Joe Smith was mad. How could the evaluator possibly fail him on his checkride? The guy was nowhere near the pilot Joe was, and this failure was going to cost him his CAP flying position. Well, Joe would fix that. The evaluator was due to fly again in an hour. Joe wondered just how good a pilot he would be when his fuel line suddenly came loose in flight. The evaluator couldn’t submit Joe’s checkride score if he wasn’t around could he? Joe headed out to the flight line and he was beginning to smile.

While this example is fictitious, and a bit extreme, it could happen – to you! Millions of Americans are the victims of workplace violence every year. Millions more are harassed or threatened. The Civil Air Patrol is addressing workplace violence because we want to promote awareness in our members in both their professional and private lives. In today’s society of extraordinary stress and increasing pressure to "do more with less", it is important to understand why violence occurs. It’s also important to recognize the signs of a potentially dangerous situation, prevent instances of violence and have an emergency action plan in case the unthinkable happens and you find yourself or your co-workers victims.

Workplace violence can be defined as "physical or verbal outbursts directed at an individual or organization. This can include physical violence, vandalism, arson, threats, harassment, or intimidation." But why do individuals resort to violence? Although there can never be any "reason" for inflicting violent behavior on anyone, there are many contributors which can lead individuals to become frustrated, angry and in the end – violent. Some of these factors are listed below:

Although the list is not all-inclusive, it showcases the more predominant causes of workplace violence. These conditions can lead to conflicts, confrontations and eventually, tragedy. Obsessive love affairs, unrequited love and even domestic disputes can spillover into the workplace and cause people to resort to violent behavior. Now that we’ve discussed some of the factors, let’s look at how you recognize the warning signs.

Members resorting to violence don’t just "snap", they leave warning signs along the way. In some cases they are hoping to get caught or may even be crying out for help. It is up to everyone to recognize and report individuals who exhibit hostility and openly threaten others or the organization. Knowing what to look for can prevent tensions from escalating into violence and can even save lives.

The first sign that an individual may be contemplating revenge against either a specific person or organization is an open threat. There are three types of threats; the first is a direct threat such as "I’ll get even with him". This is the most personal and should be considered the most critical warning sign. Report this to your supervisor or the person threatened immediately. The second type is a veiled threat. This type of threat is usually indirect and uses hypothetical situations like, "I wonder what would happen if somebody crashed the mainframe computer?" Again, report this type of threat immediately. The third type of threat is the conditional threat such as, "If they fire me, somebody is going to get it." As with the other threats, reporting this immediately could prevent damage to CAP property and save lives.

However, there are other less obvious signs that an individual is contemplating physical violence. While not outward measures of aggression, they should still be viewed in terms of their potential for hostility. If nothing else, they may indicate a troubled person and one in need of professional help. These other signs are if a person:

It is important to remember that a potentially violent person may not exhibit any, some or all of these characteristics. Not all incidents involve bodily injury to others. Stalking and touching other members, shouting or otherwise intimidating others is also considered violence, and should be reported. These are early signs and may be precursors to more violent tendencies. Equally important is not jumping to hasty conclusions or judging people prematurely or unfairly. Try to talk to the person and see if the behavior is simply related to a "bad day" and not a long-term problem. The best discriminator is simply using common sense and avoiding stereotyping people or being consumed by paranoia. Be on guard, but don’t suspect every little thing is leading to disaster.

Violence is the act of an irrational person and it can be extremely hazardous to openly confront someone in the act of exacting revenge against those they perceive as having wronged him or her. However, you can take measures to minimize someone’s behavior escalation from bad feelings to physical violence. The first step is to educate yourself and your subordinates about early warning signs and contributing factors to workplace violence. Everyone needs to realize that in today’s environment, external stresses can create enormous pressures and release from these stresses may come in the form of violence at the unit. People may have high expectations placed on them by family members or they may do it to themselves. In either case, failure to meet goals may trigger a violent reaction. The second step to prevention is to routinely conduct "feedback" sessions with your subordinates and encourage other supervisors to as well. Feedback provides members with realistic goals and expectations and a chance to voice complaints. This will prevent misperceptions of performance and give you more hands-on knowledge of what your people are concerned about, how they feel about their role in the unit and what they expect in the future. This could be critical in early detection of disgruntled members and prevent misperceptions from spiraling out of control. Thirdly, cultivate and maintain an "open door" policy. This ensures everyone feels they can come to you with complaints and concerns. If people feel they are being heard and they are part of the organization, instances of dissatisfaction are reduced and people are more productive. Finally, take every threat seriously. If someone elevates a concern or threat, thoroughly investigate it immediately. This protects all members, the member under investigation and the CAP. We can never completely eliminate the threat of violence, but we can take steps to minimize the possibility.

Stress is probably the biggest contributing factor in workplace violence. The stresses of everyday life and unexpected problems can simply be too much for people to handle. Fortunately there are many things you can do to reduce stress and realize no problem is insurmountable. Some of these basic stress management techniques are:

Each of these techniques helps you better deal with stress physically and emotionally, and will help you feel better about yourself, your co-workers and life.

Conflict resolution is still another way to reduce stress. Keeping problems bottled up inside will only make them seem worse and insurmountable. If you have a problem with a specific person, seek that individual out and ask to speak openly and honestly with them. It is possible they don’t even know that there is a problem. Sometimes a mediator is required to help negotiate a settlement between two parties. But the goal should be the same: an amicable solution to the problem at hand and resumption of a productive work environment. Conflict resolution can defuse problems before they become explosive and prevent small problems from becoming major issues. However, conflict resolution should not be undertaken lightly and only by specially trained personnel. If at any time you feel over your head, seek advice from your supervisor or professional guidance. Dealing with day-to-day problems (motivation, wear of the uniform, minor conflict type details) is okay, but if it involves serious, long term issues then you might need to defer to a professional counselor. For more information, review the lesson on conflict resolution.

Despite all your efforts, violence may come to your unit and you need to be prepared. Each work environment will have unique characteristics that will drive the emergency action plan, but in general, any plan should include at least the following:

4) First aid kits in the office for treating injuries should the unthinkable happen.

These steps may seem extreme, but violence in the unit can be extreme too! Whatever plan you develop, make sure your employees know it and how to implement it.

Violence in the workplace is a fact of life today. The pressure to perform at an exceptional level and to climb the "corporate ladder" can be high. Ignoring the early warning signs of hostile or threatening behavior can lead to tragedy. Educating personnel, encouraging people to communicate their problems and concerns and actively addressing problems will foster an environment of cooperation and promote teamwork. If a violent incident does take place however, have an action plan in place and don’t become a statistic.