | and workers are human! |