Have you ever stood by watching someone get angry? These days, it’s pretty easy to lose your cool. Sure, most of us are happy when times are good. But times aren’t good. The economy we find ourselves in is almost as bad as it gets, and it affects nearly everyone.

At last count, more than a half a million workers have lost their jobs since this recession officially began. The families of those half a million workers have lost, perhaps, their only source of sustenance. That makes about two million people wondering how their daily needs are going to be met.

Business owners who count these two million people as customers or clients are finding their own business down. And as these businesses continue to deteriorate, the misery grows. As the stocks in these businesses decline or become worthless, even those who are seemingly insulated from job loss are finding themselves reluctant to spend. So, more business dries up and the misfortune continues to spread to every corner of the country. Everyone is affected to some degree.

In this environment, we understand why people lose their composure. Or do we? Imagine yourself in a business meeting with vendors or customers. Your customer is cutting his order by 40% “due to the economy.” Your vendor is raising his prices in order to “cover increased bad debt expenses.” Even in the best of times, it’s natural to feel anger. You have forecasted and planned based on the inputs of others, and now they aren’t following through. You may even decide not to do business with them in the future.

But these are not the best of times. The sense of anger we feel today isn’t stemming from having our plans ruined or our commission jeopardized. This anger is a reaction to fear. Your customer is fearful because he can’t really afford his original order. Your vendor is fearful because his income is no longer covering expenses. When the day comes and the economy hits you, if it hasn’t already, be careful not to react in anger. What you are really feeling is fear.

That feeling of fear that accompanies uncertainty could easily manifest itself as anger. But, unfortunately, when this happens, the targets of your anger are the very people whose support you need the most: your customers and your vendors. Even if they can’t support you right now.

So, what should you do if you find your business – and your livelihood – threatened?

1. Understand what your customers and you are going through. After all, the very nature of an economy implies that we are all in this together.
2. See the opportunity in front of you. While it may not be an opportunity to bring in revenue, it is an opportunity to build some very important and very strong bonds for the future.
3. Keep the lines of communication open. Networking is more important than ever, and you can’t network if you aren’t speaking to people. You may find that you are able to work something out that is beneficial to one or both of you, either directly or indirectly.

So while it may be natural for your fear to turn to anger, don’t let that happen. Don’t become part of the problem. Become part of the solution. Remember that those who pull each other up in the hard times, are the very people who fly together when good times come again.