As the year ends we begin to take stock of the year that was, it is time to set up new goals for 2017 and take our performances up a notch. Millions of people spend more than 8 hours daily at their workplace. And it is in organizations’ best interest that these people spend time in harmony. In Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace, the author shows us how uncouth and rude behavior at workplaces is affecting the bottomline of companies and taking a financial toll.
And it is not just the company that loses, you too have to pay the price. In Mastering Civility, Christine Porath show you why it is beneficial for all to be civil to each other, respect each others’ boundaries and maintain a harmonious environment at your workplace. Christine Porath is Associate Professor of Management at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Porath travels the world working with leading organizations such as Google and the International Monetary Fund to help them solve the vexing problem of incivility.
Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace
by Christine Porath
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (December 27, 2016)
ISBN: 1455568988, 978-1455568987
Mastering Civility Summary
In a competitive competitive world, being civil is often taken as being meek and a pushover. The uncivil behavior of a few often create problems for the workplace population that does not think bullying is the way to go. However, it is sage to assume that incivility is still a curse of the few who cannot see their own faults in a civilized world.
With research insights from pop culture and actual workplaces, the author begins by quoting numbers that show the cost of uncivil behavior. The author shows that there is a thin line between being aggressive and being uncivil and rude. For a civil person, uncivil behavior directed at them or by someone with them is equally harmful and can lead to high stress levels. Thing kind of behavior has a direct correlation with people’s mental state and affects their ability to perform at optimum levels. Authors shows readers how negative behavior can have only negative effects, whether the receiver retaliates or tries to suck it up, in the long run.
Part II of the book, Civility Checkup: How Are You Doing and How You Can Improve asks the reader to take stock of their behavior and question their actions. The idea is to re-examine your behavior at the office. Not every jerk knows that he is a jerk or is uncivil on purpose. You might just manage to offend with behavior that come to you naturally! Even if you are not – a jerk – there is still always room for improvement. The author in these chapters talks about how you can improve in each sphere of workplace interactions and not be trigger happy when it comes to digital communication.
The author believes that it is up to organization leaders to set an example and create a zero tolerance policy when it comes to abrasive behaviors. You can stem the rot right at the beginning and make sure that you hire people who are civil. Make you behavior policies clear to the new recruits and train them to ensure that negative behavior does not take root in professional environment.
Incivility Effects – Christine Porath