Anger management for entrepreneurs is...critical

We are an angry generation! Everyone is bound to get angry at some of time or another and entrepreneurs are no exceptions. Running a #startup is no easy job; we must shoulder the responsibilities of not just ideating and #innovating but also managing our teams and making all sorts of decisions. All this causes immense pressure on us and creates frustration and anger. But what matters is what do you do with your anger: Do you create or destroy? Do you vent or hide it? Do you channelize it or let it flow freely? Do you act impulsively? Can you manage it and use it productively?

Contrary to popular belief, anger is not always a bad emotion in the business world. I believe we just need to understand the root cause of the anger, find ways to channelize it and effectively manage the situation without acting on impulse or creating further unsavoury outcomes. I wish to clarify that I am not promoting anger, just saying that anger can sometimes be good if properly channelized.

“Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.” – Benjamin Franklin

From personal experience, I know this statement is true. There have been times when I have gone all guns blazing on #employees, giving them a piece of my mind when I found them flouting rules or making mistakes. As clichéd as it may sound, it was just momentary satisfaction that I received from reprimanding them. I realized that this action on my part has a multiplier effect. I have managed to disrupt my own mind space while also creating more angry people in the workspace, reducing their productivity and creating a general feeling of dissatisfaction for at least a day or two. This got me thinking of other ways I could have handled these situations so that the employees know that their behaviour is unacceptable, without antagonizing them and spoiling my own peace of mind.

One of the ways I found for #angermanagement is to keep an anger diary. Keep noting down the situations in which I was angry in thoughts as well as action and reflect on the same. This helped me understand where I lose it and why. For instance, I value punctuality and people’s impunctuality is my trigger and leads me to say things that are regrettable, and that still does not solve the problem of impunctuality. So, I found an interesting way of dealing with it. In meetings it was decided that we will fine Rs 100 per minute of late coming and in 2 meetings I found most coming 5 minutes before time or some huffing and puffing to make it on time leading to meeting starting on time.

From my experience, the other important anger management tool I have learnt is to develop empathy and patience. When we develop empathy, we can reason out to ourselves about why someone has acted a particular way and understand their context, rather than not lash out immediately. This, in turn, will enable us to effectively communicate with them.

As #entrepreneurs, we also need to be wary of placing unrealistic expectations on our teams. It is a source of anger and frustration when they do not meet our standards and expectations. We need to understand that we do not always get the best people for the job, considering startups cannot afford handsome pay packages or swanky offices. We sometimes do settle for the second or third best talent. It is crucial, then, to adjust our expectations and help our teams build their capacity over time.

I would like to leave you with a quote from Ambrose Bierce, an American writer and journalist, “Speak when you are #angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

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