Our other articles on workplace violence describe its nature and scope, our POST formula and behavior profile, and defusing techniques. Here we describe the warning signs and trigger events… and what to do when you spot them.
Tea POSTCARD Formula for the Prevention of Labor Violence:
Pprofile +
EITHERObservable Warning Signs +
yeshot gun +
THandling Event(s) =
HASforever
Letal
The Profile is most useful during the hiring process, to screen out potential perpetrators. For your existing workforce, and when it comes to external people, we turn to…
Observable Warning Signs
These warning signs, which may be newly acquired negative traits, parallel and overlap with the profile, but now we focus on current behavior. So, instead of a prior history of violence, our first warning sign is seen…
- Violent and threatening behavior
For Patrick Sherrill (the first postal worker to “go postal” in 1986), it was tying up neighborhood dogs with bilge wire and a deep fascination with guns. In general, this also includes:
- Destruction of property or threats of sabotage
- Disregard for the safety of others or violation of safety procedures.
- Threats, intimidation, harassment, e.g. e.g., Seung-Hui Cho of Virginia Tech and Harris and Klebold of Columbine (as perpetrators and victims)
- Violence against a family member, for example, Mark Barton murdered his wife and children just before his massacre at the Atlanta daily trade
- Stalk or harass others. Cho was involved in at least three stalking incidents, the first occurring 18 months before his rampage. In addition, he made harassing phone calls to his roommate and took cell phone photos of the female students’ legs under their desks.
Patrick Sherrill’s neighbors noted his strange behavior in the neighborhood: mowing lawns at midnight and looking in neighbors’ windows while in combat fatigues. His co-workers said that he preferred his own company and described him as enigmatic. Cho was known as the boy with the question mark. He had an imaginary girlfriend who lived in outer space.
In general, strange behavior can include:
- Becoming lonely, for example, a sudden withdrawal from friends or acquaintances.
- Poor personal hygiene or a run-down, unkempt appearance
- Inappropriate dress, e.g. e.g. Cho never took off his sunglasses, even indoors
- Strange or paranoid behavior.
- Erratic behavior or an extreme change in behavior.
For example, Patrick Sherrill was often angry and depressed. A district court found that Cho was: “an imminent danger to himself as a result of mental illness.” Teachers described him as insecure and depressed, just like the kids at Columbine. This may also include:
- drug or alcohol abuse
- Apparently being under unusual stress; signs of depression or despondency
- Inappropriate emotional display, for example, yelling, explosive outbursts, rage, crying
Sherrill’s co-workers perceived him as a troublesome employee and a constant failure. Virginia Tech declined to release details about Cho’s transcript, but Cho’s mother grew increasingly concerned about his inattention to classwork and time spent outside of the classroom. Performance issues can also include:
- Inability to concentrate…decreased energy or focus
- Impaired job performance.
- Attendance problems or tardies
- Greater need for supervision… co-workers have to pick up the slack
Cho was described as clumsy and lonely… arrogant and obnoxious… shy, silly and aggressive. Sherrill was a habitual complainer. This may also include:
- Numerous conflicts with supervisors and other employees
- Hypersensitivity or extreme suspicion
- resentment and frustration
- exaggerated perceptions of injustice
The last warning sign on our list is also the last warning sign that a potential perpetrator is likely to display. For example:
- He has a plan to solve all problems. What do you think that plan might entail?
- Indicators of impending suicide (eg, property sales, credit union account closing).
- Other indications of extreme despair, marital discord, financial distress, etc.
Cho bought guns in the two months before his attack, spent time at a local shooting range, started working out at the gym and shaved his head military-style. Also, there was the media package that Cho sent to NBC News. [It was not received until after the massacre, of course, but wouldn’t his roommates have had some awareness of its preparation?]
Shotgun
The ‘S’ in our POST formula is simply access to and familiarity with weapons, not just shotguns, but also pistols, rifles, explosives, and knives (or box cutters). Also training in martial arts.
Patrick Sherrill had been a Marine sniper and a member of the National Guard marksmanship team. Cho and the Columbine boys picked up this ability.
The shotgun is not a warning sign. Gun hunters and collectors are not more likely to commit workplace violence unless they are obsessed with their guns. It’s just that, without access to and familiarity with guns, the violence is probably not lethal.
triggering events)
The triggering event is the straw that breaks the camel’s back or the straw that breaks the camel’s back, experienced by the perpetrators as if there were no way out, no more options. This could be:
- Job/career related
- Corporate
- personal crises
- Reference date
Patrick Sherrill’s rampage appeared to be an act of revenge for a poor performance review. The morning before the murders, the senior supervisor threatened to fire Sherrill…and she was scheduled to meet with his immediate supervisor the morning of the murders to discuss performance issues. Remember the meaning of the obsession with work in the Profile. But work- or career-related events, like being disciplined, fired, or even criticized, are just one type. It can also be…
— foreclosure, bankruptcy, restraining order, or custody hearing.
For example, divorce, the death of a family member, or a failed or rejected romance, as it might have been for Eric Harris, whose girlfriend had recently broken up with him. It can even be a…
For example, turning 40 or a 10-year company anniversary… and feeling like you’re not going anywhere in life. Or the anniversary of some other event that is significant to the individual. The Columbine massacre occurred on April 20. Do you know whose birthday it is? Adolf Hitler. It’s not a date most of us celebrate or even know about, but it’s a significant one for these two budding neo-Nazis.
All of us have experienced one or more of these unpleasant events in our lives, which probably triggered negative feelings. Such events can trigger violence in those who are already prepared for it, ie fit the Profile and/or display the Observable Warning Signs.
These events would tend to shake anyone’s sense of balance, at least temporarily. A person prone to violence is already unbalanced. The triggering event pushes him over the edge.
Application of observable warning signs and trigger events
Look for observable warning signs and trigger events as you:
- Dealing with your employees on a day-to-day basis
- Interact with customers… and observe strangers
How you handle people exhibiting the warning signs will vary considerably depending on the severity and the situation. At a minimum, sit back and listen to the troubled employee or customer.
The absolute: Never ignore!
In the words of the husband of one of the Lockheed-Martin victims:
Obviously, he was a sick guy. I wish someone had helped him…before he destroyed my life and my children’s.
Our recipe for preventing employee-initiated violence is:
- Volunteering, motivational management practices [Some organizations are breeding grounds for violence.]
- Appropriate use of counseling, EAP, disciplinary action, and/or law enforcement
- Employee and Manager Training: All Employees Should Know the Warning Signs (and Anger Defusal Techniques Covered in Our Other Article)
- Strong security measures that, at a minimum, remove the shotgun from the equation
- And a zero tolerance policy against violence, effectively communicated and enforced
A word about zero tolerance: This term is often used to refer to applying the same harsh punishment even for minor offences. That is not what we mean. Minor offenses and potential red flags should never be tolerated or ignored, but your response should be proportionate and appropriate.
The goal of this article has been to prevent violence from occurring in your workplace, at least at the initiative of employees. Our “Deactivate Hostility” article will show you how to deal with strangers and potentially violent incidents.
