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Oscar Wilde once said "the world belongs to the discontented." Tom Peters once advised to never promote people that weren't angry. And last but not least, Seth Godin once blogged that "Angry people are different." And they're all spot on--and not just because guru's are always spot on. But because last week I was angry and I friggin loved it.
Embracing your anger may be the most radical idea since pole dancing as cardio, but I'd like to suggest it to all those reading. Below are 3 benefits I've encountered by embracing my inner grumpy.
1. My productivity skyrocketed--Honestly, I was driven by the need to prove a point. Perhaps it's my insistence on being right or maybe it's just the rebel in me. But if you think I'm not ready, I'll show you that I am. So I took the feedback and made it applicable. All of a sudden I was stepping outside of my comfort box, influencing my peers, embracing challenges, and even opening myself up to being wrong. I was doing all the things that are in the "how to be a great leader" manual and, at the same time, all the things that I deemed difficult...until I became angry.
2. My credibility skyrocketed--Credibility isn't always earned when you're young in your career; in fact, most of the time it's given. The notion that it can be earned at twenty-something gives a false sense of control. As my mentor once said, "the only way to be credible is to be GREAT". For most of us rat racers, great is still in the eyes of the boss beholder. Once my productivity improved, my beholder felt I was producing great things and producing them in a timely manner. Ask Gen X: achievements that are packaged as "validated" are a much easier pill to swallow than achievements that just make you feel good.
3. Good feelings skyrocketed--I tell you what, it's a lot easier to feel good things when "really really bad" is your starting point. Finding a reason to actually stop and smell some doggone roses is difficult when you're on a roll, but when your world begins to resemble that of a septic tank, trust me you're searching for a rose!...Any rose! My anger gave life to niceties that are often ignored in a weak attempt to manage performance by prioritizing thank you's.
I'm not suggesting that we all walk around mad but with benefits like these, it certainly makes it easier to accept that smiling really CAN hurt your health.
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Comments
08.12.08
I don't know if I have ever leveraged anger but certainly indignation. I absolutely hate looking incompetent. When someone challenges me in that respect, it gives me an extra incentive to work harder. I know that it can be a bit backwards, but it works.
08.12.08
As a society, we seem to have a problem with anger. Anger is just another emotion, and therefore it's neither good nor bad; it just is. What is good or bad is what you do with your anger (also true for other emotions). Channeling it productively can be a worthwhile application of powerful feelings.
08.12.08
Interesting comment. Positives of Anger. We all know the negatives (saying things you don't mean to say, etc).
My opinion is that all feelings are valid. If I'm angry, too angry, then I'm not very productive. If I'm just a little pissed, then sure that's energizing, and probably can be channeled.
The goal is to feel angry, and then let it go, as you want to. It's great to be angry at injustice, at poverty, at lack of education for children. It's great to be angry enough to be motivated. If it becomes the only way to be motivated, then that's not so great.
Women, minorities, and youth (and polite white men), have always been told not to express their anger, and being able to express a suppressed feeling is great - very empowering.
Go for the joy, too. My few cents.
08.13.08
@Vanessa--Totally agree with you. Sometimes I have a southern drawl and there's a guy at my office who tries to play like I'm a Clampett...I swear, he IS extra incentive for me
@KateNonymous--Well said! Thank you for discovering the long lost last paragraph of my post lol. Dang I wish I would've thought of that.
@Yvette--YES! Empowering. That's a good word for it. And you make a great point, if anger is your only catalyst all the time it's probably not going to be as productive.
08.13.08
Anger, when used properly, can be a good catalyst for hard work. I do accounts receivable for a company and nothing gets me more motivated than when a company doesn't pay up. As a result, I get fired up and things start happening.
I think a life filled with nothing but anger is a quick trip to misery, though. I think anger, like neatness, is something that is best used strategically. Either of those, when used as a lifestyle, is likely to end in tears (either from smashed things or too many hand washings.)
08.14.08
I think it's a waste of energy to have to manage around someone else's anger, unless it is properly focused and directed in a productive manner. And don't underestimate the importance of being liked in getting ahead - angry people are generally not going to be well-liked.
I just did a blog on "Love Thy Customer" I bet you blog would kick my blog's ass.
08.15.08
@Erika--We may be Mitchell cousins :) And I like how you compared anger to neatness. I'd love to see all the interesting ways you "collect" from companies that owe you money lol
@bradley--I agree, angry people are not fun. It's tough to have an open door culture if you always have to gauge someone's reaction before you go and speak to them!
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