Recently I received a voicemail message from an HR Director inquiring about my training services. When I called back, the receptionist answered in a somewhat abrupt fashion. In an upbeat way I asked for the person I was looking for. Without uttering a word or friendly sound (none of that customary “I’ll transfer you now” or any variation of that), the receptionist transferred me to the requested person.
At that moment, I had a pretty educated guess about the type of services I’d be asked to deliver.
If you were in that same situation, what would you have guessed?
If your answer was “Respectful Workplace training” or “Harassment training”, you’d be 100% right!
Incivility in the workplace has a nasty habit of showing up in the most undesirable places, such as customer service (see more effects). It took only one routine interaction with the receptionist for me to determine that had I been seeking the type of services that this company offers, I would take my business elsewhere.
Here’s an invitation: look around your own organization and ask yourself: where is incivility rearing its ugly, usually-unaddressed face? What effects is it having? And most importantly, what can be done about it?
(And if I may add…. remember that we’re, of course, always happy to help – with training, coaching and consultation!)
We’re here to help, anytime.
