Written By Robert D. Sollars
- Continual Excuses
Usually, when you think of continual excuses from someone, it’s usually from a toddler, child, or even teenagers. While those groups may be the most prevalent it also goes for individuals who may be thinking about committing violence inside of their work address.
School violence fits in here as well. Every time that someone is caught doing something, they shouldn’t they will probably deny it or at the very least make an excuse for why they were doing whatever. This is a part of the lineage of violence.
Unfortunately, far too many times, parents, co-workers, supervisors, teachers, and everyone else just ignore the excuses as someone who has an issue they can’t solve. They can’t solve it, until of course, the individual explodes into violence and hurts someone, then they themselves deny and make excuses.
It comes from both employees as well as supervisory/managerial staff. And in either event, it’s not good. It really doesn’t matter whether the excuse is “I forgot” or they’re off duty. If excuses are becoming common, then it is raising a problem that needs to be addressed.
An example of supervisory excuses is that a friend of mine was at work and waiting for her relief to show up and she had another friend of mine carpooling with her. The 2nd friend went outside to wait until the other was off duty. While the friend was sitting outside, the supervisor came by and told the 1st friend that ‘Didn’t anyone tell you that your relief isn’t here and is running an hour late?’ It was said in a condescending manner to her.
After a few minutes, the supervisor walks out and sees the 2nd friend sitting there. She tells the employee that she’s sorry about it and continues walking to her car. The 2nd employee and the supervisor live 2 blocks from each other and thought they were friends. The supervisor never offered a ride to the employee, even though she was riding alone. This is unforgivable to me.
The supervisor may have been off duty however, the duty to her employee remained, especially if they lived so close. Just because your off duty, doesn’t mean you can ignore the employee or supervisor, and there was no prohibition on employees and supervisors riding together at their employment site. The supervisor’s excuse? I forgot and didn’t think about it.
These kinds of excuses will start employees beginning to be disgruntled and think about disparate treatment from their supervisors. Definitely, a red flag to watch for if it happens on a continual basis.
- Concentration Problems
Again, a similarity between adults and teenagers and violence is the idea of concentration problems. It’s not just the normal lack of sleep, that millennials seem to have in abundance, but more of a lack of focus in what they are doing. These individuals could be walking into walls or doors more often or falling up the stairs (by tripping on a step going up or getting tangled in something). In any event, they are distracted, unfocused, and can’t seem to concentrate on anything of significance. It could be a romantic break-up that is causing it, family stress, or they could be contemplating another way out of an issue that has been bothering them for weeks, months, or even years…can we say homicide or suicide?
- Cruelty to Animals
Think this is only for younger kids and teenagers? You need to think again about that assumption. Being cruel to small animals, no matter what they are, wild or pets is a sure sign that trouble could be percolating in their brains.
Jeffrey Dahmer was pulled over for a traffic stop one day. The cop didn’t think anything of a smell. Turns out that Dahmer had dozens of small furry bodies in his trunk that he was transporting back to his home to do whatever with them.
Many people who are bent on taking care of an issue at school or work will test themselves on small animals before turning their attention to the larger animals. It’s a lot like rape in some respects…not the killing or sex but the control it gives them over another living being.
- Disciplinary issues
Do you have someone within your organization that is a definite disciplinary magnet? While this is not, like all these signs, a definitive sign that something may be wrong, it needs to be watched over. There are many reasons why people break the rules and attracting trouble and discipline like shedding dog hair on your clothes or furniture.
They may not like following rules very well and do what they can on a continual basis to break them in any form they can. I’ve known a lot of people like this in my life, including myself, and none of us have ever done anything remotely violent at school or work.
They may be unconventional and want to do things their way, and if they do, they are usually the kind that get it done, albeit not the traditional way…Steve Jobs. On the other hand, they may be testing the limits of what they can get away with to see how far they can push people.
It happens to Anyone…Any Time… Anywhere… For any Reason
I May Be Blind, but My Vision Is Crystal Clear
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Copyright 2020 Robert D. Sollars
