In a time when tension runs high and patience runs thin, anger has become the background noise of the modern workplace. But what if we’ve misunderstood this emotion—and what if learning to navigate it could actually make us better leaders?

On this episode of Great Mondays Radio, host Josh Levine talks with Dr. Ryan Martin, psychologist, anger researcher, and author of Emotion Hacks. Known as the “Anger Professor,” Ryan brings clarity to what anger really is, why we feel it, and how it shows up in the conference room just as much as it does on the highway.

From dissecting the emotional chain reaction that leads to blowups, to offering science-backed tools for stepping back before hitting send, Ryan shares how we can respond to anger with strategy instead of instinct. You’ll learn why empathy isn’t just a soft skill, why silence can sometimes say more than speaking, and how HR professionals can hold space without absorbing the heat.

Whether you’re leading a team through tough feedback, mediating conflict between colleagues, or working on your own reaction habits, this episode is a powerful reminder: anger is not a failure. It’s an invitation to act with intention.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Ryan Martin is a psychologist, researcher, and the author of Why We Get Mad, How to Deal with Angry People, and his latest, Emotion Hacks. As a professor and dean at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, he helps people understand and work with their emotions—rather than letting emotions work them. Follow him on LinkedIn and on socials at @AngerProfessor.

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