Overcoming Incivility: Communicating to Build Employee Engagement and Collaboration

Presented by Anna Francis, CEO, Diag Consulting LLC (Bethesda, MD)

Recent SHRM research indicates that U.S. employees collectively experience over 60 million acts of incivility per day in the workplace. Addressing others disrespectfully and interrupting or silencing others while they are speaking are cited among the most common types of incivility. Employees are looking to management to design a stronger culture of civility at work. About 66% of employees thought their supervisor or manager could have done more to prevent the incivility. Civility in communication fosters a positive workplace where employees can work together productively and handle client interactions courteously. Through this presentation, attendees will develop the skills to communicate concretely, candidly, and thoughtfully through practical examples and engaging exercises. Equipped with these tools, attendees can respectfully convey goals and tasks, discuss work challenges, and provide constructive feedback to employees while modeling for them how to effectively and civilly speak with managers, co-workers, and clients. By utilizing these skills, attendees will be empowered to prevent incivility in their workplaces and create a better experience for their employees. The presentation will provide attendees with the knowledge and skills to: Objectively assess workplace situations by concentrating on information and avoiding personal interpretations or judgments. Pinpoint the core issue contributing to a situation, drawing on their objective observations and emotional responses. Clearly articulate a positive and specific action aimed at addressing the central issue, while also being receptive to alternative perspectives.