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This chapter presents a compassionate response model of workplace anger. The model incorporates an interpersonal feedback loop to show how compassionate responses to workplace anger have the potential for generating gratitude within the angry individual. Both reactions should ultimately result in more favorable organizational outcomes from anger episodes. In addition, the model identifies message, individual, relational, and organizational factors moderating the likelihood that an anger expression, compassion, and gratitude progression take place. The model proposes that anger expression is not inherently negative for individuals and organizations, but may initiate a series of potentially positive exchanges of emotion and caring.

The chapters in this volume are drawn from the best contributions to the 2010 International Conference on Emotion in Organizational Life held in Montreal, Canada in August of that year, complemented with invited chapters consonant with the theme of this volume. This highly successful conference, founded by the editors of this volume, and first held in 1998, is fondly referred to by many as the “Emonet” conference, after the email discussion listserv set up to support the conference and all those interested in advancing knowledge in emotions in organizational settings. We are especially grateful to the conference paper reviewers and acknowledge their service in the appendix of the book.