Master Career Counselor

Serious questions are being asked today in the wake of the Ft. Hood shooting spree in which a gunman killed 12 and injured many. One of the zillions of questions to be asked and answered will be, "What event, circumstance or trigger would set-off such vile anger to carry out such a horrific act of unfathomable proportions?" This was an violent act against the very "family" he not only worked alongside but had sworn an oath to protect, guard and help. We will be grappling with this for months as the victims' families try to cope for decades. Violence, hostility and anger have dire consequences in any workplace if certain warning signs are not noticed, ignored when noticed or minimized for the sake of convenience, fear or retribution. As the events of Ft. Hood continue to unfold, it is not unlikely that some will indicate noticing subtle behavioral changes while others observed the same types of routinized actions of a man known to be typically kind and quiet. It is a reminder for everyone that workplace stress magnifies stress to enormous proportions. A military base would be at the height of such stress during a war with multiple deployments. In a sour economy that has increased stress no one is immune to stress even on a good day. Be aware and keep watch for behavioral changes in co-workers and colleagues that can't be overlooked or denied. My strong advice to you is to seek resources available to you should you notice it in co-workers or in yourself. Warning signs are a first line of protection that can't be ignored.