Comments on: Celebrating Civility http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/2009/08/13/celebrating-civility/ Thu, 17 May 2012 20:01:35 +0000 hourly 1 By: Chetan Borkhetaria http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/2009/08/13/celebrating-civility/#comment-328 Chetan Borkhetaria Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:10:57 +0000 http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/blog/?p=128#comment-328 Wow, I'm a little taken aback. Do we as a professional society really have problems with civility? The idealistic part of me is shaking my head on this one. But the realistic part of me is retoring, "duh, if you agree that there are all different kinds of people, then of course you'll find incivility inside the workplace, outside the workplace, everywhere." And of course if there's enough people with a similar voice AGAINST incivility, there will be a movement FOR civility. Although I'm glad to see this as a push to influence the norm to the posiitve, I'm not sure we're all looking in the right place for the answer to this one. Where does incivility come from? What contributes to it? What other norms allow people to be uncivil in the first place? And furthermore, is reducing incivility even the right answer?? What about increasing the threshold for tolerating inevitable incivility? I saw a couple of men crossing the street in Chicago yesterday, not bothering to use a cross walk. They were walking slowly and diagonally across a one-way 3-lane road in the city, while traffic was still coming! A cab gave them a honk just as I would have, and for the next 30 seconds until the cab was out of site, the men were shouting expletives from the busy sidewalk at the cab (who I'm sure couldn't even hear them!) What incivility! Do we seek to change their behavior? (the looked like less educated-type folks, so good luck with that!) Do we influence the public around them to squash such incivil behavior? (as our numbers in groups get larger, our apathy grows) Or do we make a push for just tolerating it? (which is basically our current default) I don't really know... I just like asking the questions. What does everyone else think? -Chetan Borkhetaria OD Consultant Wow, I’m a little taken aback. Do we as a professional society really have problems with civility? The idealistic part of me is shaking my head on this one. But the realistic part of me is retoring, “duh, if you agree that there are all different kinds of people, then of course you’ll find incivility inside the workplace, outside the workplace, everywhere.”

And of course if there’s enough people with a similar voice AGAINST incivility, there will be a movement FOR civility. Although I’m glad to see this as a push to influence the norm to the posiitve, I’m not sure we’re all looking in the right place for the answer to this one. Where does incivility come from? What contributes to it? What other norms allow people to be uncivil in the first place?

And furthermore, is reducing incivility even the right answer?? What about increasing the threshold for tolerating inevitable incivility?

I saw a couple of men crossing the street in Chicago yesterday, not bothering to use a cross walk. They were walking slowly and diagonally across a one-way 3-lane road in the city, while traffic was still coming! A cab gave them a honk just as I would have, and for the next 30 seconds until the cab was out of site, the men were shouting expletives from the busy sidewalk at the cab (who I’m sure couldn’t even hear them!) What incivility!

Do we seek to change their behavior? (the looked like less educated-type folks, so good luck with that!) Do we influence the public around them to squash such incivil behavior? (as our numbers in groups get larger, our apathy grows) Or do we make a push for just tolerating it? (which is basically our current default)

I don’t really know… I just like asking the questions. What does everyone else think?

-Chetan Borkhetaria
OD Consultant

]]> By: Ji Hyun Lee http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/2009/08/13/celebrating-civility/#comment-327 Ji Hyun Lee Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:24:56 +0000 http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/blog/?p=128#comment-327 I must admit that I do a lot of writing about the "bad" coworkers/bosses for my office politics column. Now I'm inspired write abt the forgotten folks-- the model bosses and coworkers who don't get nearly enough attention. Thanks for bringing this to my attention Melanie. I must admit that I do a lot of writing about the “bad” coworkers/bosses for my office politics column. Now I’m inspired write abt the forgotten folks– the model bosses and coworkers who don’t get nearly enough attention.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention Melanie.

]]> By: Melanie Sklarz http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/2009/08/13/celebrating-civility/#comment-326 Melanie Sklarz Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:27:56 +0000 http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/blog/?p=128#comment-326 Erica, you are more than welcome. Thanks for reading and sharing your insights. They are always much appreciated! Erica, you are more than welcome. Thanks for reading and sharing your insights. They are always much appreciated!

]]> By: Erica Pinsky http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/2009/08/13/celebrating-civility/#comment-325 Erica Pinsky Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:20:08 +0000 http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/blog/?p=128#comment-325 Thanks for sharing this. I took the pledge and will share this resource. Respect and civility really do go hand in hand, so promotion of one serves to promote the other. Thanks for sharing this. I took the pledge and will share this resource. Respect and civility really do go hand in hand, so promotion of one serves to promote the other.

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