"I'm afraid that if I add self defense training to my workplace violence training program, I'll have a bigger problem with violence from my employees!"

This is a common concern from managers, administrators, and business owners that I hear all the time. I can understand where this concern comes from. It comes from the belief that self defense is "fighting." And yet, nothing could be further from the truth!

Unfortunately, the term "self defense" is as over-used in our society as with other words like "warrior" and "enlighten." With every karate school, fight club, and mixed martial arts gym advertising that they teach self defense training, it's easy for you and I to get confused about where to actually find acceptable training in the skills to integrate into our workplace violence training program.

As a way to help you to understand the difference between fighting and actual, real world self defense training, here are 3 critically important skills that should be a part of your workplace violence training program.

1) General & Situational Awareness Skills. Employees and management at all levels should know, not only the generally accepted "warning signs," but also the most common threats that your facility might be exposed to. Knowing "where" the danger might come from is as important as "what" types of attacks you'll need to be able to defend yourself against.

2) Escape Tactics. Knowing how to avoid and evade gunfire, as well as other thrown objects as-well-as being able to escape from a hostile area are critical in today's world. It's ironic how often I hear arguments against the need for workplace violence defensive tactics training because, "that won't happen here." And yet, those same managers have fire escape and emergency plans when they've never had, and don't expect to have to worry about, a fire!

3) De-escalation Tactics. All employees should be trained in verbal and non-verbal communications methods, as well as other strategies that serve to bring a workplace violence situation under control before it becomes physical and people start getting hurt.

As you can see, a well thought-out workplace violence training policy can include self defense training that has nothing to do with teaching your employees how to fight. While it is always recommended that you be able to defend yourself should you be physically attacked, you and your employees don't have to train to be martial arts black belts or prize fighters!

Action is necessary and, in the case of violence in the workplace, prevention is often not enough! In the moment when an assailant is throwing raw, unadulterated rage and destruction in your direction, you will be left with one of 2 possibilities:

* You will respond to the violence using preplanned and practiced workplace violence defensive tactics that have been made a part of your overall workplace violence policy and procedures, or...
* You will come face to face with the reality behind your denial, excuses, and lack of preparation.

But then, if you were living in denial, you wouldn't be reading this article right now, would you?

What if you could get this type of self defense training while also saving your organization from the losses from lost-time, employee turn-over, legal liability, and negative PR that often arise out of incidents involving violence in the workplace. How? By instituting defensive training tactics that both keeps you and your employees safe AND, at the same time, maintains a high level of professionalism and liability control!