“Last week I was talking with an organizational client who was lamenting having difficulty dealing with some behaviors in our new virtual world,” says Mitch Kusy, Professor, Fulbright Scholar, and partner with PEN. “Specifically, she was most concerned with the fact that some team members were engaging in passive-aggressive emails, rolling of eyes at remote video meetings, and being very condescending. While she acknowledged these were behaviors that occurred before COVID19, she noted that the behaviors were now much more pronounced, albeit subtle, than ever.”
Whether or not incivility has worsened since quarantine is not the point here. What is important is that that leaders need a vehicle for addressing these virtually as this is our “new normal.” Because this “new normal” is likely temporary, there’s a tendency to stick one’s head in the sand and hope the incivility goes away. Hint: It doesn’t!
The Performance Excellence Network – in partnership with the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce – is pleased to host an online webinar discussion on Thursday, October 1: “Incivility in a Virtual World: Latest Research and Practices to Turn this Around.” The discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Mitch Kusy, Professor, Fulbright Scholar.
Hundreds of studies support the fact that incivility impacts individual, team, and organizational performance—not only our personal well-being. These behaviors may intensify even further in virtual settings, when interfering factors can enter the scene (e.g. sick kids, household chores, internet not working, multiple adults working at home, kids being virtually schooled, etc.). But there are strategies to manage incivility, which can be learned, practiced, and perfected.
The discussion will be a live Zoom Webinar Thursday, October 1 from 8:00-9:00 CT. Grab your coffee and breakfast, and join us for a rich discussion. Free for PEN and SPACC members; $20 for non-members.
