Workplace Rudeness

[Guest guest]

Does anyone think this resembles their workplace?

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Survey: Rudeness on rise in workplace

A Minnesota blizzard of e-mails and letters poured in after a recent column on

bullying. I was astounded at the stories readers shared, amazed at how many said

the column would command center stage on the break room bulletin board.

Many also mentioned outright rudeness as an equally serious problem, and asked

me to address that issue. So, here goes.

Common courtesy is anything but common anymore, and is becoming an endangered

species in more environments, not the least of which is the workplace.

In a University of North Carolina study, " Workplace Incivility: The Target's Eye

View, " 1,400 employees surveyed said their co-workers are getting ruder by the

year. In fact, 78 percent said that incivility has gotten worse in the last 10

years. More disturbing, they said, is that rude people are more likely to be in

higher positions than those on the receiving end of the nasty behavior.

The data showed that 12 percent had actually quit a job to avoid a rude

co-worker. More than half of all surveyed said they lost work time worrying

about the treatment they received. And in a stunning revelation that can ripple

all the way to the customer, 22 percent said they deliberately slowed down or

delayed their work effort in response to rude treatment.

Where have our manners gone? Can your business survive without them?

We are taught to say " please " and " thank you " at an early age. We are taught not

to interrupt others and to take our turns. These are not childhood niceties:

They are life skills. You could argue that one may muddle through without any

social graces, but I still subscribe to the theory that you catch more flies

with honey than with vinegar.

This is a top-down problem. If it's true that those in higher positions tend to

be the rudest, as the survey showed, then does that set the example for all

subordinates that nastiness is acceptable? Behavior like that will eventually

affect the bottom line, as customers also become targets for unfriendly

behavior.

Obviously, then, the solution is to declare war on rudeness. While it seems so

basic, it may be necessary to spell out your expectations. Start with some

guidelines like these:

All company communications will be courteous. This includes phone calls,

letters, e-mails, memos and conversations. This rule is not negotiable. Insist

that good and bad news be delivered in a positive manner. Research shows that it

takes a person almost twice as long to understand a sentence using a negative

approach as it does to understand a positive one.

Respectful behavior is the only kind of tolerable behavior. You don't have to

agree with what another says or does, but you must " respectfully disagree. "

There are polite ways to end conversations. If you need to reprimand or even

fire an employee, there is no point in destroying that person.

Listen. The average employee is about 25 percent effective as a listener.

Although most of us don't intentionally ignore what's being said, the end result

is a perception that what we're saying isn't important. That translates to

rudeness and discourages good communication.

Give credit where it is due. Promoting a positive work environment is a win-win

for everyone. You will retain and attract good employees, increase productivity,

and improve company morale.

Encourage teamwork. Rudeness makes it difficult for employees to cooperate and

collaborate. A well-managed team recognizes the contributions of all its members

and understands that you don't have to blow out another person's light to make

yours shine.

Lead by example. If you are known as the boss who screams, belittles, criticizes

unfairly and needs for everyone to hear your tirades, go back to your

kindergarten report card and see if the teacher marked the box that says

" Doesn't play well with others. " Remember that what was important then is still

important now. Model good behavior and be nice.

Have some fun at work. Getting people to laugh together sets a better tone and

eases workplace tension. It doesn't matter if it's a joke of the day or an

occasional party for no reason. Give your staff an excuse to like the people

they work with.

Mackay's Moral: Enforce the Golden Rule or your business will be tarnished.

-- Harvey Mackay is author of the New York Times best seller " Pushing the

Envelope " (Ballantine Books). He can be reached through his Web site:

www.mackay.com; or Mackay Envelope Corp., 2100 Elm St., Minneapolis, MN 55414.

" Service is love made visible. Friendship is love made personal. Kindness is

love made tangible. Giving is love made believable " - Anonymous

Larry in Houston