Work stress? Don't fly off the handle

From The Straits Times
Published 16 Aug 2010

WASHINGTON: On a bad day at work, during an I-can't-take-it-anymore moment, we have all probably fantasised about telling our bosses to 'take this job and shove it'.

Last Monday, JetBlue Airways flight attendant Steven Slater did just that, in dramatic fashion: He activated and slid down a plane's emergency chute after allegedly arguing with a passenger over her baggage and berating passengers over the public address system.

His job-quitting performance has been hailed as heroic by many people, especially in the online universe.

To his admirers, Slater is a modern-day hero, an everyman who channelled the collective frustration of working people everywhere and did something decisive about it.

But not all of us are in a position to abruptly exit our jobs via an emergency chute, beer in hand.

And, career professionals argue, there are better ways to handle workplace stress.

Almost everyone has experienced uncivil treatment on the job, author Christine Porath, who co-wrote The Cost Of Bad Behaviour, told the Toronto Sun. So she said she was not surprised that people empathised with Slater.

'But I am surprised that people think his response was completely appropriate,' she told the paper. 'You hope they don't get to this breaking point. It's not exactly ideal.'

To Dr Robert Hogan, an expert on personality testing, Slater's blazing act of defiance was less a matter of dealing with workplace stress than a publicity stunt. According to him, Slater is what is known as a 'high colourful' personality who 'loves being the centre of attention'.

So how should the less colourful among us deal with workplace stress? Short of punching your boss in the nose, are there positive ways to deal with it?

For those who need their jobs, it seems, options are limited.

'Here's a really big-picture tip,' Dr Hogan said. 'Shut up and bear it. People who try to stick up for themselves always lose.'

'The trick is to say, 'I can learn something from this'. Tell yourself that if you ever become the person in charge, you won't treat others the way you've been treated,' he added.

Aside from that, Dr Hogan advised, try to avoid such stress in the first place by finding a job - and a work culture - that fits your personality. Also, he said, 'it's good to have somebody to talk to' about your workplace woes.

Most of all, he said: 'You have to control what's in your head. If you focus on how angry you are, you're done. Tell yourself, 'I've got to be an adult and do my job'. Don't let irritation or anger control your thought process. Just distract yourself. That's what counting to 10 is all about.'

What if all these fail and you feel you have to quit? Then, say the experts, do so gracefully.

Career consultants usually advise that quitting a job should be done with consideration and professionalism.

Supervisors should be notified in advance, typically at least two weeks before your last day. Employees attempting to leave should stay on top of their responsibilities and avoid insulting co-workers.

Ms Meg Montford, a career coach based in Kansas City, Missouri, said: 'Don't let your emotions overtake your logic, because the business world is a logical world. Emotions can get the best of us. Sometimes, if we express them inappropriately, we may regret it later.'

CareerMag.com, a website offering career information, advised impatient quitters to avoid burning bridges. They should think about the future, such as how former managers and co-workers may be contacted when you apply for other jobs.

But employees should still be honest about their problems with the company and the workplace when they leave, the website said.

As for our folk hero, T-shirts emblazoned with the message 'Free Steven Slater' are on sale, musicians are posting ballads on YouTube in homage to the fed-up flight attendant, websites are soliciting 'I quit' stories and he is the focus of more than a dozen fan pages on Facebook.

But Slater is also in big trouble. He has been charged with felonies, including criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, and released on US$2,500 (S$3,400) bail.

If convicted of the charges, he could face up to seven years in prison.

Some passengers are also coming forward to tell the media that Slater was agitated and petulant throughout the flight, and one suggested the flight attendant started the dispute.

Slater also now says he wants his old job back - but it seems unlikely that any airline will have him.

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