We live in increasingly stressful times with people flaring up over trivial things. At this point, it’s fair to say that the knowledge of how to handle anger or angry responses is essential. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 ways to respond to anger.
Listen
When a person is angry all they really want is to vent their feelings out to someone, howbeit violently. Unfortunately, this zeal to vent falls on those who are at closest proximity to them. One great thing to do is to simply listen to the person express their anger until they calm down or wear themselves out. Simply hear them out.
Do Not Analyse
Avoid analyzing all you have listened to and avoid responding at the moment. Don’t worry yourself about if you agree or disagree with all that’s being said. Anger is a largely irrational emotion, therefore your thoughts and feelings about the situation are best kept to yourself when one is angry, especially if you’re the subject of their anger or you’re personally involved.
Avoid Apologizing
You would think apologizing will calm an angry person down but most times it isn’t so. Many times, apologizing aggravates the person’s anger. Most times, a person is angry because they are not able to get their way with you or with a situation. The key to calming an angry person is to either remain quiet (which can be taken for compliance) or gently acknowledging the person’s anger and assuring the person of your compliance.
Try to Reason with the Person
Later on, when the person is calmer you can address irrational aspect of their outburst and try to reason with them. They are more likely to listen, if they haven’t already realized their own irrationality. If they don’t reason with you and you’re not ready to actually comply, you can opt out of or distance yourself from the situation or person. You can also be patient and give the person time to prove themselves right or wrong.
Try To Relate
It’s okay to question yourself a little. It’s the healthy and humble thing to do. Question your fault in the situation; try to see things from another perspective to confirm the certainty of your views. Be sure you’re on the right track, if you are, then you can either decide to opt out or if you can afford it, give the person time to prove themselves right or wrong. Also, try to relate with the person and understand where the person is coming from. This can help you solve the problem or misunderstanding easily.
Protect Yourself
Keep a safe distance from someone who is angry. It’s a well-known fact that people tend to get physical, threatening and abusive when angry. This is mainly because anger is a largely violent and dangerous emotion. You need to trust your instincts and properly assess the situation. If at any point, you feel threatened or in danger, leave the area immediately without hesitation and without saying anything else to the person (run if you have to, you’re not being coward, you’re being smart.)
Damilola Ojo | PR Associate Jumia Travel
Photo: Wiki
