How often do you experience or witness incivility in your life, whether it's at work, online, or elsewhere? Why is squashing incivility so crucial to our wellbeing? Studies show that incivility in the workplace can create a toxic environment, leading to decreased job satisfaction, reduced productivity, and even physical and emotional harm! It can certainly have detrimental effects outside of work as well. But what can we do? The first line of defense is internal. The better equipped we are to harness stress and adversity, the better we can navigate the challenges of incivility. So investing time in our own resilience, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence can be valuable. Second, if we choose to address the incivility, using the BIFF approach can be helpful. This means we are brief, informative, friendly, and firm. Additionally, setting boundaries is key to support a respectful and safe environment and in promoting a culture of respect and civility. And finally, modeling kindness and compassion can go a long way toward squashing incivility. Using these strategies can create a positive environment where you and others feel respected, valued, and safe. Well, there you have it! Give this Life Hack a try for a week or so and assess along the way - what’s going well? Where am I struggling? What am I learning about my own wellbeing? If you like this tool, keep using it! If you don’t right now, that’s ok - store it in your toolbox just in case you need it later!
