Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
If you surf the web enough, you eventually find an expert to tell you that whatever it is you're doing anyway is the right thing to do. Exhibit A, from PsychNET, the website of the American Psychological Association, in a list of research abstracts:
The authors examine whether and how observing anger influences thinking processes and problem-solving ability. In 3 studies, the authors show that participants who listened to an angry customer were more successful in solving analytic problems, but less successful in solving creative problems compared with participants who listened to an emotionally neutral customer. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors further show that observing anger communicated through sarcasm enhances complex thinking and solving of creative problems.
So the next time you're tempted to explode at an airline employee, or scream at the guy on the other end of the customer service 800 number, or subject an underling to withering and nasty sarcasm, remember: this is helping them. This is how you make things better and more productive.
Armed with this new scientific information, I'm heading down to the DMV to get my license renewed.
Think about all of the people there I can help! Think about how much better they're all going to be at complex thinking and solving creative problems after I'm done with them.
Memo to the Tea Party: try this as a research-proven tactic. If each Tea Party member shouted angrily at, say, 10 federal employees each day, we'd have a perfectly humming, super-efficient, rationally managed federal government. The science doesn't lie.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
I don't know about actual employees. But dropping the F-bomb on automated answering machines does make them work better. The one I have my miles on recognizes that word and sends you right to an agent.
On the other hand, most of these studies are like this....
Dec '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
Best news I've read today! Does it work on kids?
Dec '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
Rob, you should yell at a friend before you go, just in case he or she has to use analytical skills to figure out how to get you out of a jam.
May '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
Not mine. :-\
Feb '11
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
It works on insurance people, as I have been telling my wife for years.
Jan '11
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
I sold my soul to make room for more sarcasm; now I have proof that it was a wise investment.
Sep '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
Thank goodness we can tear up the Ricochet Code of Conduct. And FeliciaB, about those shoes...
Sep '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
Is it impolitic to mention that I'm not currently wearing underwear?
Jul '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
How's that workin' for Weiner?
Jun '10
Re: Anger & Sarcasm Make the Workplace More Productive
Felicia, I 'liked' your comment because I know your love for the "like" feature...