Making Etiquette Easy: Workplace Bullying

Images from Herndon Davis

By now, we should all know a thing or two about how social graces can keep us from embarrassing ourselves or others on a daily basis. But have you ever considered, when taken to extremes, a lack of etiquette can be termed bullying? An attitude here or there at the workplace is one thing, but when it starts to become a habitual act, you may be looking for a new job.

• Watch the Intimidation Factor: Many people think that if they create a bit of fear in the office, their employees or coworkers will respect them more. Of course no one wants to feel they can be trampled on, but fanning the flames of intimidation not only makes people uncomfortable, it is also unwarranted bullying.


• Equality for All: Whether unintentional or not, treating some employees differently than others is a gamble you don't want to take. As far as etiquette is concerned, people will notice and feel you are favoring certain individuals. To be fair, you must do what's right in the eyes of all. Things like race, religion, disabilities, or physical characteristics should be virtually invisible to you.


• Be Practical with Practical Jokes: Joking and humiliating creates camaraderie....at Bachelor Parties. The workplace is no place to single someone out, whether it's a bad haircut, a terrible presentation, or a nickname you think is perfect for the individual. It's impossible to predict how sensitively a person will respond to an insult, playful or not.


• Break the Cycle: If you do find you've been particularly hard on one or more employees and not the others, consciously make a choice to break the cycle and stop the behavior. It's never too late to try to make things right, and improved relations are destined in your future.

Making Etiquette Easy, Susan K. Medina

Making Etiquette Easy: Curse Words

Image from The Crack Team

Bleep! A little slip here and there never seemed to kill anyone, but curse words can be the spoiler de jour in your professional life if you're not careful. Whether it's for camaraderie, out of emotion, or just a bad habit, it can really be a curse (pun intended). Here are some situations you should consider...and then add removing curse words from your vocabulary to this weeks to-do list:

• In the Office: With more than 250,000 words in the English language, exercising one of the 12 or so"dirty" words doesn't say much to compliment your intelligence, let alone get your message across with additional clarity. Not only that, but you don't know the moral DNA of every single person in your office, and your words may be not only offensive but divisive. Remember, if you're trying to effectively communicate a message, swear words distract and dilute the meaning.
  


• Via Email: Never include curse words in email content. For the same reason that you should never put anything in email that you don't want blasted to the world, curse words in emails come off as juvenile and immature. And besides, you'll never be able to revoke your misstep.
  


• On Social Media: Even if you manage to tame your tongue in the office, it doesn't give you license to go wild on the internet. Employees, potential business partners, clients, and children are able to see what you project about yourself. And while you may think it's funny, not everyone shares the same humor. The same goes people who post these words to your pages- delete them. Many people have been chastised or fired for the content on their non-professional pages.
  


• The bottom line is that there are so many differing opinions about swearing that it's best to be conservative. This way, you won't offend anyone. And chances are, you'll gain more respect for keeping things politically correct. The short of it: Button It Up Butter Cup!

Making Etiquette Easy,
Susan K. Medina

Making Etiquette Easy: Nosy Question Askers

Image from Associated Content

With so much personal sharing these days via Facebook and other social media sites, it can be hard to draw the line between what we are and aren't willing to share with others. And it's especially troubling when our friends, relatives or even acquaintances begin prying into our business, presuming we're ready to share our life story. So the next time someone presses your "are you kidding me?" button, remember these tips to get the conversation back to more neutral ground:

• Be Vague: If it's about the price of your new car, you can avoid the true answer by saying something like, "probably too much" or "I know, isn't it awesome?" Giving answers like this cue the nosey Nelly that you're not willing to put dollar signs on the table. If it's about something personal (i.e. the status of your relationship), you can say "things are going well" or "who knows what the future holds."


• Flip It: If the person is still digging, flip the question on them or ask them a completely different question. Would they like to go for a ride in your car? How is their relationship situation progressing? A lot of times, people are inquisitive because they'd also like to share their stories. Allowing them this pleasure can cut you some slack and get the attention off of you.


• Be Honest: Sometime people will stop at nothing for answers. If the topic is a sensitive one for you and you don't feel like opening up, let them know you've got a policy against sharing such private information. You can even let them know you've talked about it with your spouse/therapist/etc. and that you don't mean to offend them, but this is your personal space and you'd like to keep it that way.

Making Etiquette Easy,
Susan K. Medina