This article originally appeared in WorkLife News on March 21, 2023. You can access it directly here.
From cringe-worthy emails to boardroom meltdowns and disrespectful bosses, incivility threatens to harm business while ensuring that employees take the first opportunity to head for the exits as companies desperately try to hold onto talent.
Rude, boorish behavior is, of course, everywhere — in politics, in society at large, and in the workplace. And it’s on the rise, according to a study by Georgetown University business professor Christine Porath, who found that 70% of workers witness workplace incivility at least two to three times a month.
But me-first behaviors don’t have to kill a company’s morale, teamwork or profits, argues Gregg Ward, author of the recently published book “Restoring Respect: A How-To Guide for Supporting the Repair of Broken Work Relationships.” Ward’s key message: Business leaders must see exercising respectful leadership and fostering a respectful culture as not just nice ideas but as business imperatives.
Noting a barrage of bad, fear-inducing news lately, “it’s no wonder people are extraordinarily stressed,” said Ward, founder and executive director of the Center for Respectful Leadership and a longtime adviser to companies ranging from Harley-Davidson to the U.S. Navy. And it’s up to bosses to set the tone. “This is definitely not a bottom-up situation,” Ward said.
