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You can not avoid anger at work. It is impossible. Daily pressures, rivalries, gossip, laziness, missed deadlines and a thousand other problems conspire to bring your temper to the boiling point and beyond whenever they happen. If you want to keep your job and your sanity, the best you can do is suppress anger. It isn't easy, but it is necessary. Let me give you an example.

Many, many years ago I was hired as manager of a 40-person creative division of a large company. I strongly believed that I got the job because of my good track record in both civilian and Navy jobs. As the vice president introduced me around to all of the employees in my division, we made nice to each other and I retreated to my new office. Everything seemed fine, and I looked forward to success in the job. The next day, I called a meeting in my office with the six unit managers and 12 group leaders.

For weeks before I was hired, I had thoroughly studied the company's history and current financial activities, as well as my division's role in everything. I started my meeting with what may be called a mission statement as it applied to the division and my plans. All seemed to be going well until I noticed one young assistant manager in the back of the room who seemed to be paying no attention to me. When he wasn't leaning over to whisper and chuckle with a nearby person, he stared out the window. It seemed to be very deliberate and insubordinate, but I chose to hold my temper and ignore it, attempting to make my first day as positive and effective as possible.

When I asked my secretary about this young guy's behavior, she said he didn't mean any insult to me, but often, as she put it, " joked and fooled around". Again, I felt no need to show anger, and dismissed the incident. However, during my first month or two on the job, this assistant manager began a campaign to sabotage me. Again, at first I dismissed it as my imagination or nervousness at being the new manager. However, when jobs were delayed and deadlines missed, I always found him in the middle of the problem.

Then, after speaking to him ... without anger ... about paying more attention to our obligations to other divisions who depended on our getting the job done right and on time, he showed very evident resentment when he left my office. He then began a growing campaign within the division to hint about my incompetence and undermine my efforts. With my anger beginning to stir, I asked my secretary why was this guy was deliberately

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