Are You Civil?
Did you know that it pays to be kind?
We have all heard the saying, “you’ll never regret being kind,” but do you believe it? Just one look at our social media feeds often begs the question, does being civil really pay off?
According to countless studies, YES! For example, civil employees:
- PERFORM 13% better,
- Are twice as likely to be viewed as a LEADER, and
- Are seen as both more COMPETENT and more POWERFUL.
In fact, “demonstrating respect” has been found to be the most important leadership quality for garnering commitment and engagement. Why? Because relationships matter. How you treat people is either setting the stage for your success or sabotaging your performance.
Civility wins people over! If you want people to respect you, trust you, connect with you, and invest in you, then you must adopt a posture of civility.
ARE YOU CIVIL? Find out with this Civility Awareness Quiz. How many of these questions do you answer with a “yes”?
- I check emails, phone messages, or text during meetings.
- I rarely listen fully and without judgment.
- I am constantly late.
- I seldom say please and thank you.
- I withhold important information from those I dislike.
None of these acts are civil. We all miss the mark at times—that is human. The challenge is to resist the urge to excuse poor behavior (“I am too busy” or “He is rude”). Regardless of “why” we choose to be uncivil, the impact is the same. Incivility breeds incivility, and kindness breeds kindness. How do you want to be remembered? ™
