The Aggression Continuum: A Paradigm Shift
To identify the emergence of aggression, in itself, is not enough; you must foresee the possibility of conflict.
by John D. Byrnes

If our responsibility is the safety of those in our organization, isn't it essential that we prevent hazard as opposed to waiting to react to it? If all we intend to do is to react to aggression and violence, we will, at times, be confronted with physical violence; and although this may be rare, it is becoming less rare. As we enter into this new Millennium we need a paradigm shift, a shift from reacting to aggression/violence to a Paradigm of Prevention. Current methods for preventing aggression and violence in our workplaces are not working!

Since 1993, I have conducted a continuous study into the nature of aggression in humans and have concluded that one cannot get to prevention through the word "violence." Typically, "violence" conjures up fatality and physical assault, which causes two problems. First, those who have not experienced or witnessed violence for themselves may consider it a non-issue, at least until violence actually occurs. Second, when looking for a solution to violence, we tend to come up with Crisis Management--"I have a crisis and I need to manage it!" This is reactionary only! We, therefore, cannot get to prevention if we focus on the word violence.

The next conclusion in the achievement of prevention is based on the predicate "if you can measure it, you can manage it." As we look at conventional means of managing aggression, we see topics such as Conflict Resolution, Anger Management, and Managing with your Feelings. Conflict Resolution presupposes conflict; you are already reacting, you are already late in the process. The problem with anger is that we all measure anger differently and therefore experience it differently. There is no common denominator or metric for us to measure anger.

Articulating one's feelings accurately often eludes most of us. It is a complex, convoluted process to identify and understand our feelings, much less express them. It is even more difficult to identify, understand, and express the feelings of others. Think about one of the most popular sitcoms today, Frasier. Here, two brothers, both psychiatrists, attempting to express their feelings to each other, to roars of laughter. And the greatest laughter comes when their father, an ex-cop, yells at them "cut the crap." Humans, typically males, do not see the expression of their feelings as meaningful, much less a way to deal with aggression.

A Common Thread

In order to accomplish "if you can measure it, you can manage it," we developed a means to scan the entire issue of aggression. We used the term aggression because it covers everything from the genesis of anxiety through its ultimate destination, violence. We then identified a common thread throughout this process: the release of adrenaline. This is an over-simplification, but this gives us a meaningful and manageable template from which to work.

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Bill Siddle (the authors of "Psychological Effects of Combat," in Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict) have been conducting landmark studies in the area of adrenaline and violence, and Dr. Archibald D. Hart (the author of Adrenaline and Stress, The Exciting New Breakthrough that Helps You Overcome Stress Damage) also has conducted significant work relating adrenaline to stress. Grossman/Siddle and Hart allude to each other's work, but they do not complete the connection between adrenaline production, stress, and violence. We created the Aggression Continuum^TM in order to accomplish this end. The Aggression Continuum illustrates aggression from its genesis (stress) through its ultimate result (violence). The measurement is accomplished through monitoring the effects of emerging adrenaline on heart rate and the "non-verbal leakage" or body language that it produces, both in an individual we are observing and in ourselves.

The emergence of aggression occurs both cognitively and emotionally. We will track both processes in order to present a clear understanding of how to identify the emergence of aggression, foresee the possibility of conflict, and thereby gain the ability to engage and prevent conflict from occurring in others and in ourselves.

The Aggression Continuum

The Aggression Continuum starts with a graphic illustration of the process an aggressor experiences from the very outset of anxiety through the explosion of violence. For every incident there are pre-incidents. We teach Aggression Managers^TM the skill to identify these pre-incidents.

The Trigger Phase^TM. We all experience the explosions of anxiety called triggers: We wake up late; go into the kitchen for coffee and breakfast and find none; with stomach grumbling, we leave the house and get to the bottom of the driveway only to find we have forgotten it's garbage day; we drag the garbage to the road; now we are late and we have to face the morning traffic! We all experience these triggers, but we cope with them.

For the individual who can no longer cope, one anxiety follows another and these accumulated anxieties lead into the Escalation Phase^TMand Mounting Anxiety^TM, as shown in our graphic. Mounting Anxiety changes us. It changes our behavior, our body language, and the way we communicate with each other.

Some of the subjects that fall within the spectrum of the Aggression Continuum are: Verbal Abuse, Fear Management, Anger Management, Conflict Management/Resolution, Bullying, Sexual Harassment, Management-Labor Disputes, Domestic Violence Spillover, Road Rage, Air Rage, Student-Teacher Conflict, Student-Student Conflict, Patient/Family-Health Care Professional Conflict, Employee-Employee and Employee-Supervisor Conflict, Fist Fights, Robbery, Predator-Victim, Militancy-Terrorism, Homicide in the Workplace.

Identifying the Emergence of Aggression and Foreseeing the Possibility of Conflict

These two elements of the Aggression Continuum are crucial to effective Aggression Management. To identify the emergence of aggression, in itself, is not enough; you must foresee the possibility of conflict. Embedded within that foreseeability is the sense of urgency and the motivation to do something. and do it now!

As an individual can no longer cope with his triggered anxiety, as one trigger accumulates on another, this potential aggressor now enters the Escalation Phase and Mounting Anxiety. This Mounting Anxiety differs from normal "Stress and Anxiety" because it creates changes that we, as Aggression Managers, can identify. These changes come on three levels: behavior, body language, and interpersonal communications. Obviously, the better you know an individual, the more easily you can identify the changes occurring.

Behavior is our first overt glimpse into aggression in others, where intent is our first glimpse of aggression in ourselves. Aggressive behavior can be something as subtle as scattered and disjointed thinking by an individual who is normally methodical and pragmatic. This change in behavior should cause us to engage the person with, "I see that you are a little scattered today, tell me about it?!" Then, you shut up and allow this person to share his story. You maybe defusing what otherwise might have become an incident of aggression.

Aggressive Behavior follows a linear progression covering nine stages that encompass the complete spectrum of aggression. Referring to: Escalation of Aggressive Behavior, you will see that this process starts with Hardening. When an individual moves away from a win/win solution and begins to harden his position on his issue versus your issues, that individual is beginning on a path of aggression that ultimately could result in violence to you and those in your care. It is important that one understands this progression, because embedded in this understanding is the sense of urgency to start taking action now to defuse aggression--before it becomes conflict, much less violence.

What Does Workplace Aggression Cost?

Fear of a violent incident is not the only reason for preventing aggression in your organization. Do you know what the cost of aggression is in your workplace? We have learned that the United Kingdom's Royal Mail has determined that its cost from aggression, what officials there termed "employee friction," is £247,000,000 per year.

When there are aggressors in your workforce, no one else wants to be there. This causes tardiness, absenteeism, and finally, turnover. The cost to productivity is profound. Diminished aggression in the workplace yields greater productivity. Imagine a future where productivity is significantly enhanced and employee satisfaction is at an all-time high.

As individuals responsible for safety, it is essential for us to prevent aggression and violence in our organizations. Now, you know how to get started. If you would like to learn more, read additional articles at www.AggressionManagement.com

John D. Byrnes (JohnByrnes@AggressionManagement.com) is President and Founder of the Center for Aggression Management, Inc. in Lake Mary, Fla.


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