Learn about the National Standard – Civility and Respect

havethattalk

21 Oct 201604:09

Summary

TLDRThis script addresses the importance of civility and respect in the workplace, especially during times of conflict. It highlights how actions perceived as uncivil, like eye-rolling or sarcasm, can escalate to more serious issues. The example of Sylvia and Trung illustrates the potential for misunderstandings and disrespect when assumptions are made about a new team member's capabilities. The video encourages creating a psychologically safe environment, valuing diversity, and promoting respect through training and policies. It concludes by prompting viewers to consider their role in fostering a respectful workplace.

Takeaways

😡 It's crucial to recognize and manage frustration and anger in the workplace to maintain a respectful environment.
🤔 Actions perceived as uncivil or disrespectful can have a negative impact on team dynamics and morale.
🤝 Civility and respect should be consistently practiced, especially during conflicts, to foster a healthy work environment.
👥 Encouraging calm and solution-oriented behavior during conflicts can prevent escalation and promote a positive workplace culture.
🙅‍♀️ Being aware of non-verbal cues and language that may be seen as disrespectful, like eye rolling or sarcasm, is important for maintaining civility.
🚫 Uncivil behavior can escalate to more severe issues such as racial slurs, intimidation, or even physical violence, which should be strictly avoided.
🌐 Understanding and respecting cultural, linguistic, and experiential differences among team members is essential for a harmonious workplace.
💡 A psychologically safe and healthy workplace is characterized by mutual respect, effective teamwork, and positive morale.
👀 Avoiding assumptions about what people want or need, and instead, actively seeking their input and perspectives, can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts.
📚 Implementing training and policies such as zero-tolerance for bullying, diversity training, and conflict resolution training can help promote respect and civility.
📝 Promoting civility and respect can be as simple as committing to one actionable step in the coming week to improve workplace interactions.

Q & A

What is the importance of treating each other with civility and respect in the workplace?
-Treating each other with civility and respect is crucial as it fosters a psychologically safe and healthy workplace, leading to better teamwork, positive morale, and more effective conflict resolution.
How can a lack of civility manifest in the workplace?
-A lack of civility can manifest through distracting, annoying, or irritating behaviors such as eye rolling, negative sarcasm, or even escalate to racial slurs, intimidation, or physical violence.
Why is it important to include new team members like Trung in discussions despite their language learning challenges?
-Including new team members like Trung is important because they bring valuable wisdom and perspective. Ignoring their input due to language barriers can be seen as disrespectful and may lead to frustration and conflict.
What is the role of Sylvia in the scenario, and how could her actions be perceived by Trung and his coworkers?
-Sylvia's role is to gather feedback about the project. Her suggestion for Trung to just watch until he's more familiar with the project might be perceived as a lack of respect for his abilities, even though her intention was to reduce his pressure.
How can repeated instances of disrespect impact a team?
-Repeated instances of disrespect can cause frustration and lead to conflict within the team, undermining the psychological safety and health of the workplace.
What is the significance of a psychologically safe and healthy workplace?
-A psychologically safe and healthy workplace is significant because it ensures that everyone has an underlying respect for each other, leading to less conflict, more effective solutions, and overall improved team performance.
Why should supervisors and employees avoid making assumptions about what people want or need?
-Avoiding assumptions about what people want or need is important because individuals have diverse perspectives and experiences. It's essential to respect these differences and treat people as they wish to be treated.
What are some ways to promote civility and respect in the workplace?
-Promoting civility and respect can be achieved through diversity training, conflict resolution training, implementing a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, and ensuring that everyone's contributions are valued and considered.
How can individuals contribute to fostering a respectful workplace?
-Individuals can contribute by being mindful of their actions and language, actively seeking to understand and value the perspectives of others, and participating in training and initiatives that promote respect and civility.
What is the significance of the 'Treat people the way THEY want to be treated' principle in the workplace?
-This principle emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting individual preferences and needs. It encourages a personalized approach to interactions, which can lead to a more inclusive and respectful work environment.
What resources are available for learning more about psychological health and safety in the workplace?
-Resources for learning more about psychological health and safety in the workplace include MentalHealthCommission.ca/NationalStandard and haveTHATtalk.ca, which offer information and tools to promote a healthy work environment.

Outlines

00:00

😡 Addressing Workplace Civility and Conflict

The paragraph discusses the importance of maintaining civility and respect in the workplace, especially during times of stress or conflict. It highlights how uncivil behavior, such as disrespect or negative sarcasm, can escalate to more serious issues like racial slurs or physical violence. The narrative uses an example of a new employee, Trung, who is learning English and is not asked for his input during a team meeting, which could be perceived as disrespectful. The paragraph emphasizes the need for a psychologically safe and healthy workplace where everyone is treated with respect, leading to better team collaboration and conflict resolution. It suggests that supervisors and employees should be mindful of not assuming others' needs and should respect individual differences. The paragraph concludes by encouraging the audience to consider ways to promote civility and respect and to visit specific websites for more resources.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Civility

Civility refers to the act of being polite and respectful in one's behavior and speech. In the context of the video, it is a core value that should guide interactions in the workplace. It is highlighted as essential for maintaining a positive work environment and preventing conflict. The script mentions that civility includes showing appreciation, care, and consideration for everyone, regardless of their role or background.

💡Respect

Respect is the regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others. The video emphasizes the importance of treating everyone with respect, which is not just about politeness but also about acknowledging and valuing their contributions and perspectives. The example of Sylvia potentially disrespecting Trung by not asking for his input illustrates how lack of respect can lead to frustration and conflict.

💡Stress

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. The script acknowledges that everyone experiences stress, which can affect how they behave, and it is crucial to manage stress to maintain civility and respect in the workplace.

💡Conflict

Conflict refers to a serious disagreement or argument, typically arising from a clash of opinions or interests. The video discusses how civility and respect are particularly important during conflicts to ensure that they are resolved constructively. It contrasts the approach of calming the situation and exploring solutions with making things worse.

💡Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is a work environment where employees feel safe to express their ideas, ask questions, and admit their mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation. The video suggests that a psychologically safe workplace fosters better teamwork and morale because of the underlying respect among team members.

💡Diversity

Diversity encompasses the variety of differences among people, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, and cultural background. The script highlights the importance of respecting diversity in the workplace, as it enriches the team's perspectives and experiences.

💡Uncivil Behavior

Uncivil behavior includes actions or language that are impolite, discourteous, or show a lack of regard for others. The video provides examples such as eye rolling or negative sarcasm, which can be distracting and irritating, and in severe cases, can escalate to more threatening behaviors.

💡Zero-Tolerance Policy

A zero-tolerance policy is a strict rule that mandates severe consequences or punishment for certain behaviors, with no exceptions. The video suggests implementing a zero-tolerance policy for bullying as a measure to promote respect and prevent uncivil behavior in the workplace.

💡Feedback

Feedback is the process of providing comments or evaluations about someone's performance or ideas. In the script, Sylvia gathers feedback from the team, which is a way to involve everyone in decision-making and ensure their voices are heard, thus promoting respect and inclusion.

💡Assumption

An assumption is a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof. The video cautions against making assumptions about what people want or need, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual perspectives and treating people as they wish to be treated.

💡Workplace Culture

Workplace culture refers to the values, behaviors, and practices that characterize a workplace. The video discusses how fostering a culture of civility and respect can contribute to psychological health and safety, leading to a more positive and productive work environment.

Highlights

The importance of treating each other with civility and respect in the workplace.

How frustration or anger can manifest and be perceived by others.

The potential for uncivil or disrespectful actions during stressful moments.

The significance of maintaining respect during conflict.

The impact of civility on team dynamics and conflict resolution.

Examples of uncivil behaviors such as eye rolling or negative sarcasm.

The escalation of uncivil behavior to more threatening actions like racial slurs or violence.

The introduction of Trung, a new team member with vast experience.

Sylvia's approach to including Trung in team feedback, which may be perceived as disrespectful.

The potential for repeated disrespectful actions to cause frustration and conflict.

The concept of a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.

The role of underlying respect in fostering effective teamwork and positive morale.

The importance of not assuming what people want or need in the workplace.

The principle of treating people the way they want to be treated, respecting their differences.

The value of acknowledging diverse working styles and preferences.

Strategies for promoting respect, such as zero-tolerance policies for bullying.

The suggestion to write down one's intention to promote civility and respect in the next week.

Civility and respect as one of the factors supporting psychological health and safety in the workplace.

Resources for learning more about workplace mental health and civility from MentalHealthCommission.ca.

The collaboration between Ottawa Public Health and the Mental Health Commission of Canada in developing these resources.