When you think of team management and leadership, civility may not immediately spring to mind. But know this, when you don’t have it, you will quickly wish you did! A lack of civility can be detrimental to the way the team works and the company’s effectiveness as a whole. And as people become increasingly stressed and more anxious in the workplace, civility can often be the first thing to go out the window. As a Leader, it is your job to manage the team and create kindness in the workplace. Here are some great places to start.
Get back to basics
If you notice civility sliding, then it’s time to get back to basics. Readdress the company standards and explain that rudeness will not be tolerated in any form. Model the standard and let them know there will be consequences if the uncivil behaviour does not cease immediately. By modelling compassion in your day to day activities, you will determine the norm for others to follow. Set your expectations, encourage kindness on a daily basis and demonstrate your zero tolerance to rude behaviour.
Make everyone accountable
As you make positive steps to remove incivility and low tolerance, remember good behaviour needs to be rewarded as much as results or targets. This will ensure that civility is firmly entrenched in your business model and not just something which is spouted at the annual meeting or yearly Christmas function. If you want to make it a company priority, then make it count.
Offer training
While you may feel that civility should be the norm, sometimes it is a case of educating your team to ensure they are well-equipped to meet your required corporate aims. Civility is as critical a course as say stress management or time management, and will better help your team meet the high standards of your company and improve their relationship with others. Once they have the skills and the understanding to recognise their triggers, then there really is no excuse for poor behaviour and insolence.
Confront the issue
If you see a lack of civility occurring, never EVER ignore it. The problem will not go away by itself; in fact, it may escalate and become even more problematic for everyone. It is important that you broach the subject and get to the bottom of why it is occurring. Is there a personal issue between two or more parties? Or perhaps there is a corporate problem that needs to be dealt with? Once you have a greater understanding of the situation, then you can deal with it as promptly and as swiftly as necessary.
Only when your employees and managers understand their personal triggers to stress and realise that the company will take action when improper behaviour is highlighted, will you begin to see a significant improvement in how relationships are carried out. One snide remark is all it can take to bring the morale crashing down, so it is essential that you stay on top of it and pave the way for open and valuable discussions on the topic.
If you would like to educate your team on this very relevant subject, ‘Civility in the Workplace’ is one of the many customisable training courses we offer to our corporate clients. For more information contact us for more information.
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