“the myth”
I finally heard it. I mean, I have heard people say “its a myth that people just snap”. But I have never heard anyone say that. I was beginning to think that it was a myth that it was a myth. But then I read this article Workplace Violence and Termination Etiquette. “Seemingly ‘regular’ people who appear to have simply ’snapped’,” is his leading hypothesis. As an attention grabber, it is not bad but the problem is that it gets worse.
I am not sure where he got this opinion or if he came up with it all by himself but the conclusion that it is usually ‘the quiet person’ who will kill co-workers is dangerous in itself, if it is considered well researched advice. His expertise derived from being a play-write and former union rep (he almost sounds sympathetic as he recounts how they only go after management - another bit of mis-information).
The message that violence in the workplace is unpredictable and only preventable through “draconian” measures is sadly mis-informed. And yes, I have many cases where non-witness survivors knew who did it and were shocked but not surprised when it finally happened. But the worst part was the limiting of solutions was to put us all on lock-down and hyper surveillance. It may not have much bearing what he believes or states. I am more concerned about anyone who might think he is right.
Violence can be prevented. But only when we all realize that there is connection between us all. To stop seeing each other as ‘the other’. There is no policy or program that can do this. But you can.