Handling a Hostile Coworker Sample Discussion

Dr. Connor is undoubtedly a good doctor who is committed to his job, however, his anger and drinking issues could ruin his relationship with coworkers and the supervisor. These issues can be handled by different individuals including the manager, supervisor, human resource manager (HRM), and coworkers. In such situation, coworkers should first document the behavior of the employee while giving the chronology of events (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2020).

In this case, the coworkers should then tell Dr. Connor how his behaviors affect them and observe how he responds. If he fails to correct, they should report to the supervisor or HRM who will talk to him about the code of conduct. Finally, the manager will discuss with Dr. Connor and may decide to reprimand him for his behaviors. On the other hand, the janitor played a role in aggravating the fight. He directly attacked Dr. Connor yet he knew he had anger issues. When handling individuals with anger issues, it is advisable that one remains calm and addresses the other person cautiously while avoiding outbursts.

Role of Anger Management Education

Dr. Connor should be referred to the anger management team who will help in handling his anger issues. Anger management is made up of specialized trained individuals who deal with behavior modification in people with anger issues (Jalil & Dickens, 2018). Further, according to Kfouri & Lee (2019), any individual with anger issue can benefit, however, it is directed specifically to people who are violent offenders, those who bully others, those with substance dependence, and mentally ill people with anger issues.

Individuals in this therapy are engaged in constructive responses that help in identifying triggers to anger. They are trained to understand how anger interacts with their body and the emotional response that ensues. Furthermore, the therapist used special techniques such as meditation, relaxation strategies, frustration management, impulse control, and self-awareness in the management of anger (Yang et al., 2017). The ultimate goal is to reduce and control anger. This helps in reducing both psychological and physical effects caused by anger.

References

  • Buljac-Samardzic, M., Doekhie, K. D., & van Wijngaarden, J. D. H. (2020). Interventions to improve team effectiveness within health care: a systematic review of the past decade. Human Resources for Health, 18(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0411-3
  • Jalil, R., & Dickens, G. L. (2018). A systematic review of studies of mental health nurses’ experience of anger and of its relationships with their attitudes and practice. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 25(3), 201–213. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12450
  • Kfouri, J., & Lee, P. E. (2019). Conflict among colleagues: Health care providers feel undertrained and unprepared to manage inevitable workplace conflict. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 41(1), 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2018.03.132
  • Yang, L.-Y., Yang, Y.-Y., Huang, C.-C., Liang, J.-F., Lee, F.-Y., Cheng, H.-M., Huang, C.-C., & Kao, S.-Y. (2017). Simulation-based interprofessional education to improve attitudes towards collaborative practice: a prospective comparative pilot study in a Chinese medical center. BMJ Open, 7(11), e015105. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015105