Rudeness and the Bottom Line
A few years ago I was a coaching a mid-level manager at a large telecommunications
company about her management style. During one session she reported to me she had
told her staffperson, "Sometimes I have to be curt."
"You do not 'have to' be curt," I said. "There's a difference between 'curt' and 'brief'. Tell
your staffperson you may need to be brief sometimes."
But the issue she was describing is increasingly common. Whether you work for an
international telecommunications corporation, the local government, or a grass-roots
non-profit, curtness and rude behavior are rampant in many workplaces.
People generally agree one should be courteous to customers, but it's not so obvious that
this same courtesy extends to co-workers. Even less obvious is the notion that rudeness
impacts the bottom line.
What is the cost of rude behavior? Research conducted by the University of North Carolina
business school, published in the 2000 issue of Organizational Dynamics, revealed the
following: 12% of those interviewed had quit a job because of rudeness in the office; 22%
deliberately worked less diligently because of the rudeness of bosses or co-workers; and
52% spent work time worrying about past or potential rude interactions.
In other words, rudeness not only reduces morale and productivity, it reduces
profits--which is ironic, since in some cases, employers are the worst offenders. Where
the leaders model it, rudeness will trickle down throughout the organization. As above, so
below. When an organization's leaders ask, "What can we do about the nastiness in our
office?," I invite them to look at their own style first
Not only does management have an obligation to model civility, it also has an obligation to
address the subject head-on. Just last week I heard a business owner make excuses for
his employee's negative interpersonal style on the grounds that the person was a star
performer. The employer was overlooking an essential business truth: interpersonal
effectiveness is not separate from the job; it is the job. In all but the most rarified
positions, work gets done through people. If an employee is perceived as difficult, work
involving that person slows down or even comes to a halt.
How does this happen? Let's take someone who is unapproachable, abrupt, and
generally unpleasant to deal with. Many co-workers will avoid this individual. They will
delay completing those tasks involving the person, or scurry around looking for someone
else who can help them. This increases their workload, while protecting the difficult
employee from the consequences of his or her behavior. Meanwhile, irritation and
resentment increase. All the detouring, worrying, gossiping, and strategizing takes time,
and, as we know, time is money.
To improve productivity and profit--not to mention office morale--I recommend the
following guidelines:
Greet people and acknowledge their greetings
This is far and away the biggest complaint I hear: "She doesn't even say 'Good morning'
to me!"
Approach people respectfully
Try not to startle people by shouting at them from the other end of the office or
addressing them without first making eye contact.
Avoid speaking "on the run"
Don't deliver a message at breakneck speed as you rush out the door, leaving the listener
worrying about whether he or she fully understood the message. Show respect by
staying there a moment to be sure you were understood.
Don't let your body language speak for you
If you're annoyed, far better to say it with words than to roll your eyes, sigh wearily, or
slam doors.
Avoid interrupting people
When you must get the attention of a person on the phone, write a quick note and place
it near the person. Don't use sign language.
Pay attention to your tone of voice
Voice is a powerful conduit of emotion. It can convey warmth and enthusiasm at one end
of the spectrum--or irritation, impatience and hostility at the other.
Don't walk out of the room in the middle of someone's sentence
Learn to terminate a conversation without being rude.
Avoid using humor to express negative or serious comments
Flip sarcasm and caustic humor can be deadly.
And if a co-worker flaunts these behaviors? Difficult though it can be, I recommend
bringing up the issue. Try not to think of it as a "confrontation." Tell the person what you
want, using the same courtesy and respect you'd like in return. Don't hurl obscenities,
throw out jabs, or repeat their offense.
No, it's not easy. But however challenging it is to be graceful under pressure, it's worth
the effort. Rudeness just doesn't pay.