Bob was totally panicked when he called out of the blue the other day. It’s unlike him to sound so distressed.
“I just blew up at a colleague,” he said. “I don’t know what got me so angry.”
There are many things that could have led to Bob feeling annoyed, but it quickly became clear that Bob had reacted negatively to something we take for granted – personal space.
We all live in a little personal bubble and while it’s size varies, it usually extends at least 2 feet in front, the back and sides. We allow some people into this space, such as friends, our spouse and kids, but others are usually excluded. Only extenuating circumstances, like a crowded rush hour bus, stop us from maintaining our bubble.
Interestingly at work, social psychologists have found we attempt to enlarge that space by personalizing our surroundings with photos, plants or knickknacks.
For Bob, someone had moved something sentimental to replace it with a stack of work.
Action – Next time you suddenly lose your cool at work, check to see if your personal space has been disrupted in some way. More than likely, the invasion is unintentional so there’s no real threat. And be aware of the personal space of those around you.
We all have it and WILL protect it.