The Career Buzz Podcast: Craig Dowden on fixing disrespectful workplaces

What happens in a respectful workplace? “People feel understood, they are comfortable expressing who they are, and they respect each other’s boundaries,” Craig Dowden, PhD, told Career Buzz listeners on Nov. 26, 2014. Craig was the MC of this year’s Your Workplace conference and as a leadership and organizational excellence expert, he presented on Respect in the Workplace — Easy to practice and costly to forget.

I asked Craig to describe what happens in a disrespectful workplace: “Checking email during a meeting is a strong sign of disrespect” because it makes people feel they’re not worth your time or attention. What else? “Talking over people, talking down to people, taking credit for other people’s work.”

What’s the impact? Craig shared that “research says 94% of disrespected people say they’ll get even with the offender, and 88% say they’ll get even with the organization.” Ouch!

What are the clues that apply to you? What does Craig say we should do about disrespect in the workplace? “Take action quickly. Use information from engagement surveys. Conduct exit interviews. Tips: Concerned about respect in your workplace? Craig suggested: “Have adult conversations” and be clear about what you can stand and what you cannot.” For more tips, listen to the interview (Craig is on from 49:25 to end).

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA