Catherine Mattice's Blog, page 17

Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Psychological safety in the workplace is the cornerstone of a positive and productive culture. “Psychological safety is the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.”

To build and manage high-performing teams, leaders must actively work to create an environment where individuals feel safe to express their ideas, opinions, and concerns without fear of negative consequences. 

Take a look at your company. Do people feel safe giving each other feedback, or do you have a culture of shame, blame, and gossip?

 

Creating psychological safety in the workplace

Here are three ways to create a culture of psychological safety.

 

Set the stage

As a leader of a team, it’s important to set the stage for psychological safety by creating a shared identity among team members and providing structure for them to feel safe in their work. 

This includes fostering a sense of their individual contribution and cohesion as a team, and being open and transparent about any challenges or uncertainties that may arise. 

Additionally, it’s crucial for the leader to role-model vulnerability and show their humanity in order to establish credibility and trust where team members feel comfortable being open and honest in return. Don’t be a “Do as I say, not as I do” kinda boss. 

 

Invite participation

To foster a culture of participation and inclusivity, it’s important to be intentional and creative in inviting diverse perspectives and ideas. This can be done by actively seeking input from team members through open-ended questions, instead of directing them on what to do. 

Psychologically safe space is a courageous space where people feel safe dissenting opinions and delivering constructive criticism, by inviting participation and encouraging individuals to challenge and question ideas, which ultimately leads to stronger culture. The opposite of courage isn’t cowardice; it’s conformity. And conformity is where innovation goes to die. 

 

Respond productively

Finally, the most critical element that leaders often forget is to acknowledge and respond appropriately to team members who have mustered the courage to speak up and express their ideas or concerns.

The way in which you address their input sets the tone for future communication and encourages them and others witnessing this interaction to continue taking risks and speaking up in the future. 

Show them that you value their input and take their concerns seriously. Practicing these skills and regularly discussing psychological safety within the team can help prevent a single negative comment from undermining the overall sense of safety for everyone. 

 

Conclusion

Psychological safety, just like authenticity, isn’t a permanent state but rather is constantly being created and reinforced through the actions and behaviors of team members. It can be easily undermined by a single negative comment or action, and it’s the responsibility of the team leader and members to continuously build and maintain it. 

In other words, psychological safety is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort to foster and maintain, just as authenticity is determined by one’s choice to be authentic in each moment.

 

Sincerely,

The Civility Partners Team

 

PS: Are you ready to take your team’s performance to the next level? We have an exciting opportunity for you. We’re giving away a FREE resource, a webinar on “Creating and Measuring Psychological Safety” on March 15th, 10AM Pacific, with our Director of Learning and Development, Anya Soto!

This webinar is worth 1 SHRM PDC for all live attendees. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn and improve your team’s performance and culture!

Claim your spot here.

 

 

The post Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace appeared first on Civility Partners.

3 Tips For Dealing With A Toxic CEO

We’ve all worked with a toxic person, or perhaps even a toxic CEO. Maybe they were a downer with all of their push back and refusal to budge, or a one-upper who engaged in grandstanding and stealing your thunder, or perhaps they were too aggressive with all the yelling and abrasive body language.

Unfortunately, these behaviors are toxic to individuals at the receiving end, to the team’s ability to perform, and to the organization as a whole.

 

How do you define a toxic CEO?

Toxic behaviors are any behaviors that are harmful and pervasive. Toxic is perhaps synonymous with poisonous, and if we think about how poison plays out on Forensic Files, it’s often a slow, insidious process occurring over time (don’t judge me), as is toxic behavior at work. 

A CEO publicly shaming someone who made a mistake one time stinks, but it’s not toxic. A CEO who regularly shames people in public and private, however, is toxic as it slowly chips away at individuals’ self-esteem, confidence in themselves, and loyalty to the company.

People start seeking new jobs, talking badly about the organization in and outside of work, and perhaps seek justice by working less hours or putting less effort into their work quality. (Sidenote, reducing effort is an example of counterproductive work behavior and the research is clear that most people engage in it to regain perceived fairness. This is part of the unseen costs of toxic workplace behaviors and culture. Check out my LinkedIn Learning course on Practicing Fairness as a Manager to learn more. We made it free for 24 hours so you can view it!)

Now I’ve seen some blog posts lately cautioning about the use of the word toxic when describing someone at work or your work culture, but I disagree with those authors wholeheartedly. If people are being hurt, then it’s toxic as far as I’m concerned. And, if we use euphemisms (e.g., unhealthy, impolite, unprofessional) to talk about these behaviors, we hide the harsh reality of the damage these behaviors cause. 

 

How do you deal with a toxic CEO?

First, recognize that they have no idea that they are causing so much damage. I know when you’re at the receiving end of toxic behavior it sure feels intentional, but as someone who’s been researching, publishing and consulting on toxic behavior for almost 15 years I can tell you that despite the occasional narcissist I come across in my coaching practice, it is not. 

In coaching, I interview up to 15 people about their perceptions of their toxic CEO, and when I deliver that feedback my coaching clients are mortified and horrified. They knew people found them frustrating and hard core, but they did not know the extent of the damage they were causing. 

Second, decide that you will not tolerate the toxic behavior any longer. Yes, the power to get back your power is in your hands. In a book of stories I collected and published in partnership with the National Workplace Bullying Coalition, we discovered that those who defined their experience of surviving workplace bullying as successful were those who had a defining moment of clarity – they decided to take back control. 

What that looked like for each individual was different, but it was the decision, not the action that followed, that was consistent across all of the stories. One woman, for example, decided she was going to stay at the organization and fight the good fight for herself and the thousands of others who would follow in her footsteps. Another woman dramatically dropped her pile of building keys on her boss’ desk as she said, “I quit,” and then she turned and walked out the door. 

Yet both of these women described themselves as successful. Check out this article for more tips on resilience. 

Third, hold true to your boundaries and values. Set boundaries with your CEO, and hold to them. Let him or her know that when you receive a nasty email, you will not be responding to it; when they yell at you in front of others, you will walk away; and when they degrade you in a condescending tone, you will hang up the phone. 

I know this sounds difficult and I don’t discount the courage this takes. And, you have the right to work with someone who treats you with respect. It is indeed your basic human right to feel valued and included, and what I’ve found over the years is that the earlier you set these boundaries the more likely the behavior is to stop. You even gain respect from the toxic CEO if you step up early enough, because they recognize you don’t take BS and they are no-BS kind of people. 

In the end, if your workplace doesn’t treat your dignity with the tender-loving care it deserves then you’ve gotta go. Plenty of companies in the world recognize the importance of treating their people well, so perhaps it’s time to work for one of those. 

 

Can toxic CEO’s change?

Yes, with the right coach. If you’d like to learn more about our coaching program designed specifically for abrasive, aggressive or toxic leaders, snag our ebook, Abrasive Leaders & How to Stop Them: A Coaching Method that Works.

 

[image error]

Get a copy

 

 

 

The post 3 Tips For Dealing With A Toxic CEO appeared first on Civility Partners.

As someone who specializes in coaching abrasive and aggre...

As someone who specializes in coaching abrasive and aggressive leaders, I’ve noticed some patterns. Topics that continue to come up in my coaching sessions time and again.

Get this. There are things your organization could be doing that actually facilitate bullying. I explain it all in this 5 minute video.

If you want the cliff notes version, here are three questions to consider:

Does your performance management program provide clear tools and guidelines for managers to coach poor performance and behavior?Do your leaders teach others how to bully through their own behavior?Does your organization hold people accountable to good performance and good behavior?

If you want to learn more, watch the video

If you want more information about coaching, check out my webpage on how it works. You can also check out my LinkedIn Learning video on the topic if you want.

The post appeared first on Civility Partners.

Resolving Conflict: A Case Study

One of our clients had two employees who were struggling to get along. Both employees were key contributors, and the business owner was desperate for them to resolve their differences.

It all started when one employee (I’ll call her Susan) was quick to email out policy changes, which the other employee (I’ll call her Tiffany) perceived as snooty. On the flip side, Susan perceived Tiffany as gregarious and outspoken.

Over time, conflict erupted about every little thing. One didn’t acknowledge the other in the hall; fireworks. One didn’t answer the phone on time; fireworks. And on it went.

The owner was at a loss.

She was stressed, the conflict was lowering productivity for the two employees, and the tension was affecting the whole workplace. 

This was a job for our resident DISC trainer and coach, Toni. DISC is a leading assessment tool used to assist individuals in understanding their own communication preferences and develop skills for effectively communicating with others. Toni is our experienced conflict mediator (and all around amazing chick).

Both employees took the DISC assessment, and Toni met with each to review their results report.

Toni also put together a collaborative report, which juxtaposes the profiles and provides tools for each to communicate effectively with the other.

In one – yes you read that right – in ONE MEDIATION MEETING, the employees were able to resolve much of their conflict and set ground rules for communicating with each other moving forward. 

Toni finds that DISC cuts through a lot of “stuff” that can usually take several meetings to uncover. Holding a DISC report in their hands makes it easier for people to own their behavior, rather than having to spend several meetings getting people to see that the behavior even exists in the first place.

As a result of the mediation and DISC reports, Susan and Tiffany could see the differences in their communication styles and understand the natural areas where conflict was bound to erupt. 

Susan could see that Tiffany naturally likes to build relationships. Tiffany could see that Susan naturally focuses on procedures. Where Tiffany might share a change in policy by showing up at your desk to tell you about it, building a relationship with you in the meantime, Susan is focused on getting the procedure out clearly and concisely, seemingly without relationships on the mind at all. 

Knowing this, the employees could take responsibility for their part and develop plans for change.

And, the business owner can use the tool post-mediation. She can refer the employees to their results and provide ongoing coaching without Civility Partners’ help. 

Neat, right?

Situations like this one are bound to happen in any organization.

Even in our small office where employees are in speaking distance of each other, where we have regular team meetings, and where we get along quite well – things happen.

While our open office concept can foster collaboration, it doesn’t necessarily ensure effective communication.

Register for our March 19 webinar if you want to:

Learn more about DISCGain insight on your communication preferencesGet some tools for conflict resolutionUnderstand how DISC profiles tie into employee engagement, orBrush up on personal leadership skills.

Our webinar’s going to be packed with all that and more. 

When it comes to communication, we could all use a little insight and a little self-awareness. It really does play a major role in creating and sustaining a collaborative company culture.

See you on the webinar!

Catherine

P.S. Join us and get some Q&A time with Toni. Ask her your burning questions about conflict resolution and she’ll no doubt have an inspiring answer.

The post Resolving Conflict: A Case Study appeared first on Civility Partners.

What Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Really Mean

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential to creating a positive work environment where employees are happy and thriving. We work with organizations to assess and address any issues related to DEI, and we provide training and resources to help create a culture of respect and inclusion. 

We often start by assessing our clients’ cultures to understand whether relationships are healthy and if people perceive the organization as inclusive or not. Once we understand the opportunities for improvement, we can provide training and development opportunities for employees and leaders, and create and implement strategies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. 

But what does DEI really mean? The three concepts—which are interrelated but distinct—are crucial for developing a supportive and respectful working culture.

 

Diversity

Diversity refers to the range of qualities that distinguish groups of people from other groups of people. Often described in a trifecta of sex/gender, race/ethnicity, and physical abilities, the list of what makes us diverse is much longer. Diversity is any difference among people and their physical characteristics, behaviors, values, worldview, needs and more. Beyond the trifecta, consider that diversity is also about:

Gender expression and gender identitySexual orientationReligious beliefs and valuesAgeSocioeconomic statusParental status, and thoughts or views on parenting decisionsPoliticsMedical conditionsMilitary or veteran statusCultural stylesDiversity in thought, and in communication style 

In order to welcome a diverse population into the workforce, we all have to recognize and appreciate people’s differences. We need to acknowledge that people have a variety of experiences and backgrounds, which adds value to businesses.

 

Equity

Equity refers to the fair and just treatment of all individuals, regardless of their diverse characteristics. It means ensuring that everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources so that everyone has an equal chance to succeed. That means barriers preventing some individuals from succeeding must also be removed.

And so the conversation about systemic discrimination begins. Employers everywhere must actively address historical bias or discriminatory practices and give historically underrepresented groups more resources or support. 

Please keep in mind that just because you may not see systemic discrimination easily, it’s likely there. If your organization is focused on DEI, your organization must be willing to take a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror. Look at your vendors, for example, how many of them are Black or woman-owned? Where do your recruiting efforts fall short of bringing in a diverse pool of candidates? Is your website and the customer experience in your online client portal easy for all customers, or just most of them? Does your work schedule meet the needs of single parents or the sandwich generation?

These are just some of the areas where your systems may need a revamp to ensure they’re more equitable. 

 

Inclusion

Inclusion refers to creating a culture where all individuals feel welcomed, respected, and valued. It is creating a sense of belonging for everyone.

This means that everyone should feel that they are part of the organization, that their contributions are valued, and that they are respected and treated fairly. It also involves fostering a culture in which everyone is motivated to engage and collaborate, and free to express their thoughts.

I’m sure you’ve heard or seen the famous Verna Meyers quote: “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”

 

Belonging

However, that famous quote leaves out the newest term to be added to the DEI acronym, Belonging. This blog post notes that belonging goes beyond dancing, and is about being asked for input on the music playlist, and feeling free to ask anyone you want to dance with you. Another post points out that being asked to dance insinuates someone else controls the pace and space of the dance floor… so it’s missing the whole point of DEIB work. 

There are significant differences between being asked to dance because you’re a guest in someone else’s home, and being asked to create and build the home and plan the party inside of it. Belonging means that underrepresented groups feel as much ability as the “main group” to step in, fully participate, and influence the outcomes.

Belonging is also where the business can see real benefits, because people see an openness to their comments and questions, which inspires them to continue to share them. Then everyone starts to see the real benefits of being open to those comments and questions through their team’s work and output. 

We’re always focused on creating environments where everyone feels valued, respected, included, and as if they belong (i.e., feel psychologically safe). Where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed because the systems have made it possible by removing barriers, the people are inviting groups in, and the organization is celebrating full participation and influence from all members of the workforce, no matter what groups they may belong to. 

 

Sincerely,

Catherine, Jenny, & The Civility Partners Team

The post What Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Really Mean appeared first on Civility Partners.

5 Action Items for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Building a healthy workplace where employees feel appreciated and respected requires, among other things, making it diverse and inclusive. It is essential for organizations that want to attract and retain top talent, foster innovation, and stay competitive in today’s global economy. 

Diversity has been a buzz word for a number of years, and after unsuccessfully recruiting, hiring and onboarding expensive diverse talent just to lose them after 3-6 months of employment – many companies are reconsidering their action items for DEI. 

As consultants and learning & development professionals focused on building positive work cultures, we compiled an action plan for organizations looking to improve their diversity efforts.

 

Assess your current state

Start by conducting an audit of your current workforce policies or practices that may be contributing to a lack of diversity. Your audit should include your company’s:

Workforce demographicsRecruitment & hiring practicesPromotion & advancementRetention data

In addition, run a climate assessment (i.e., an employee survey) that gauges how your workforce is feeling not just about diversity but inclusion, equity and belonging. A climate assessment measures a variety of constructs, including employee engagement, job satisfaction, internal communication, and more. 

You might learn that one underrepresented group feels differently about these areas than the rest of the workforce, or that many people have all witnessed some level of discrimination or harassment among their peers but are not sure how to bring it up to the management. 

Both of these tools are powerful ways to stay on top of DEIB, as long as you’re sure to make  required adjustments, these assessments should be conducted on a regular basis.

 

Set SMART goals

Based on your assessment results, create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals for increasing not just diversity, but inclusion of your diverse talent across your  organization. This will make it easier for your company to monitor its success and track its progress.

So, identify the metrics that are important to track. Obviously, better survey scores the next time around us one version of that, but what business results do you seek? Other metrics might include a 25% increase in diversity in your candidate pool, or being recognized in your community as a leader in DEIB.

Beyond being able to measure your success, metrics allow you to create specific objectives and KPIs, so that everyone working for your organization is focused on the same goals and is aware of their part in attaining them. This is what creates inclusion – working on a project all together as a company. 

To be honest, this is one place we see a lot of companies waste their efforts and budget, and actually create more damage than good. We always recommend the help of experts in all of your DEIB initiatives. 

 

Train employees

Provide training for all of your employees on topics like unconscious bias, intercultural communication, and how to create a more inclusive work environment. We always offer a two part training, so that everyone gains the interpersonal skills needed to build inclusivity, and then people leaders gain specific tools to run more inclusive meetings, coach those engaging in damaging behavior, and proactively build a positive team culture.

We, at Civility Partners, pride ourselves on developing custom training that fits your organization’s needs!

 

Lead by example

Leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone and culture of an organization. Encourage leaders to model inclusive behavior that welcomes and respects differences.

In fact, we created an inclusivity performance matrix for one of our clients, so that they could measure leaders on their inclusive behavior skills. It included the following topics, and behavioral competencies were provided for all six:

Demonstrates respect for people and their differencesPromotes the benefits of a diverse workforceIs trusted and respected by othersIncludes and welcomes othersWorks to understand the perspectives of othersPromotes opportunities to experience diversity on campus

If managers and leaders are inclusive, your diverse workforce will want to stay.

 

Be accountable

Hold the organization responsible for attaining its diversity goals by tracking progress. It aids in ensuring that the company adopts a long-term strategy for diversity and inclusion and integrates it into its culture. Celebrate accomplishments, take lessons from setbacks, and keep becoming better!

Diversity in the workplace is an ongoing process that requires the commitment and efforts of everyone. By adhering to your action plan, organizations can make efforts toward developing a more diverse and inclusive workplace that benefits everyone.

 

Sincerely,

Anya, Catherine, Jenny + the Civility Partners Team

 

PS – Catherine’s LinkedIn Course, Strategic Human Resources, is featured in LinkedIn’s list of the 2023 Jobs on the Rise to support jobseekers in navigating the uncertain economic climate! It’s free until the 25th! 

If you don’t have a LinkedIn Learning account yet, you can start your 30-day free trial here.

 

 

The post 5 Action Items for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace appeared first on Civility Partners.

Four Steps to Dealing with Difficult People

Difficult people are everywhere. It’s likely you have encountered someone at work who struggles to connect with others in a positive way, whether because they are a downer, a one-upper, a gossip, or other reason. While difficult people come in many forms, they all have the power to completely suck the life out of you and your team.

I was recently up at LifeSpeak filming courses on this very topic (don’t worry, I’ll let you know when it’s available), and since we’ve all dealt with difficult people I thought I’d offer up some of my tips.

First, make a choice about your attitude. The fact is that while it is easy to point fingers at someone, you cannot change them and can only change yourself. By taking responsibility for your own role in the situation, you can become a better leader by becoming a better relationship builder.

Second, don’t take it personally. Everyone has needs, and this difficult person’s needs have nothing to do with you. So take the time to understand someone better by asking open-ended questions such as, “Tell me what is going on so I can understand where you are coming from,” it will help you understand what drives this person, and then you can maneuver your interactions with them accordingly.

Third, maintain self-control. Be aware of your instincts and feelings, recognize the situation, apply consciousness, and choose your actions wisely. Be present and aware of how you feel, so that you can avoid reacting to your negative feelings towards the difficult person. Using coping mechanisms such as deep breaths, meditating, walking, or politely exiting a situation can also help you take the proper action instead of reacting instinctually. In the end, you are the one with the power to change your own attitude.

Fourth, set boundaries and respect other people’s boundaries. One way to do that is to try something like, “I understand that you are frustrated, but when you criticize my work in that tone of voice it feels like you don’t value me. In the future, I’d like to try asking you to explain things to me so I can learn.” Notice that I first empathized, and then provided insight as to how I feel and what I need instead.

Fifth, ask a lot of questions. We don’t like difficult people because their behavior takes our power and we don’t have control in our interactions with them. Take back your power, and put the bad behavior on hold, by disrupting it with questions. If someone is gossiping, for example, try, “What is your intention in telling me this story about Sharon?” If someone is taking up your time blabbing on about their weekend, try, “Do you mind if I finish what I’m working on, and then if I have time later today I’ll stop in and you can finish your story?”

Finally, if you need to, try talking to the other person about their behavior in private. Make sure you do so in a neutral place and focus on the behavior they have been exhibiting rather than the person themselves. Provide specific examples, and be open to the other person’s feedback. This conversation should be a collaborative one focused on building your work relationship. Focus on “fixing” the difficult personality problems, and it won’t work.

Try these steps, and become a better relationship builder.

Sincerely,
Catherine

The post Four Steps to Dealing with Difficult People appeared first on Civility Partners.

Do you have formal buddy system in place for your new hires?

New hire buddy systems fail when expectations of buddies are not clear, and agendas aren’t provided, so people don’t really know what to do.

The post Do you have formal buddy system in place for your new hires? appeared first on Civility Partners.

Workplace Bullying Infographic

[image error]

The post Workplace Bullying Infographic appeared first on Civility Partners.

Latest book, SEEKING CIVILITY, is released!

I have just released my latest book, SEEKING CIVILITY: How leaders, managers and HR can create a workplace free of bullying and abusive conduct.

I thought I’d throw up a few excerpts for interest:What Bullying Is

Bullying is repeated abuse that creates a psychological power imbalance and an inability of targets to engage in self-defense. It causes psychological and physical harm to targets and witnesses, and monetary losses to the organization.

While this is a nice (long) definition, let’s break it down.

REPEATED: Bullying is not about having a bad day and mistreating co-workers as a result. Single negative acts, such as shouting once or failing to invite someone to the company happy hour are fairly normal if isolated and would generally be called incivility. Bullying is repeated, ongoing, continual… in fact it happens at least once a week for a period of anywhere between six months to five years before the target finally gives up and quits.

PSYCHOLOGICAL POWER IMBALANCE: Bullies start with a light push on people around them – perhaps a snide comment or a short temper tantrum. Some targets of this behavior will stand up for themselves right then. Others will brush it off or chose not to stand up for themselves. Over time bullies keep pushing the later group more frequently and more aggressively, ultimately creating a psychological power imbalance. Targets realize their bully has psychological power over them and bullies realize they have psychological power over their targets.

This power imbalance is what makes bullying different than conflict. Conflict happens when two people disagree but both have a voice. Bullying happens when one person has a voice and the other is so eviscerated that he or she does not.

INABILITY TO ENGAGE IN SELF-DEFENSE: For whatever reason targets of bullying are unable to stand up for themselves, whether because they are conflict avoidant, don’t feel supported by their organizational leaders, don’t want to lose their job for making waves, or simply are afraid of the repercussions.

Often the question of perception is part of the bullying equation as every target of bullying will perceive the behaviors differently and, accordingly, will respond differently.

It’s not news that stress causes physical problems such as headaches, stomachaches, lack of sleep, and poor diet. Indeed, researchers have even linked bullying to heart disease and other physical ailments, as well as post traumatic stress disorder and even suicide. It is important to note that even people who don’t necessarily self-identify as being bullied (i.e., witnesses) experience some of these same health problems as they witness abusive behaviors, though to a lesser extent.

MONETARY LOSSES TO THE ORGANIZATION: If targets of bullying and witnesses to the behavior are experiencing negative emotions, they certainly aren’t performing. Thus bullying leads to poor quality work product, low job satisfaction, poor relationships, presenteeism, absenteeism, turnover, poor safety, lack of teamwork, eroded job attachment, greater intention to leave, and more. The graphic below provides a list of all of the things that go up in an organization, and all of the things that go down, when there’s bullying.

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL HARM TO TARGETS AND WITNESSES: Targets of bullying experience anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, distress, humiliation, embarrassment, discouragement, feelings of inadequacy, hopelessness, burnout and more.

Note workplace bullying is more paramount than workplace violence for two reasons.

First, psychological well-being is more greatly impacted and impaired through psychological abuse than physical abuse. Second, bullying occurs for longer periods of time than workplace violence; workplace violence will end relatively quickly because it is conspicuous and against the law. Yet, we have laws and corporate policies against workplace violence but not against workplace bullying.

10 Steps to Civility

Once I got out of graduate school I founded the website NoWorkplaceBullies.com. At the time it spoke to what I was trying to accomplish – end bullying. As I worked with clients I realized I wasn’t trying to end bullying at all, I was creating a positive workplace. This is an important distinction – you can’t tell employees what not to do if you’re not going to provide alternatives. Employees can’t do a don’t. If you tell them, “don’t bully” you’ve left them with nothing to accomplish other than to not do something. If you tell employees, “do be respectful to each other” now you’ve given them a goal that is possible to accomplish (and measure).

One of my favorite quotes is from the book, Positive Organizational Behavior (Quick & Macik-Frey, 2007): “It is more than the absence of communication disorders; it is the presence of communication competence.” In other words you should be focused on the presence of a positive workplace (e.g., civility), not the absence of workplace bullying. Focus on the later and you’re left with a hole. Focus on the former and you have something to strive for. Thus you’ll find that all of the solutions offered in this book are focused on creating a positive and civil workplace culture. Do that, and the bullying (and harassment and discrimination) will go away. The social pressure will force bullies to conform to the new culture, or they will leave your organization all on their own whether by quitting or through your step-disciplinary procedure.

Civility is the platform for organizational success – it is absolutely necessary for an organization to reach its goals. Where there is civility, there is good communication and healthy employee relationships. Good relationships facilitate good decision making, and empower innovation and learning. (No one is innovating or learning when they are in fear.) When employees are feeling empowered they are engaged, motivated and loyal, and so they come to work, produce and provide customer service. Only then can the organization meet its goals and impact your bottom line.

Step 1. Get Leadership On Board

Leadership must be transparent about their support for a civil work environment for it to come to fruition. Need help convincing them bullying is an important issue? Make a business case by pointing out the costs of bullying in your organization.

Revisit the graphic in this book that describes the damage bullying causes and figure out how to quantify it. While you can’t quantify everything, you can quantify how many hours you’ve spent handling complaints about bullying, for example. If you’ve spent 15 hours dealing with complaints and you make $65 an hour, the bully has already cost the organization $975 in your time alone. See the example provided below for more ideas.

You might also try tying bullying into your already existent risk management program.

Step 4. Develop an Action Plan

Now that you have a social vision statement describing where the culture is going, and a list of values that define the behaviors everyone will engage in to reach that vision, you have to bring them to life with action items. These action items will facilitate behavior change, and eventually you will see a change in your culture.

Culture and behavior are intertwined. In order to change culture you have to push back on behavior. As behavior changes, so will the culture.

One way to create action items is to charge each department manager with this task. Provide them with the list of behaviors from the training, and the new values, and ask them to work with their employees to develop action items.

Start small; ask for only one or two action items and build from there. Don’t forget to make the action items SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.

Some examples of SMART action items include:

Starting (date), and for three months, hold one open brainstorming session on the last Friday of each month to collect ideas for healthy workplace projects.By (date), collect information from each employee about what they are thankful for in their fellow employees, and hold a meeting to share what was collected.Create and obtain personal pledges for positive communication from all staff no later than (date).By (date), create a lunch-and-learn schedule for staff, who will present an hour training to their peers on one positive communication skill of their choice.You have to get the book for more ideas…The Bottom Line

Culture change is a long and tedious process. But it will only take a few months to start seeing some results. One government agency I worked with saw two of the worst bullies quit within six months of the start of culture change. They saw very quickly that their longtime social power was disappearing as others were just not going to take it anymore. The social pressure to conform was strong and this made them uncomfortable, so they left. (Good riddance.)

Everyone is replaceable; don’t be fearful of pushing out a “top” performer. If they are the snag in your culture change, hold them accountable to the healthy workplace policy and let them go through your progressive disciplinary process. Remember that civility is the cornerstone of your success, so you need civil and positive people in your workplace.

Addressing workplace bullying and developing techniques to keep sustainable change means only good things will happen. A proactive approach to eradicating bullying in your workplace can provide all sorts of benefits including reduced turnover, absenteeism, medical leaves, and costs associated with workers compensation and litigation. Healthy workplaces motivate and develop staff, minimize workplace politics, excel at internal communication processes and customer service, have better reputations, increase the quality and quantity of work product, reduce workplace stress, and overall have improved health in employees and the organization – to name just a few of the competitive advantages.

You can get the book by filling out this form below. You will also receive a template healthy workplace policy and worksheet to help you do a quick culture assessment.

The post Latest book, SEEKING CIVILITY, is released! appeared first on Civility Partners.