Civil discourse. Vitriolic language. We’ve been hearing and reading a lot about the state of American politics and our ability to discuss and debate. I don’t want to risk a comparison between our work lives and the Arizona tragedy. Except in cases of violence, a comparison would be silly. That being said, the concept of how we communicate with each other transfers from politics to our work lives each and every day. Just how civil are we at work? What does our organizational culture support?
I have worked in and been witness to work environments that have been quite heated—quite vitriolic. In recent months, I have had individuals tell me (or have observed):
