subject: Violence In The Workplace - During A Workplace Violent Attack, You Can Only Be One Of These Things! [print this page] During a violent attack, regardless of whether we're talking about an incident of violence in the workplace or an attack on the street, there are certain common factors at play. One of these factors is the role that you play in the event and your position in, what I call, "the eyes' of the attacker." This article explores 3 possible roles you could play, and how each may effect what happens to you in a real-world, workplace violence attack situation.
A teacher of mine once told me something that has stuck with me for over 20 years now. It's so important that I had it printed on a card and posted it on the door to my office as a reminder both to me and to anyone who enters.
What he told me was this:
"Somewhere in the world, someone is training to hurt you. And, if you are not training to be prepared for him, and you meet him...
...he will win!"
In the moment that an attack takes place, all of your ideas about what should, could, or would happen, will go out the window. All that matters is "what IS happening." And, part of the answer to what the attacker will do to you, lies in how he sees you within the scheme of things.
In a workplace violence attack, regardless of whether we're talking about an aggressive employee doing anything from grabbing you or "punching your lights out" - all the way to an intruder or former employee entering your job area with the intention of shooting as many victims as he can...
...you will play one of 3 possible roles in the situation.
You will either be:
1) Part of the Problem. In the attacker's eyes - the only one's that matter, by the way - you may be a primary target and the focus of his aggression.
2) Part of the Solution. If you have properly trained and prepared yourself to deal with the situation, you may be either a part of efforts to bring a successful resolution to the matter, or...
...in light of the fact that most of your co-workers live in denial of such things, or expect that it's the job of the police, government, or anyone else to take care of things for them - not their own responsibility...
...you may be the only thing that stands between the attacker and his intended victims!
3) Part of the Landscape. In the eyes of the attacker, you may already be here if he is an intruder or former employee who has depersonalized all employees as simply being "part of the company that fired him." However, if you are generally unaware of your surroundings, you may find yourself frozen in fear, shock, or ignorance of what to do when the shooting begins.
You may not be able to do anything about which role you play in the eyes of an attacker planning to commit an act of violence in the workplace. However, only by getting the training and knowledge that you'll need to be able to defend and survive a workplace violence act of aggression will you be able to CHOOSE to be "part of the solution."
