Corporate Decency
VIEWPOINT
by Judy B. Rosener
It’s widely agreed that there’s an increase in the lack of civility in our country,loud cell phone conversations in restaurants, foul language, impoliteness, road rage, name-calling among public officials, “gotcha” journalism, and advertisements whose words and images are lewd, rude or angry.
One need not agree with everything or even most of what Bill Cosby has been saying about the reasons for the plight of low-income blacks in order to share his disgust with the use of profanity and the “N” word among teenagers.
The famous comedian at least is striking a blow for civility.
Crude talk isn’t the sole province of the underprivileged, either.
Consider Vice President Dick Cheney’s recent use of the F-word toward a U.S. senator, or Teresa Heinz Kerry’s admonishment to a newspaper reporter to “shove it.”
Many people sympathized with and even applauded the exasperated forthrightness of these public figures, but the remarks contributed to the further coarsening of the public discourse.
Clearly this incivility in our everyday life negatively impacts our individual and social well-being.
However, because the print and electronic media feed on conflict and controversy, and powerfully influence individual behavior, it will take public outrage and strong leaders in all our institutions to reverse this trend.
Increased uncivil behavior has become a “bottom line” concern in the workplace, so while there are attempts to limit inappropriate behavior on television and in the movies, it is in the corporate world that we can expect to see major efforts to produce change.
Uncivil behavior is a “bottom line” issue because whether it’s shouting, backstabbing, belittling, bullying, discrimination, harassment or the improper use of e-mail and foul language, it is associated with a decrease in morale, productivity and customer service, and an increase in employee and expensive lawsuits.
Consider the recent costly settlement at Merrill Lynch and the class-action suit being waged against Wal-Mart for its alleged mistreatment of women employees.
Explanations for the kinds of workplace situations described above are many.
Some say we’re angry because our lives have become too complex, competitive and stress-filled; and we release this anger through impulsive, uninhibited behavior not seen in less stressful environments.
Others say our increased physical and professional mobility has reduced the communal reins on social behavior.
Similarly, men and women used to be employed in one organization for many years, often for their entire working life; their behavior at work determined the success or failure of their careers.
But there is not much stigma attached to job-jumping anymore, and mere misbehavior seldom shows up on resumes.
The physical workplace has changed, too.
People are frustrated at being put in cubicles, being surrounded by noise, losing privacy and having personal contact replaced with e-mails and teleconferencing.
And cell phones, pagers, call-waiting and Blackberries put workers “on call” constantly.
Whatever the causes, management consultants and academics have been generating data that show significant monetary costs to the dysfunctions described above, and they are developing ways to address the incivility issue in the workplace.
Codirectors of the Conflict Research Consortium at the University of Colorado, Drs. Guy and Heidi Burgess recommend to their clients an approach they call “constructive confrontation.”
This approach says that civility is important and can be accomplished through policies that, among other things, stress openness, understanding and fairness, and limit provocation.
These suggestions seem obvious.
So why aren’t they heeded more often?
Because until recently, the link between a lack of civility and corporate costs has not been fully recognized.
Yet, unlike society at large, where the regulation of behavior is seen as inconsistent with personal freedom, rewards and punishment in the workplace can be used to change behavior because the constraints on personal freedom are accepted as a condition of employment.
Dr. Giovinella Gontheir, author of Rude Awakening, Overcoming the Civility Crisis in the Workplace, recognizes this point.
She is the founder of Civility Associates, a firm that provides programs and individual coaching aimed at creating a culture of civility in organizations.
Her book spells out the civility issues and challenges, and offers suggestions for addressing them.
It would be nice if our officials, movie producers, celebrities, TV anchors, editors and educators would exercise more self-restraint. But they don’t, and aren’t likely to anytime soon.
However, since the lack of civility can be linked to tangible costs in the workplace, there is reason for the business community to act.
It’s a great chance for recently maligned corporate leaders to set a good example and help bring about needed social change.
Rosener, Ph.D., is a professor in the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Irvine, and a noted author and speaker.
