Warning Signs of Violence: Inconsistent Work Habits/Decreased Productivity, Mental Illness, New Religious/Political Fervor, & Obsession with Military/Police Tactics
Written by Robert D. Sollars
- Inconsistent Work Habits/Decreased Productivity
What…exactly…does…this…mean? If the work habits of an individual are erratic and inconsistent from day to day, then there may be an issue with them. Likewise, if their production rate is from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the scale then…
Examples are; a student has sloppy homework and the next day it is cleaned up and is nearly flawless, the next day it’s back to being horrid. The same holds true for productivity, if an employee is a rising star one day because they were on top of the heap and the next day, no other reason than laziness or some such, then…
The people who suffer from these maladies will tell you that nothing is wrong. However, they are showing that something is getting to them. Whether it’s stress, illness – mental or physical – personal or work-related issues, drugs or alcohol, or whatever it may be…it has to be cleaned and cleared up. If not for their good, then the good of the company.
- Mental Illness
This is one that I can’t comment on very much in a blog post, because it will take much more room than is possible in this posting…as a matter of fact, in my book Murder at Work: A Practical Guide for Prevention there are 4 pages dedicated specifically to this issue. And the four areas that are the most troubling. The best advice I can give you for this; is if you think that an individual has a mental illness/issue, then you need to discuss your fears with management and have the co-worker, friend or not excellent student/employee or not, referred for evaluation…somehow somewhere.
- New Religious/Political Fervor
This may be a surprise to almost everyone reading this. Being realistic it is rare for new religious fervor to erupt into violence, except in the case of an Islamic extremist, but even Christian, or other religious, extremists can, and will, perpetrate these crimes. Their reasoning is that their way is the only way to heaven and a twisted way of thinking that everyone else must die if they don’t follow the tenets of the religion of choice.
Political fervor, that’s an entirely different kettle of fish. In the last presidential election cycle and continuing until now, people who are so divided by politics are willing to perpetrate violence against others, simply for having a differing opinion. We see it in the arson of campaign headquarters and the assault of individuals from the other side, and then there are the thugs on both sides who bully, threaten, and even assault their so-called aggressors.
- Obsession with Military/Police Tactics
I believe that this one is fairly self-explanatory. If an individual suddenly becomes enamored with military or police methodology and tactics…and they aren’t planning on entering the police academy or the military…
During hunting season, it may not be unusual for an individual, tweenager, teenager, or adult to become involved in planning their hunting expedition, so that it sounds like they’re ready to invade another country. Sometimes, people get that look in their eyes during those times of hunting and expeditions.
That look in their eyes? Yes. You know the look, they stare off into the distance at a real or imaginary tree line or meadow. They are actually seeing the deer or other critters they wish to kill for meat in their sights and are dreaming of hiding in their 0400 deer stands in freezing weather to get their limits.
You can check out my books and discover a whole lot more: Murder in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Prevention or Murder at Work: A Practical Guide for Prevention
www.sollarsviolenceprevention.com Twitter: RobertSollars2 e-mail: robert@sollarsviolenceprevention.com
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It happens to Anyone…Any Time…Anywhere… For any Reason
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