Disrespectful Behavior Yields Negative Outcomes at Work

Regrettably, there is no shortage of rudeness in todays workplace. Far too often colleagues are treated condescendingly, employees are ignored, insulting comments are said and offensive gestures, such as eye-rolling, are made. Workplace rudeness is a severe enough issue that organizations should be concerned. It is something that can affect the bottom line, maintains a researcher at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, who specializes in workplace incivility. A great deal of research has been done showing the negative effects of disrespectful behavior in the workplace, and the results are quite conclusive, says Dr. Jennifer A. Bunk, an assistant professor of psychology. People dont like working in a negative climate, Bunk said. Much of this research has focused on the reaction of those who are treated disrespectfully at work. Some of the unfavorable outcomes associated with workplace rudeness include decreased job satisfaction, motivation, commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors, as well as increased turnover, absenteeism, anxiety and depression. Bunk, however, has expanded her studies, also assessing the core of the problem why people act rude in the first place. Conducting various surveys, Bunk has collected data from more than 1,000 workers. In one of her studies she looked at retaliation as a motive for workplace rudeness. If people are treated rudely, they may feel the need to protect their egos and get back at the disrespectful person, she said. Bunk also identifies organizational power as a culprit for workplace rudeness. Governance hierarchy may allow those in command to demonstrate their superiority not only through organizational decisions but also through disrespectful behavior. Bunk stresses the importance for organizations to send messages from the top down. This is where the power issue comes in, she said. If organizations lead by example, showing that civility is fostered throughout, then other employees may be less cynical and more likely to follow. Although, Bunk points out that rudeness can be unintentional too. It can be so subtle, she said. People can say things and not even realize that theyre hurting someone elses feelings. Considering this factor, Bunk suggests that employees may constructively confront situations of rudeness. The problem cannot be fixed if people are unaware that their behaviors are perceived offensively, she said. Bunk, who is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), will present her findings at the upcoming SIOP conference to be held April 10

12 in San Francisco. As chair of a symposium session, she will be joined by nearly 20 other industrialorganizational psychology experts on workplace incivility.

That Was Stupid Wrong With You?

by Jim Platt

Whats

Although we may think of ourselves as being highly respectful of others in the work place, they may not agree with that perception. On occasion, we may engage in behavior that, contrary to our belief, actually may be viewed by others as thoughtless and egregious. Sometimes those actions are deliberate and obvious. Sometimes they are not. The more apparent, easier to recognize examples of disrespectful behavior in the work place include: Name-calling or harassing; Tantrums and displays of rage; Shaming (especially in front of other employees), intimidating, or threatening; Being argumentative solely to draw someone into a fight; Swearing or using obscene language; Refusing to follow authority (insubordination); Displaying insulting or obscene cartoons, jokes, etc., that might be offensive; or Gossiping and spreading rumors. Making a conscious effort to be respectful really is not that difficult. However, having the courage to confront blind spots (we all have them) in our interactions may be more elusive. In other words, when someone says, Ouch, you just stepped on my toe!, your challenge is to consider accepting that yes, you actually just stepped on his or her toe. Initially, there may be an experience of denial or disbeliefno, I couldnt have done that to you, that crunching sound was the result of squashing a dust bunny; I would never think of deliberately hurting you. Although, there may be a genuine lack of understanding of the relationship between the behavior and the corresponding response, someone who is truly concerned about maintaining a respectful work place carefully listens to the concern being expressed. At that point, hopefully, a mutually respectful and thoughtful conversation can continue.

When angry or frustrated, we may overstep boundaries and deliberately offer disrespectful statements. On other occasions, we truly may be unaware of how our behavior impacts someone else. These subliminal forms of disrespectful communication can create havoc, since they can be difficult to identify and categorize for the receiver (and especially difficult for the perpetrator to understand). Some examples of how this indirect disrespectful behavior can be displayed in the work place are: Asking for input and opinion and then discounting or ignoring it; Forgetting to share credit for collaborative work; Withholding information or not following through with tasks that others need to successfully perform the job; Refusing to listen or interrupting others before they are finished. This may include controlling the conversation by sighing or groaning, rolling the eyeballs, or outright closing ones eyes and putting ones head on the table. Refusing to acknowledge someone when passing them in the hallway; Being disruptive in meetings (chronically arriving late, having conversations during the meeting/ presentation); Exhausting supplies and not replenishing, or notifying the appropriate person; Loud boisterous dialogue, or playing musical devices that may cause others to lose concentration; Slamming doors or drawers roughly, throwing phones, etc.; or Staying negativecontinuing to blame other people, places, or things. The impact of disrespectful behavior in the work place can be immediate as well as insidious. Ongoing themes of defending and attacking become the focus of our efforts, rather than attaining the mission of the department or the College. The cohesiveness of the group suffers resulting in reduction of morale, decreased productivity, increased tardiness and absenteeism, and a sense of chronic stress (fight or flight response).

Student Respect for a Teacher: Measurement and Relationships to Teacher Credibility and Classroom Behavior Perceptions
Alma D. Martinez-Egger University of North Texas William G. Powers Texas Christian University Alma D. Martinez-Egger (M.S., University of North Texas, 2003). The McNair Scholars Program at Texas Christian University partially supported work on this research. William G. Powers (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 1973) is a Professor in the Department of Speech Communication, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, (817/2577610) w.powers@tcu.edu. Alma D. Martinez-Egger & William G. Powers 146 Abstract This study developed a measure of students respect for teachers. A parsimonious, singlefactor solution for Student Respect for a Teacher (SR-T) was produced and internal reliability demonstrated. The validity of SR-T was demonstrated through substantial correlations between SR-T and student reports of teacher credibility (competence, character, and caring) and the students attitudinal evaluation of the targeted teacher. Additionally, SR-T was moderately and significantly correlated with two of three measures of self-reported behavior and with student perceptions of the behavior of the target teacher. On this basis the SR-T was determined to be a reliable and valid measure of student respect for a teacher in the college environment. Future research is discussed.

Student Respect for a Teacher: Measurement and Relationships to Teacher Credibility and Classroom Behavior Perceptions
Students communicating levels of disrespect for a teacher has long been a concern for teachers and administrators around the nation . While the majority of the concern has focused upon communication-oriented behaviors in the elementary and secondary educational levels , there is clear evidence of an emerging concern at the higher education level, "college faculty have become increasingly concerned about student disorder and classroom management. In spite of the obvious educational significance for both the

teacher and the student that is inherent to a students respect for a college teacher, there have been no measures of such respect developed. The current study focuses upon developing such a measure and conceptually defines student respect for teachers as the degree of regard held by a student for an instructor engaged in the teaching profession. The concept of degrees of respect for a teacher exists at all educational levels and would be related to and at least minimally predictive of other cognitions of a teacher and associated communicative outcomes. For example, a students respect for a teacher would logically have an impact upon a students behavior toward and communication with that teacher during classroom interactions, office interactions, hallway interactions, as well as student interactions with other teachers, administrators and other students, about that teacher. The importance of learning more about student respect cannot be underestimated. Measurement of Respect for Teachers The limited number of measurement tools associated with student respect for teachers have focused on summative reports of respect-oriented behaviors rather than student cognitions Thus, one is limited to addressing issues of student respect only after the student has behaved in a clear, consistent disrespectful manner. For example, Yelsma and Yelsma's (1998) scales for evaluating social respect (including teachers) uses research subjects from high school and items focused upon "respectful social behaviors, not a measure of cognitions reflecting respect for a teacher (Yelsma & Yelsma, 1998, p. 434). Scott (1999) explores respect in the "socio-moral atmosphere" (p. 31) of students in secondary Christian schools and assesses the level of agreement upon specific disrespectful and respectful behaviors of both students and teachers by both students and teachers but did nothing to measure the cognitions representing the students feelings associated with respect for teachers. Having access to student levels of respect for a teacher allows one to predict potential behavior as well as related perceptions that may have influence upon the learning process. Several researchers explore related cognitions in efforts to predict student behavior frequently associated with respect. Richmond (1990) contends that meanings in the mind of students are important to the analysis of the students behaviors (pg. 193). Also, Ledez (1994) refers to respect as the inner essence of the individual (pg. 5). Friedman (1994) suggests that students behave according to how they feel internally and describes disrespect as lacking respect (pg. 949) that fosters internal and external maladaptive behaviors (pg. 957). A continuing concern is the favorabl[e] or unfavorabl[e] (Gass & Seiter, 1999, pg. 41) frame of actions that are representative of a dichotomy of the respect and disrespect cognitions (Friedman, 1994; Friedman, 1995; Scott, 1999; Yelsma and Yelsma (1998). The specific relationship of student perceptions and feelings relative to impacting student behaviors has been well documented (Frymier & Thompson, 1992; Teven & McCroskey, 1996; Tom, 1998). There appears to be clear evidence of the associations between such logically related variables as Alma D. Martinez-Egger & William G. Powers 148 teacher credibility, teacher behavior, and student behaviors (Frymier & Thompson, 1992; Kearney, Plax, Hays, & Ivey, 1991; Tevan & McCroskey, 1996; Thweatt & McCroskey, 1998; Tom, 1998). Certainly, development of a measure of student respect for a teacher has complementary heuristic value. Exploration of causative factors that impact a students respect for a teacher or teachers (e.g. home environment,

student culture, student experience, etc.) cannot be explored until a reliable and valid measurement tool is developed. On that basis, the need for a measurement of student respect for teachers is clear. Thus, the following research question was pursued in this study: Research Question: To what extent can a reliable and valid measure of student respect for a teacher be developed?

; .