Suggesting a person to smile back when a co-worker smiles at him, or to return someone's greetings, may be smirked away initially as airy manners, however such an attitude could end up with that person paying a heavy price for it in the long run. It is these small gestures that sums up an individual's perception in the public mind and an image is built accordingly.
The following activity will help you identify the levels of civility you practice in office.
Recall a time when you had to garner a lot of respect from a co-worker, superior and/or subordinate. Identify the reason you received this consideration and what rules of civility you practiced in this situation.
Based on your recollection, answer the following questions −
● What was the behavior of our co-worker like which made you feel that he was respecting you?
○ How did your co-worker’s behavior towards you affect?
○ Your performance at job
○ Your interaction with co-workers
○ Your self-esteem?
○ Your self-confidence?
● On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing model civil behavior, rate yourself in terms of your practice of civility at your workplace. Explain the rating you gave yourself.
● On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing “ideal civil environment”, rate the practice of civil behavior in your workplace by all co-workers. Explain your rating.
● What do you think you are doing to ensure civility at your workplace? What do think you are the areas in which you still need to improve?
● What do you think your organization is doing to ensure civility at your workplace? What do think are the areas in which your organization still needs to improve?
Download Try-it yourself sheet.