Civility in the Workplace Instructor Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ..............................................................................................................................................6 What is Courseware? ................................................................................................................................ 6 How Do I Customize My Course? .............................................................................................................. 6 Materials Required ................................................................................................................................... 8 Maximizing Your Training Power .............................................................................................................. 8 Module One: Getting Started ........................................................................................................... 10 Housekeeping Items................................................................................................................................ 10 The Parking Lot ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Workshop Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 11 Pre-Assignment Review .......................................................................................................................... 12 Action Plans and Evaluations.................................................................................................................. 13 Module Two: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 14 What is Uncivil Behavior? ....................................................................................................................... 14 Three Reasons Why You Should Be Civil ................................................................................................. 18 Dealing with Difficult Personalities ......................................................................................................... 20 Cost and Rewards ................................................................................................................................... 23 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 24 Module Two: Review Questions.............................................................................................................. 25 Module Three: Effective Work Etiquette ........................................................................................... 27 Greetings ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Respect.................................................................................................................................................... 31 Involvement ............................................................................................................................................ 34 Being Politically Correct .......................................................................................................................... 35
Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 37 Module Three: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 38 Module Four: Costs and Rewards ..................................................................................................... 41 Incivility and the Costs ............................................................................................................................ 41 Civility and Rewards................................................................................................................................ 44 Four Causes of Incivility .......................................................................................................................... 46 How to Overcome It ................................................................................................................................ 48 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 50 Module Four: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 51 Module Five: Conflict Resolution ...................................................................................................... 53 Collaborating .......................................................................................................................................... 53 Competing............................................................................................................................................... 56 Compromising ......................................................................................................................................... 57 Accommodating...................................................................................................................................... 58 Avoiding .................................................................................................................................................. 59 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 61 Module Five: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 63 Module Six: Getting to the Cause...................................................................................................... 65 Examining the Root Cause ...................................................................................................................... 65 Creating a Cause-and-Effect Diagram .................................................................................................... 67 Forgiveness ............................................................................................................................................. 71 Benefits of Resolution ............................................................................................................................. 74 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 75 Module Six: Review Questions ................................................................................................................ 77 Module Seven: Communication ........................................................................................................ 79 Para-verbal Communication ................................................................................................................... 79
Non-verbal Communication .................................................................................................................... 81 Listening Skills ......................................................................................................................................... 83 Appreciative Inquiry ................................................................................................................................ 84 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 86 Module Seven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 87 Module Eight: Negotiation ............................................................................................................... 89 Three Sides to Incivility ........................................................................................................................... 89 Mediation ............................................................................................................................................... 92 Arbitration .............................................................................................................................................. 93 Creative Problem-Solving........................................................................................................................ 94 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 97 Module Eight: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 99 Module Nine: Identifying Your Need............................................................................................... 101 Completing a Needs Analysis ................................................................................................................ 101 Focus Groups ........................................................................................................................................ 103 Observations ......................................................................................................................................... 105 Anonymous Surveys .............................................................................................................................. 107 Case Study............................................................................................................................................. 108 Module Nine: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 110 Module Ten: Writing a Civility Policy .............................................................................................. 112 Designating the Core Group ................................................................................................................. 112 Defining What is Unacceptable Behavior ............................................................................................. 114 Defining the Consequence .................................................................................................................... 116 Writing the Policy ................................................................................................................................. 118 Case Study............................................................................................................................................. 120 Module Ten: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 121
Module Eleven: Implementing the Policy ........................................................................................ 123 The First Steps ....................................................................................................................................... 123 Training ................................................................................................................................................. 125 Addressing Complaints ......................................................................................................................... 126 Enforcing Violators ............................................................................................................................... 128 Case Study............................................................................................................................................. 130 Module Eleven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................ 131 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up ........................................................................................................ 133 Words from the Wise ............................................................................................................................ 133 Parking Lot ............................................................................................................................................ 133 Action Plans and Evaluations................................................................................................................ 133
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Chinese Proverb Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Courseware.com, a completely new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, PowerPoint slides, and a take-home reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials.
How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants’ industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor’s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click “Update entire table” and press OK.
(You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.)
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If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we have used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you are using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007 and 2010 under the Home tab, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. That will then produce the Modify Style options window where you can set your preferred style options. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do:
Now, we can change our formatting and it will apply to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 or 2010 Essentials by Courseware.com.
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Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Training Manual, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. Worksheets and handouts are included within a separate activities folder and can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets are easily transferrable to a flip chart paper format, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops:
Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides
Quick Reference Sheets for students to take home
Timer or watch (separate from your laptop)
Masking tape
Blank paper
Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants.
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Make it customized. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousand-fold.
Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group.
Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately.
Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.)
Make it fun and interactive. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your
participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures. 
Make it relevant. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life.
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Keep an open mind. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops.
And now, time for the training!
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Civility is not simply a question of minding your manners; it is also a critical component of professional success. P.M. Forni Module One: Getting Started Welcome to the Civility in the Workplace workshop. While a training program on workplace manners and courtesy may seem like overkill, the reality is: rudeness is an epidemic costing industry millions a year. Indeed, what society seems to be gaining in terms of both knowledge and technological advancement, it’s losing out on basic social values that directly impact the bottom line. Bosses freely intrude on subordinates’ personal space, gossiping co-workers are norm, and quality customer care has been forgotten. The result: an environment not conducive to getting work done, dissatisfied clients aiming for the competition, and in some cases, blatant tolerance for abuse and harassment. To address the growing problem of incivility in the work setting, this workshop introduces the concept of civility, its importance to a company, as well as its typical causes and effects. Skills needed to effectively practice civil behavior, as well as different ways organizations can systematize civility in the workplace will also be discussed.
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items.
If you need an opening or a way to introduce the participants to each other, utilize the Icebreakers folder to begin or between breaks during the day.
Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits.
Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside.
Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop.
Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn!
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The Parking Lot Explain the concept of The Parking Lot to participants.
The Parking Lot is a visible place where you will “park” ideas that arise which are not on the agenda, may be off topic, or are better addressed outside of the program.
At the end of the session, we will review parked ideas and follow up, or make suggestions for your own investigation when you are back at work.
Suggestions for the trainer: 1. If you are working with a large group of participants, you may wish to nominate a recorder to park items as you are facilitating. 2. It’s a good idea to note the name of the contributor along with the parked item. 3. Items noted on the parking lot can be useful to you later as you plan future training sessions.
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, the learning occurs more easily and rapidly. With this in mind, let’s review our goals for today. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Define civility, understand its causes, and enumerate at least three of its behavioral indicators.
Understand the costs of incivility, as well as the rewards of civility, within the workplace.
Learn practical ways of practicing workplace etiquette, including the proper use of greetings, respect, involvement, and political correctness.
Learn the basic styles of conflict resolution and identify the style most appropriate for managing particular conflicts in the workplace.
Learn skills in diagnosing the causes of uncivil behavior.
Understand the role of forgiveness and conflict resolution in the creation of a civil working environment.
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Understand the different elements of effective communication, particularly effective paraverbal and non-verbal communication.
Learn facilitative communication skills such as listening and appreciative inquiry.
Learn specific interventions that can be utilized when there’s conflict within the workplace.
Learn a recommended procedure for systematizing civil behavior within the workplace.
Pre-Assignment Review The purpose of the Pre-Assignment is to get participants thinking about the current practice of civility in their workplace, as well as their personal contribution to the status quo. The Pre-Assessment may be given at any point before the actual workshop; perhaps as part of the workshop kit distributed days or hours before the start of the training proper. As pre-assignment, ask participants to recall a time when they felt most respected or considered by a co-worker, superior and/or subordinate. Guide them towards identifying the unique characteristics of the situation they’ve brought to mind. Invite the participants as well to assess their own practice of civil behavior in the workplace. The following guide questions can help during this process: 1. Describe the situation where you felt most respected by a co-worker, superior and/or subordinate. What exact behavior did you observe from your co-worker that made you feel treated with respect? 2. What was the effect of your co-worker’s respectful behavior on: a) Your performance on the job? b) Your relationship with your co-worker/s? c) Your self-esteem? 3. Have you been treating your co-workers with similar respect? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing “consistent practice of civil behavior”, rate yourself in terms of your practice of civility in your workplace. Explain the rating you gave to yourself. 4. Is civility the norm in your organization? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing “civility as consistently practiced”, rate the practice of civil behavior in your workplace. Explain your rating. 5. What do you think you and your organization are doing correctly to reinforce civility in your workplace? What do think you and your organization still needs to improve? Page 12
During the Pre-Assignment Review, ask the participants to take a moment to review their responses. Request the participants as well to keep their responses in mind during the workshop, as these answers can assist in grounding course concepts into practical life. A worksheet for these questions can be found in the activities folder.
Action Plans and Evaluations Pass out the participant action plans and evaluations, available in the activities folder. Ask participants to fill these out throughout the day as they learn new things and have ideas on how to incorporate the things we discuss into their lives.
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Civility costs nothing, and buys everything. Mary Wortley Montagu Module Two: Introduction Failing to smile at co-workers, or even just a tendency to smirk at a client’s unusual request, may not seem like much at first glance. But these seemingly innocuous behaviors can be costly in the long run. It’s important then to be appraised of the nature of civility, its behavioral indicators, and why its practice is imperative within an organization. In this module, you will be introduced to the concept of civility, and the idea that even a little consideration can go a long, long way. Signs of uncivil behavior, its costs and rewards, as well as the case for promoting civility in the workplace will also be discussed.
What is Uncivil Behavior? Civility represents the social norms and rules that must be followed in order to positively and productively relate with others. When people hear the word “civility,” words that come to mind include respect, courtesy, tolerance, consideration, and a rational approach to conflicts. Behaviors that threaten positive and productive relations with other people, therefore, constitute uncivil behaviors. You can be uncivil without meaning too --- for instance, you simply assume that what’s acceptable in one social context (say, at your old workplace or at your home) is acceptable across all contexts. Or you can be uncivil intentionally, e.g. you verbally attack a co-worker because you can’t be bothered to provide reasonable accommodation. What behaviors can be considered as uncivil? There are many. Below are just a few examples:
Failing to acknowledge another person’s presence: Ignoring other people’s greetings and wellwishes; going past a co-worker without so much as a nod or a greeting.
Using abusive language: Being verbally abusive or using crude language
Gossiping: It’s uncivil behavior to both instigate and spread rumors against another person, regardless of whether the “news” seems accurate or relevant to the accomplishment of the task at hand.
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Discounting employee contribution: Discounting means deliberately downplaying or ignoring the importance of another person’s statement or work contribution. For instance, some members in a team may tend to cut off a person that they do not like during a brainstorming session. Taking credit --- or worse, compensation! --- for work that you did not do is also an example of discounting behavior.
Bullying and intimidating co-workers: Threatening violence against co-workers who would report timesheet irregularities to management; leveraging the power of cliques in order to ostracize particular individuals.
Sabotaging individual and company efforts: Intentionally not informing a co-worker who is competition for a promotion of the exact time a client will arrive in the building.
Discriminating against a particular individual or group: Attacking an individual based on intrinsic characteristics such as race, gender, age, mental ability, and physical appearance.
Practicing insensitivity against co-workers’ needs: Inability to pay attention to the feelings and needs of others e.g. not giving a grieving co-worker time off before demanding workplace attendance. Insensitivity may also come in the form of engaging in activities distracting to coworkers, e.g. taking a cell phone calls while in the middle of a meeting, not cleaning up the whiteboard as one leaves the training room, and demanding attention from subordinates outside of the prescribed working hours.
Practicing poor etiquette in dealing with correspondence: Ignoring phone calls and emails, using company email to send private messages, and discussing individuals in mailing lists as if they are not there.
It’s worth noting: civility goes beyond mere good manners. Civility is about effective self-awareness and effective social awareness. You can’t be an effective practitioner of civility until you recognize your place in the general scheme of things, and you develop an appreciation for the unique contribution of all else around. It’s a delicate balance between pursuing selfinterest and practicing self-control in order for others and the organization to pursue their interests well. For this reason, effective programs on civility must always be prefaced by a training workshop on attentiveness to self and others.
Estimated Time
10 minutes To define civility.
Topic Objective To provide behavioral indicators of incivility in the workplace. Topic Summary
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Civility represents the social norms and rules that must be followed in order
to positively and productively relate with others. Behaviors that threaten positive and productive relations with other people, therefore, constitute uncivil behaviors. Behaviors that may be considered as uncivil include, but is not limited to: Materials Required
Failing to acknowledge another person’s presence. Using abusive language. Gossiping. Discounting employee contribution. Bullying and intimidating co-workers. Sabotaging individual and company efforts. Discriminating against a particular individuals or group. Practicing insensitivity to co-workers’ needs. Practicing poor etiquette in managing correspondence.
Flipchart Paper, Markers A seminar-workshop on “Civility in the Workplace” may have come about because of reported instances of uncivil behavior in an organization. There may even have been a critical incident that made training on civility a top priority. If this is the case, facilitator is recommended to ground the definition of civil and uncivil behavior to the group’s unique context. Note though that centering the discussion on problematic behaviors exhibited by the participants may increase defensiveness in the audience. Care must be taken to establish an atmosphere conducive to honest self-assessment.
Planning Checklist For best results, establish early that the objective of the seminar-workshop is the good of the organization. Offer the disclaimer that discussion is not intended to single out specific personalities. NOTE: Facilitator must practice sensitivity in recognizing participants who would use the learning situation to attack co-workers. Comments that may seem innocent may actually be “digs” at specific people. A meeting with the Human Resource Personnel, the group’s manager and/or the department who requested the workshop is recommended to be informed of potential interpersonal clashes that may arise during the discussion.
Recommended Activity
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Ask participants to come up with workplace behaviors that would compel them to tag a person as “uncivilized.” List all these behaviors on flipchart paper.
Once the list is accomplished, reflect the responses to the participants. Ask the group: a. Does everyone agree that each item on the list constitute an uncivil behavior? b. How many of the listed behaviors do they see in their co-workers? In their supervisors? In themselves? c. How do they feel about having these “uncivil” behaviors in their workplace? d. If these are “uncivil” behaviors, what would be their “civil” counterparts? NOTE: The term “uncivilized” may encourage participants to provide answers representing the more extreme or explicit side of incivility. But incivility can be very subtle and perceived as harmless. The activity can be a way to provide feedback to the group that they need to change their mindset regarding “small” cases of discourtesy as not being “uncivilized” behavior. How common is incivility in the workplace? Stories to Tell
According to research by the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, almost 80 percent (or 8 out 10) employees believe “they get no respect at work”, while 20 percent reported that they are “victims of incivility on a weekly basis.” You can use artworks depicting the concept of “The Ascent of Man” to illustrate what most people would consider the journey to civility.
Delivery Tips
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The Ascent of Man, which shows the caveman’s transformation to a modern man, can illustrate how some people may be considered as more mature or more evolved than others based on how they appear and behave While the metaphor may seem generic at first, it emphasizes the idea that if a person wants to aim for higher ideals or better social intelligence, he or she must be willing to be “transformed” from a person who merely acts out his or her immediate impulses, to a person who uses intellect, discernment and values to navigate the world.
Three Reasons Why You Should Be Civil The case against the stronger forms of uncivil behaviors, such as bullying and racial discrimination, is easy to build. After all, violence in the workplace can get an employee fired, if not arrested and sent to prison. But how about the softer, yet no less important, acts of civility? Are there compelling reasons to give one’s boss a warm “hello” every morning? Are there tangible benefits to making sure that you don’t dump your folders in your neighbor’s work station? For the more subtle acts of consideration, the case for engaging in civil behavior seems harder to present. But not impossible! Consider the following three reasons why you should practice civil behavior: 1. There’s no escaping other people! Cliché as it may sound, no man is an island. You may be a selfstarter and a person who takes pride in being able to work with minimal supervision. You may be blessed with innate talent that makes you indispensable in an organization. But you’d still need to rely on suppliers to create a product that will impress both stockholders and consumers alike. You still need the trust of your team mates in order to execute an idea. And, whether you admit it or not, the positive regard of those who work with you will do a whole lot for your self-esteem. Unless you learn how to play nice, you’ll never be able to make it very far. Or at least, your path towards success will be littered with landmines you could do without. In short, your survival in the modern world, a world where everyone is linked together (probably more so than in the past few decades), depends on civility! 2. There are many benefits to practicing civil behavior. Civility is not lacking in the WIIFM factor, or the “What’s In It for me?” factor. Some of the benefits of civility to an organization or an individual employee are even proven by empirical research. To begin with, civility helps create a positive working environment. Motivation theories support that happy and relaxed workers are productive workers --- and willing to go the extra mile for their company. On the flipside, disrespect and inconsideration on a jobsite is highly stressful, and can contribute to workers’ low morale. Indeed absenteeism and low employee retention is common in companies where incivility is the norm. You can also expect that time better spent finding workable solutions to problems gets wasted in name-calling, “scapegoating” and face-saving. But as importantly, the deliberate practice of civility can help a person grow as an individual. Civility teaches emotional intelligence --- a person learns to control anger and frustration until an appropriate time comes to express them, he or she understands that there may be more important things at stake than a petty argument during a boardroom meeting; he or she reaches goals set for self and others. Managing uncivil behavior also teaches social skills such as conflict management and negotiation, skills which can be applied across many areas of life.
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3. Lastly, it’s the right thing to do. If anything else, civility is recommended because it’s the right thing to do. Most of the world’s accepted religion, philosophies, and belief systems advocate consideration for one’s fellow man --- indeed, isn’t the golden rule “do unto others what you’d like others to do unto you”? To quote Richard Boyd, associate professor of government in Georgetown University, “To fail to be civil to someone — to treat them harshly, rudely or condescendingly — is not only to be guilty of bad manners. It also, and more ominously, signals a disdain or contempt for them as moral beings.” Violence and ill-will against other people, regardless of degree, never brings anything positive to a work environment. Indeed, even the current political landscape advocates tolerance and equality, cooperation and mutual support. The world is already past the age where it’s each man for his own, where self-interest in pursued at all cost. We can afford to be more polite and above irrational reactions.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
To provide 3 reasons to practice civility in the workplace. People should be civil because: 1. There’s no escaping other people!
Topic Summary 2. There are many benefits to practicing civil behavior. 3. It’s the right thing to do.
Recommended Activity
Facilitator can segue into the discussion of the 3 reasons to be civil by asking participants what motivates them towards politeness and consideration of peers, supervisors and subordinates. Document the responses on a flipchart paper. From the group’s responses, distill the strong and compelling motivators of the group members for practicing civil behavior.
Materials Required
Stories to Share
Flip chart Paper, Markers Joseph A. Michelli, in his book “The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary to Extraordinary”, spoke about how a strong sense of community in a Starbucks office made an employee who has legal right to claim an $87 million lottery jackpot share her winnings with everyone in the office. According to Mary Champaine, store manager at a Starbucks Urban Coffee Opportunity store, “We here at Starbucks work as a team, and we support
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one another. And if I would have taken all the money, then I wouldn’t have been part of the team, and everything that I’ve been working for would be nothing.” Imagine how a culture of teamwork and support can make people do even what most would consider a very impractical decision! There are many compelling reasons to practice civility in the workplace; certainly the list is not limited to the three presented in this module.
Delivery Tips
You can anchor the reasons for civility that you will present on the MissionVision of the group that you’re giving the seminar-workshop for. For example, if the company’s mission-vision is to create a family atmosphere in a small bed-and-breakfast, then you can explain how civility can realize this goal. Consider as well the culture of the group you are giving the workshop for. If you’re giving the workshop for people working in individualist countries, note that your audience is more likely to see the value of personal benefits of civility (e.g. less stress at work and increased emotional intelligence) than organizational benefits of civil behavior. Participants working in collectivist cultures, on the other hand, are more likely to appreciate how civility creates a stronger team spirit or corporate brand.
Dealing with Difficult Personalities A huge source of stress at work is the need to adjust to different personalities. Each person is unique, and even when you’re dealing with a responsible and emotionally mature co-worker, friction is inevitable simply because the other person will never be 100% similar to you. But the stress of interacting with co-workers gets multiplied a hundredfold when the other person doesn’t just have a different personality, but also a difficult one. What may be considered as a difficult personality? The answer is subjective; a difficult personality for one person need not be a difficult personality for another. But usually, people perceived as difficult are those who manifest inflexible extremes of personality traits. For instance, while being controlling is a desirable trait in a manager (after all, a manager’s job is to control what is happening in a workplace!), being excessively controlling would just make the people under the manager’s care feel stifled and even abused. Recognition of the need to consult co-workers about major company decisions is a good thing. But when an employee consults everyone else on Page 20
almost everything, to the point that the constant “consultation” is already dependency in disguise, then the person becomes difficult to work with. When working with a difficult personality, most people’s immediate response is an unhelpful one: a response aimed more at relieving personal stress than creating a more workable relationship. For instance, there is a tendency to avoid dominant personality types, lecture the overly dependent, and exact vengeance on the passive-aggressive. The result is an endless cycle of dysfunctional relating that creates more problems than it solves. Civility is one of the best ways to deal with difficult personalities in the workplace. Civility sets the stage for effective communication --- in many ways, dealing with difficult personalities is simply a matter of setting and negotiating boundaries. After all, difficult personalities are not “bad people.” They just have a fixed way of relating and may need feedback from peers in order to adjust. As importantly, civility creates a positive atmosphere which allows people to see beyond the obvious implications of people’s behavior. For instance, many supposedly difficult personalities are simply people who have needs that are not being functionally addressed. You may see your co-worker as annoying when he or she simply craves attention and recognition. It’s also possible that your difficult coworker is merely channeling anger and frustration from their personal life into their workplace. When you engaged in civil behavior with your co-worker, you provide more opportunities for supportive interaction and empathy --- which opens the door to fixing your problematic interaction with one another!
Estimated Time
10 minutes To introduce the concept of difficult personalities.
Topic Objective
To explain how civility is the best way to deal with a co-worker with a difficult personality. A huge source of stress at work is the need to adjust to difficult personalities. What constitutes a difficult personality is subjective. But usually, people perceived as difficult are those who manifest inflexible extremes of acceptable personality traits.
Topic Summary
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When working with a difficult personality, most people’s immediate response is an unhelpful one: a response aimed more at relieving personal stress than creating a more workable relationship. But civility is one of the best ways to deal with difficult personalities in the workplace. Civility sets the stage for effective communication --- in many ways, dealing with difficult personalities is simply a matter of setting and negotiating boundaries. And as
importantly, civility creates a positive atmosphere which allows people to see beyond the obvious implications of people’s behavior. Materials Required
Flip chart, Marker Ask the participants to think of a person who they consider as having a difficult personality. Without naming names, ask the participants to reflect on the following questions: 1. What is it about this person that makes him or her difficult personality to relate with?
Recommended Activity
2. Do I relate to this person with civility? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most civil, how civilly do I relate with this individual? 3. Are there extra efforts towards civility that I can do in order to improve my relationship with this person? If yes, what else can I do? What do I suppose will be the effect of exerting these added efforts towards civility? Because the main objective of this section is to merely emphasize the point that civility is a solution to difficult personalities in the workplace, a list of the difficult personalities commonly found in the workplace will not be discussed.
Planning Checklist
But it’s advised that you research the many different kinds of difficult personalities commonly found in the workplace in order to better react to the group’s responses to the activity. You may also refer to personalities considered as pathological or extreme in nature, listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychological Association. You can ask the participants to reflect on these questions individually or discuss them in a dyad.
Delivery Tips
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You can also opt to ask just one participant to share his or her answers to everyone, with you as facilitator asking directive questions to highlight the point that civility is the best way to handle a working relationship with a perceived difficult personality.
Cost and Rewards While incivility can be perceived as innocuous behaviors, they can significantly affect the company’s bottom line. Incivility has direct impact on company productivity, sales, and customer retention among others. Civility, on the other hand, can improve all these areas considered as relevant in the running of a successful organization. (This section is a mere introduction to the idea that incivility in the workplace has negative consequences, while civility has more to offer than simply peaceful working conditions. Kindly refer to Module 4: Costs and Rewards for a more thorough discussion of this topic.)
Estimated Time
5 minutes
Topic Objective
To introduce the idea that incivility in the workplace has corresponding costs and rewards.
Topic Summary
While incivility can be perceived as innocuous behaviors, they can significantly affect the company’s bottom line. Incivility has direct impact on areas such as company productivity, sales, and customer retention among others. Civility, on the other hand, can improve all these areas considered as relevant in the running of a successful organization.
Materials Required
Flip chart Paper, Marker
Recommended Activity
Research has shown that most instigators of incivility in the workplace are those occupying positions of power. Brainstorm with the participants all the possible effects of having a boss who is discourteous to team members. Come up with not just immediate consequences but also long-term costs of uncivil behavior from a company superior. Next, discuss how courteous behavior from managers can impact a business or organization.
Delivery Tips
Note that this section is a mere introduction to the idea that incivility in the workplace has costs, and civility in the workplace has corresponding rewards. The topic will be discussed in greater detail on Module 4: Costs and Rewards.
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Case Study The following is a case account that can help your participants understand the concepts presented in this module better: Jane Smith is a 33-year-old newly hired provider of administrative support to a manager of a financial consulting firm. While generally competent at the demands of her job, Jane is not skilled in self-presentation, particularly in dressing up and styling hair and make-up appropriate for the formal atmosphere of a consulting firm. Her boss berates her for this, often in full view and hearing of other staff members. The boss calls her “ugly, frumpy and a disgrace to good reputation of the company.” Jane has even heard her boss refer to her as a “hag”, for instance the boss would instruct a subordinate to “leave the report at the hag’s table when done.” Jane has made several attempts to improve on her manner of styling and dressing, but the result never meets her boss’ satisfaction, mainly because Jane lacks understanding of what is required of her in appearance. The constant reprimand about her looks gave Jane much stress, and lowered her selfesteem to the point that she finds ways to avoid entertaining her boss’ clients. Jane even interacts little with co-workers. Jane resigned from the job within 7 months of accepting the position.
Guide Questions: 1. Would you consider the behavior of Jane’s boss as uncivil? Explain your answer. 2. From the case account presented, what are the effects of the boss’ behavior on Jane? What do you think is the impact of the situation on the entire company? 3. If you were in Jane’s position, how would you feel about your boss’ actions towards you? Would you have reacted similarly? Why / why not? 4. What do you think is the best way to respond to the situation Jane found herself in? What would be needed to improve the situation? 5. In your experience and observation, is Jane’s case typical in the workplace? What makes you say so?
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Module Two: Review Questions 1. Which of the following behaviors can be considered as uncivil behavior? a) b) c) d)
Starting a rumor about workplace romances happening in your department Cutting off a co-worker’s suggestion during a meeting Hiding files that your manager needs to prepare for a presentation All of the above
2. Which of the following is not true about civility? a) Civility represents social norms and rules that must be followed in order to positively and productively relate with other b) Civility begins with effective self and social awareness c) Civility is an important aspect of every day work life d) All acts of incivility are intentional 3. True or False: If you are good at what you do, you don’t need to bother with being civil to other people. a) True b) False 4. Which of the following is good reason to practice civility in the workplace? a) Every person, regardless of age, race, or contribution, deserves to be treated with respect b) Civility resonates with many of the positive values of society, including tolerance and mutual support --- it’s the humane thing to do c) Civility creates a conducive working environment as well as a stable and productive company d) All of the above
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5. True or False: The best way to treat a co-worker with a difficult personality is give them back the same frustration that they give you. a) True b) False 6. What does this statement mean: “Civility sets the stage for effective communication with a person perceived to have a difficult personality.”? a) If you act with civility towards a difficult personality in your workplace, you get to constructively discuss what the problem is. Reacting in anger will merely close down all channels of communication b) Civility helps make a person feel acknowledged and appreciated, which makes them more open to feedback c) It’s impossible to have a good conversation with a co-worker who has a difficult personality. The only thing that you can do is bear their nature while getting the work done d) Both a & b
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Men are respectable only as they respect. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Module Three: Effective Work Etiquette Promotion of civility within the workplace starts with at least promotion of basic workplace etiquette. Workplace etiquette refers to unwritten rules or norms of acceptable conduct within a professional environment. Violations of workplace etiquette are not always punishable by company law, but ignoring etiquette guidelines have considerable consequences for an employee or a business entity. In this module, you will be introduced to some tips in practicing workplace etiquette. In particular tips related to proper greeting, respect, involvement, and political correctness will be discussed.
Greetings The seeds of civility can be planted in an organization by encouraging every employee to give their co-workers greetings befitting the professional nature of the work environment. What rules of greeting etiquette are worth remembering? Consider the following: Formal Greetings: Always give a formal acknowledgment of another person’s presence, regardless of that person’s rank. Starting an interaction with greetings is a way of establishing rapport with new acquaintances and maintaining rapport with old ones. A “Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening” is an excellent way to both initiate and maintain a positive relationship with a co-worker, client, or business partner. In the same vein, greetings are best followed by expression of sincere interest in the person that you saw or met. For example, you can reply to an exchange of Good morning with “How do you do?” or “How are you doing today?” When used as a greeting, questions like “How do you do?” are not meant to be answered in great detail. You can consider them as a polite way people can get abreast of what it going on with people’s lives. An appropriate reply can be as short as “I am doing very well. My son graduated from high school yesterday
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and the family is very thrilled. How about you? How are things at your end?” You and your co-worker can always schedule a longer chat at a more appropriate time. Informal Greetings: Informal greetings can also be a great way of developing civility in a workplace. If familiarity is already established among co-workers, or when expressly invited to, informal greetings can set up positive working relationships in an organization. The use of “hi” and “hello” can put co-workers more at ease with each other, and set the foundation for social awareness. Non-verbal greetings such as smiles, taps on the back, a handshake, a high five are also ways to develop civility within the workplace. Note though that it is not recommended to assume any familiarity unless expressly invited to. Other etiquette rules worth considering when it comes to greeting: Greeting etiquette can be a seminar-workshop on its own; the topic can’t be comprehensively covered in one module. It helps, however, to remember a few simple rules when sending and receiving greetings:
Give greetings the attention that they deserve. Saying good morning to an entering staff member while you remain busily sorting folders on your desk can actually come across as uncivil instead of civil behavior. Instead, pause whatever it is you’re doing, even for a few seconds, to offer your pleasantries. Establish eye contact; stand up when greeting a superior or a client, even step from behind your desk to offer a handshake if necessary. Make the other person feel that you’re greeting them because you want to, not because you have to.
Remember that greetings are not limited to face-to-face conversations. Even when sending and receiving written correspondence, including electronic communication such as e-mail or an instant message, it is recommended that you begin and end your letter with a greeting. “Dear (name)” is traditionally greeting for written and electronic correspondence; the word dear is acceptable for both formal and informal communication. “Greetings!”, “Hope all is well at your end.” are also acceptable salutations. Letter closings can include greetings like “Best Regards,” “In appreciation of your message,” and “Cheers,”
In business settings, rank and professionalism matters. Make sure that you’re always sensitive to the power dynamics in an organization when offering greetings. For example, avoid addressing your boss using his or her first name/nickname unless given permission to.
The questions of “who should initiate a greeting?” and “when to offer a greeting? “are often debated, but a good rule of thumb is to always initiate a greeting as soon you see another person, regardless of rank. After all, you can’t go wrong with courtesy! The exception is when the other person is otherwise engaged and will likely construe your greeting as an interruption instead of a pleasantry. Greetings must also be appropriate to the context; you can’t offer a cheery greeting when the mood is grim or solemn such as during the aftermath of a workplace accident.
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Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
To present tips in practicing greetings in the workplace. The following are tips on greeting that can help increase civility in the workplace:
Topic Summary
Planning Checklist
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Provide a formal acknowledgment of another person’s presence, regardless of that person’s rank. A “Good Morning/ Afternoon/ Evening” is an excellent way to both initiate and maintain a positive relationship with a co-worker, client, or business partner.
Greetings are best followed by expression of sincere interest in the person that you saw or met. For example, you can reply to an exchange of Good Morning with “How do you do?” or “How are you doing today?”
Informal greetings can also be a great way of developing civility in a workplace. The use of “hi” and “hello” can put co-workers more at ease with each other, and set the foundation for social awareness. Non-verbal greetings such as smiles, taps on the back, a handshake, a high five are also ways to develop civility within the workplace.
Give greetings the attention that they deserve. Establish eye contact; stand up when greeting a superior or a client, even step from behind your desk to offer a handshake if necessary. Make the other person feel that you’re greeting them because you want to, not because you have to.
Remember that greetings are not limited to face-to-face conversations. Even when sending and receiving written correspondence, including electronic communication such as e-mail or instant message, it is recommended that you begin and end your letter with a greeting.
In business settings, rank and professionalism matters. Make sure that you’re always sensitive to the power dynamics in an organization when offering greetings.
A good rule of thumb is to always initiate a greeting as soon you see another person, regardless of rank. After all, you can’t go wrong with a pleasantry!
Ensure beforehand that there is enough space in the training venue to
perform the activity. It may be best to ask the company managers if they have rules in terms of the formality of greetings in the workplace. This can help you anchor the discussion based on the culture of the organization you are giving the workshop for. Materials Needed
Flip chart paper, Marker Before the activity proper, ask for two volunteers. The volunteers must step out of the room temporarily to be given separate instructions from the rest of the participants. Divide the remaining participants (minus the two volunteers) into groups of four or five people. Assign an area in the room for each group, an area where they can carry casual conversation with one another without being distracted by the discussion happening in other groups. Tell them that for the duration of the activity, their role is merely to converse as naturally as possible with their group mates.
Recommended Activity
Meanwhile, instruct the two volunteers to go around the room and join the groups one at a time. They can spend some 2 minutes in each group. Volunteer 1 must practice proper formal greeting and acknowledge every member of the group he or she joins. Volunteer 2, however, must single out only one or two persons in each group while blatantly ignoring the others. Note that you can have more than 2 volunteers for the activity if you end up with more than 4 groups. Process each group’s experience in interacting with the volunteers. What makes dealing with Volunteer 1 different from dealing with Volunteer 2? Which person do they prefer to have as a co-worker? Why?
Stories to Tell
Jose is a newspaper man known for his surliness. He always treats his customers with disdain, as he is doing them a favor by selling newspapers instead of the other way around. If his weren’t the most accessible newspaper and magazine stand in his area, he would have been out of business because of his rudeness. In any case, customers would rather finish their transaction with Jose post-haste, as he is quite annoying to speak to. Yet amazingly, there’s one customer, an elderly gentleman named Paul, who without fail greets Jose with a smile every morning. The others in the neighborhood are quite amazed at his persistence, given that Jose’s only response to the pleasantry is a grunt.
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Finally, the others in the neighborhood approached Paul to ask why he continues being pleasant to the rude newspaper vendor. Paul answered simply: “People deserve to be acknowledged, and so I will acknowledge. How he takes it is his business, not mine. But maybe someday he’ll appreciate my effort --- who knows? In any case, I will not let another person’s negativity affect the rest of my day.” It’s best to model first how a proper formal greeting must be made, including the non-verbal behavior expected from employees when greeting a peer, a superior or a subordinate. Delivery Tips You may also provide examples of letters and emails with and without proper greeting in order to illustrate to the group the difference between the two.
Respect It may be said that the foundation of civility is respect. Respect refers to positive esteem for another person, one that demands both deferential and considerate behavior. Respect is commonly perceived as something persons of higher rank demand from their subordinates. In reality though, respect is something every person, regardless of rank, both freely give to, and inspire in, those they interact with. In many ways, respect can be summarized in terms of attitudes. When you respect another person, you understand that he or she is a person of worth, which in turn demands that you treat him or her ethically. A co-worker’s worthiness of respect has little to do with his or her job performance. All people are deserving of respect regardless of their contribution to an organization. Respect may also be conceptualized in terms of boundaries; that is, we know that we can’t act just as we please when relating with a person that we respect. Every individual, for example, requires work space in order to perform their task effectively. Intruding on this workplace, for instance speaking loudly when you know someone is conducting a task that requires mental concentration can be a sign of disrespect. What are the ways you can show respect for your co-workers? The following are just a few ways to consider:
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Practice active listening. Every person deserves to be given attention when they’re communicating. In fact, it’s recommended for employees to make a habit of encouraging their peers in contributing more to the discussion. More importantly, give each person’s message fair consideration. Just because a suggestion came from someone not considered as a subject
matter expert doesn’t mean that the suggestion is automatically without merit. (Active Listening will be discussed in more detail in a later module.)
Respect your co-worker’s property. Disrespect in the workplace plays itself, not just through face-to-face interactions, but also through lack of consideration for co-worker’s belongings and work space and privacy. For instance, it’s not uncommon in offices to have issues regarding missing lunches from the kitchen, or missing pens and staplers from a desk! Clarify from the onset what is to be considered as office property and personal property. Better yet, establish rules and guidelines when it comes to using any and all equipment and materials from the office. For instance, should reservations be first made before using a meeting room? These rules and guidelines can go a long way in maintaining civility in the workplace.
Respect the right to own beliefs. Most companies advocate diversity in the workplace. Diversity means that you’ll have people of different religions, political beliefs, abilities, traditions, and values working in the same organization. For as long as a person’s faith and beliefs do not interfere in his or her work performance, there’s no reason for said faith and beliefs to be an issue in the company. And definitely, no manager or co-worker has cause to compel a person to convert religion and abandon belief systems. A healthy debate is okay, but only for social purposes and not as a way to discriminate or bully.
Use your co-workers’ time wisely. A little known way you can practice respect in the workplace is by respecting your co-worker’s time. On the jobsite, time is an important commodity, especially when there is much to be done and employees are paid on an hourly basis. Don’t waste your co-worker’s time with idle gossip or unimportant concerns. Keep meetings short and to the point. And set appointments instead of ambushing. These little acts of courtesy may not look much at first glance, but they will surely be appreciated by those with lots to do and think about.
Estimated Time
10 minutes To define respect as it applies to workplace interactions.
Topic Objective To provide tips in practicing respect in the workplace. Respect refers to positive esteem for another person, one that demands both deferential and considerate behavior. Topic Summary
In many ways, respect can be summarized in terms of attitudes. When you respect another person, you understand that he or she is a person of worth, which in turn demands that you treat him or her ethically. Respect may also be conceptualized in terms of boundaries; that is, we know that we can’t act just as we please when relating with a person that we
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respect. Ways to practice respect in the workplace include:
Practice active listening.
Respect your co-worker’s property.
Respect the right to own beliefs.
Use your co-workers’ time wisely.
Materials Required
Flip chart paper, Markers
Recommended Activity
Divide the participants into 3 groups. Ask each group to come up with a concrete way to show respect in the workplace. If possible, have each team ground their answer on a situation that typically occurs in their workplace, one where respect is often neglected. Have a representative from each group discuss to the plenary the 3 ways they came up with. It might be helpful to treat each of the group’s response as a case study --that is, an opportunity to understand what’s really happening in a workplace, the causes, and effects of a problem situation, and potential solutions those in attendance can implement.
Delivery Tips
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For a better chance at behavioral change, a facilitator can use the cases presented as an opportunity to create goals towards the better practice of respectful behavior in the workplace. These goals maybe placed in a “contract” that each participant has to sign by the end of the seminarworkshop.
Involvement Involvement refers to an active participation in the activities of an organization and its community of people. For instance, employees who practice involvement make it a point to get to know what programs their HR Department is doing for them, and participate actively in these programs. There is a feeling of personal investment in how the company is doing; great sales are a source of personal pride because you know you have helped make the company’s success happen. Involvement also demands that you don’t just content yourself with getting the tasks in your job description done. Instead, you’re on the constant look-out for ways to make yourself an active part of the system. When the system is experiencing problems, you don’t view yourself as merely “caught in the crossfire” or a “victim.” Instead, you see yourself as a potential “agent of change.” You jump at opportunities to better your group as soon as the opportunity presents itself. And you don’t wait to be told what must be done; you take the initiative to inquire how you can be of help.
Estimated Time
10 minutes To define involvement as it applies to workplace interactions.
Topic Objective To provide tips in practicing involvement in the workplace. Involvement refers to an active participation in the activities of an organization and its community of people. Topic Summary
Involvement demands that you don’t just content yourself with getting the tasks in your job description done. Rather, involvement means that you’re on the constant look-out for ways to make yourself an active part of the system. Involvement involves an investment in the good of others and in the good of the organization as whole.
Materials Required
Flipchart paper, Marker
Planning Checklist
Source out videos about individuals who have made a significant difference in their community by simply practicing involvement. Producers of human interest stories in a news program are good starting points. For instance, CNN has a yearly program called “CNN Heroes” where change agents all over the world are recognized and honored for their efforts.
Recommended Activity
Ask the participants to come up with a problem modern society is facing. This problem can be policy-related; for instance: the lack of quality health care laws. Or it can be behavior-related; for instance, the use of expletives on television at times when kids would most likely to be in front of the tube.
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After the problem has been identified and defined, ask the group: how involved are you in efforts to eradicate this problem? While no one person alone can make a significant dent in national or statewide issues, lack of involvement among those concerned contributes to a negative state of affairs. Even a simple intervention, such as clicking the “like” button on a social advocacy’s social networking page, can go a long, long way.
Delivery Tips
To better emphasize the importance of involvement in the organization, source out videos of people who have made a difference in their world by simply being involved. Next, challenge the group to identify personality characteristics and attitudes that separate the “involved” from the “apathetic.” Ask participants to assess themselves as well: where are they in the spectrum between involved and apathetic? Are they satisfied with their response?
Being Politically Correct Political Correctness, commonly abbreviated as PC, is a way of addressing, and at times behaving towards, other people that takes special care in not creating offense against others, especially against potential victims of discrimination. Political correctness is based on the idea that language captures attitudes, and potentially insulting language, even if delivered unintentionally by a speaker, can communicate and perpetuate prevailing negative attitudes against people commonly discriminated against. An example of political correctness is the use of the term “persons with disabilities” instead of “disabled person.” This is to ensure that the premium when addressing persons with hearing, visual, mobility impairment, and any other disability, is their personhood instead of their limitations. In fact, the word “challenged” is preferred in some social circles as opposed to “impaired” (e.g. vertically challenged instead of height impaired) in order to communicate the idea that a disability need not mean lack of capability. Another example of political correctness is the use of gender-sensitive language. Titles that specify a particular gender, when a position can be held competently by both man and woman, need to be reframed in order to be gender-neutral. For example, the chairperson is preferred to chairman, and cleaner is more acceptable than cleaning lady.
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Contrary to popular belief, political correctness is not lying. Neither is it sugarcoating the harsh truth for people concerned, or patronizing individuals who could otherwise defend themselves. Instead, it’s a way of positively reframing statements that box some members of the population into negative stereotypes. It is, however, possible to overdo political correctness, to the extent that the positive spirit behind it becomes an object of ridiculous. NOTE: Political correctness doesn’t just cover language but behavior and other non-verbal communication as well. For example, it is considered as politically correct to take away activities that favor one belief system or religion when conducting activities aimed for the general public. Using “Jesus” or “Allah” in community prayers designed for an audience composed of not just Christians and Moslems is politically incorrect behavior.
Estimated Time
10 minutes To define political correctness.
Topic Objective To provide examples of politically correct language and behavior. Political Correctness, commonly abbreviated as PC, is a way of addressing, and at times behaving towards other people that takes special care in not creating offense, especially against potential victims of discrimination. Topic Summary Examples of politically correct language include the use of “persons with disabilities” instead of disabled person, and the use of gender-sensitive language such as chairperson instead of chairman. Materials Required
Flip chart paper, Markers
Planning Checklist
Source a list of politically correct language; many can be found online. You can present the list to your participants to increase their knowledge about what words and phrases to use during sensitive discussions. Or you can simply include them in your seminar-workshop hand-outs for the participants’ personal study.
Recommended Activity
Divide the participants into two groups. Group one devises a list of statements that may be considered politically incorrect along with some politically correct statements. Group two would then to identify which entries are politically correct and which are to be considered as politically incorrect. Discuss what makes each entry politically correct or incorrect. Solicit from the whole group politically correct alternatives to the incorrect entries.
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Stories to Tell
One of the best ways to change people’s attitudes regarding the use of politically incorrect language is to explain the history behind particular derogatory term. It’s possible that participants are simply unaware of the exact reason why a term is derogatory in the first place.
Delivery Tips
Ask the participants regarding their attitude towards the use of politically correct language. A common source of resistance towards the use of politically correct language is the idea that political correctness is either unnecessary or does more harm than good. Being able to surface what keeps participants from using politically correct language can be the best way to encourage the practice of political correctness.
Case Study The following is a case account that can help your participants understand the concepts presented in this module better: Joseph A. Micelli, in his book “The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles into Turning Ordinary to Extraordinary” illustrated how involvement is a critical component of the success of the Starbucks franchise. Starbucks employees are encouraged to be observant, and to act on their observations. For instance, in a California Starbucks store, baristas volunteered to learn sign language after having noticed that a considerable number of their customers are persons with hearing disability. Employees are also encouraged to report problems that they encounter in daily operations alongside concrete proposals on how these problems can be addressed. But the premium on Involvement in Starbucks goes beyond involvement in the store. The management of the hugely successful coffee chain is on the constant look-out for advocacies the company can support, and encourages their staff members to actively take part in these advocacies.
Guide Questions: 1. What do you think is the relationship between involvement and being observant? How was this relationship illustrated in the Starbucks case? 2. Based on the case account, what are the concrete benefits of employee involvement for the company? 3. How do you think a culture of involvement, such as the one practiced in Starbucks, can be developed in a workplace? How do you think you can contribute to the practice of involvement in your workplace? Page 37
Module Three: Review Questions 1. True or False: Always acknowledge another person’s presence, regardless of his or her rank in the company. a) True b) False 2. Which of the following is not true about greetings: a) Greetings help you establish rapport with people you just met, and maintain rapport with those you already know b) Greetings only apply to face-to-face meetings c) Even informal greetings, such as “Hi” and “Hello” help develop social awareness in a workplace d) All of the above 3. Respect refers to positive esteem for others, one that demands _____ and ______ behavior. a) b) c) d)
enthusiastic; rude formal; strict deferential; considerate friendly; relaxed
4. What makes a co-worker deserving of respect? a) b) c) d)
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All people are worthy of respect regardless of their contribution A co-worker is only deserving of respect if he or she can pull weight in the team Its quid pro quo: Give me what you need and I will give you need All of the above
5. What word is most closely related to the concept of “involvement”? a) b) c) d)
Victim Agent of Change Caught in the Crossfire Both a & b
6. Which of the following is true about involvement? a) Involvement means you feel a personal investment in the success and failure of the company b) Involvement means you wait for management to notice the problems in the company because troubleshooting is not in your job description c) Involvement is simply attending company parties and events d) All of the above 7. What is the best application of this statement: “Language captures attitudes.”? a) Don’t use words that denote racial bias as they communicate racial discrimination b) It’s alright to use politically incorrect language for as long as the other person finds no offense in the term c) Both a & b d) None of the above 8. True or False: Political correctness can sometimes be considered lying. a) True b) False
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