Should one shout at work to get things done?

Last week during an interview, a person told me that they were in a terrible mood and shouted at their employees.

Following this conversation, Mitali and I did a little research to find out if shouting at work had benefits…. And we were surprised to find an article in the Economist mentioning that getting angry at work was beneficial because it can be an indication of unfairness or a motivator for change. Holding in anger can cause stress and health issues, so it's better to express it constructively to improve communication and resolve conflicts.

Mitali and I then decided to see how you felt about bad temper and if you saw the benefits of shouting in the office environment…. The results were impressive:

82% of the respondents believe that anger can negatively impact a person;?

9% believe that it can have positive effects and push one to do better.

We agree with the majority... surely bad temper at work can’t create a healthy environment?

Several Amazon employees have reported instances of Jeff Bezos displaying anger and verbally abusing them. His behavior has created a culture where his executives also feel entitled to treat employees disrespectfully.

This does not only concern shouting, it also includes behaviors known as “management by terror” in the hope that employees will be more effective if they are scared. Effectively these methods do not align with the modern workplace and are methods of another age which will create a negative environment and lead to the loss of talent.

Do you think losing your temper at work is professional?

Full article from the Economist stated above: www.economist.com/business/2024/02/29/why-you-should-lose-your-temper-at-work