It’s not just about our words: tone of voice and body language speak louder.

Let’s get Personal...

Personal Attributes saw the overwhelming effects of what bullying is doing to people in the workplace in 2015. One form of bullying that has been seen is constant abrupt communication by fellow staff members in the workplace. The way people were spoken to, almost on a daily basis, made them feel inadequate to complete their tasks, created nausea, caused headaches and made them feel like they did not want to go to work.

It is important to realise that people can be abrupt for many different reasons. Some triggers of abrupt behaviour are frustration, wanting work done in unrealistic time frames, wanting work completed to perfection, stress, medical problems, financial problems or wanting to feel superior. Although abruptness may be unintentional, no matter what business hierarchy position a person holds within an organisation, there is no excuse for speaking abruptly to another.

Being abrupt impacts many aspects of the working environment- it is harmful to the person experiencing it, as well as to those who witness it, and also has a negative impact on the workplace environment. Further to this, it has the potential to damage the reputation of an organisation.

Abruptness is not always about the words that are said. It is about tone of voice and body language, as they can speak louder. Being mindful of this can make a huge difference.

There is no cost for being mindful about how we speak to others...

Perceptions Matter in the workplace.

Next month's article, Speak Up - Respectfully Challenging Abruptness, will reveal some of Personal Attributes tips and strategies on how to deal with abruptness in the workplace.