Advantages of Anger: Activating Awareness and Achievement

We say that conflict is normal. Anger is normal too and is often the byproduct of unresolved conflict. Anger is like fire. Fire can be fuel to propel something forward, like make an engine work, or it can be something that burns things to the ground. It is for the the tendency for fear to be destructive that people fear anger. It can be feel difficult to connect to someone who appears angry.

Anger almost always shows up in conflict. People feel threatened, wronged, disrespected, frustrated, helpless and these things come out in the form of anger. It's not the presence of anger that is the problem, it the 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 of a problem. We all know that it's what we do with that anger that determines what happens next.

Anger can serve valuable purposes - igniting us to find solutions and motivating us to tackle the core issues in a dispute. It helps us identify our needs and speaks to the problems that need to be solved. It propels us to want to right what we perceive as wrong. However, unchecked, anger can intensify the conflict and disrupt communication, blocking the path to understanding and resolution.

The key to harnessing anger is not to deny it or ignore it or try to suppress it. It's certainly not to disallow it. The key is to recognize it, own it, and discover what is motivating it. It is to name the unmet need or the problem that needs to be solved. This is done through open communication, active listening, striving to comprehend different viewpoints and working toward resolutions that serve all.

When managed well, anger becomes less of an adversary and more of a constructive force - a means to clear misunderstandings and forge a path towards outcomes that honor the perspectives of all involved. Understanding and channeling our anger wisely, we can navigate through disagreement with purpose and intentionality, potentially strengthening relationships rather than straining them further. It is the skillful management of this potent emotion that can transform confrontations into opportunities for growth and connection.