Truth, Lies and Work 163. Dr Ryan Martin, AKA The Anger Professor, Unfiltered Full Interview
Truth, Lies, and Work is an award-winning psychology podcast from the HubSpot Podcast Network, hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott.
This episode marks the final installment in our Unfiltered Series, where we’ve brought you the raw, unedited conversations with some of the most thought-provoking and inspiring guests we’ve ever had on the show. Today, we close the series with a conversation about anger—an emotion we’re all grappling with in these challenging times.
Our guest is Dr. Ryan Martin, a psychologist, Dean at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and author of How to Deal with Angry People. Known as The Anger Professor on TikTok, Ryan combines humor, research, and practical insights to help us better understand anger and how to handle it in ourselves and others.
🗓️ Episode Overview:
In this unfiltered conversation, Dr. Ryan Martin demystifies anger, separating fact from fiction and offering practical strategies to manage it effectively. From understanding why anger is often misunderstood to exploring how it impacts our personal and professional lives, this episode will leave you with valuable tools for navigating this powerful emotion.
🎧 Key Topics Covered:
What Anger Really Is
- The emotional response to being wronged, experiencing injustice, or facing goal-blocking.
- Why anger is not the same as aggression and why that distinction matters.
Anger in the Workplace
- How anger manifests at work and its impact on teams.
- Strategies leaders can use to de-escalate tense situations and foster emotional balance.
Debunking the Catharsis Myth
- Why punching pillows or smashing plates doesn’t actually relieve anger—and might even make it worse.
The Contagious Nature of Anger
- How anger spreads through teams and communities, and the role of modeling in both childhood and adulthood.
Practical Anger Management
- Strategies for staying calm in the moment, from planning ahead to using non-complementary responses.
- How to identify when it’s time to disengage from a toxic or unresolvable situation.
💡 Key Takeaways:
- Anger is a normal and natural emotion, but how we express it defines its impact.
- Understanding the root cause of anger—be it injustice, mistreatment, or frustration—can help us respond constructively.
- Leaders play a critical role in modeling calm behavior and addressing anger proactively in the workplace.
- Disengaging from toxic relationships or situations is sometimes the healthiest choice.
Connect with Our Guest:
- Follow Dr. Ryan Martin on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TheAngerProfessor
- Visit AllTheRageScience.com for more resources on anger management and Dr. Martin’s work.
🎧 What’s Next:
This concludes our Unfiltered Series! We want to thank all of our amazing guests—Rory Sutherland, Professor John Amaechi, Professor Sir Cary Cooper, Nora Burns, Bruce Daisley, and Dr. Ryan Martin—for their incredible insights.
Next week, we’ll return to our usual This Week in Work format, bringing you workplace news, expert takes, and our world-famous workplace surgery. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it!
General Support with Mental Health and Well-being
If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, or are currently struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be useful.
Mind website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
If you are feeling in distress or despair, including feelings of suicide, please do consider calling the Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org (Rest of World)
Connect with Al and Leanne
Join the Conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/
Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/
Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne
Email: Hello@truthliesandwork.com
Book a Call with Al & Leanne: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat