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Don't Underestimate The Morale Drain Of Petty Torments In The Workplace

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You may be familiar with the proverbial man who killed his wife because she left the cap off the ketchup bottle once too often. (Something like this actually happened.)

In business as in marriage, it’s the little things that torment us. And while corporations spend millions on management training, its value is undermined if participants return to work with old habits that drive their direct reports and colleagues to distraction.

By the same token, new employees eager to advance will hold themselves back if they allow a handful of their own habits to cancel out every great idea, display of initiative, and 60-hour week.

One of the keys, then, to good morale in any organization is eliminating habits that slowly but inevitably drain coworkers of their will to work. Here are several suggestions for turning bad habits into good ones:

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  1. Instead of failing to return phone calls, emails, and text messages quickly, make it your mission to respond faster than anyone would expect.
  2. Avoid media shifting—responding to an email with a phone call—and always let the other person take that initiative.
  3. Instead of never getting to the point, start with your point and backfill details based on the other person’s level of interest and need.
  4. Instead of answering a question with a question, respond as directly and frankly as possible.
  5. Avoid the temptation to ignore a direct question; instead, thoughtfully pause, shift your attention to the question, and give it your best answer.
  6. Don’t argue for the sake of arguing; make sure there is always a valid business point behind your objection or opinion.
  7. Never use your smartphone during a meeting or conversation. If you’re like me, the only remedy is to turn the thing off in those situations.
  8. Instead of showing up for meetings 10 minutes late, be the first one to arrive—perhaps with food or beverages.
  9. Instead of leaving the office 10 minutes early, strive to be the last person out the door.
  10. Missing deadlines is damaging to one’s career, but beating them is a sure way to advance!
  11. Rather than badger people for an answer to a question you just asked them, give them a reasonable amount of time to respond.
  12. Instead of focusing on minor details that don’t matter, keep your eye, and those of your colleagues, on the truly important issues.
  13. Always pay attention to personal grooming. A little shoe polish or the right hairstyle does indeed improve how you are perceived.
  14. Similarly, inappropriate dress puts unnecessary road bumps in your road to business success. Study that dress code!
  15. If you catch yourself whistling, singing, or talking to yourself at your desk, remember your coworkers may need quiet to work effectively.
  16. It’s always appreciated when you take things in stride rather than make a mountain out of every molehill.
  17. Telling long anecdotes can make coworkers edgy if they have a lot to do. It’s seldom a bad idea to be brief.
  18. Speaking of anecdotes, good stories always have a meaningful point.
  19. Think twice before interrupting someone in the office; the safest assumption is that coworkers are too busy to chat.
  20. Promptly repaying small debts and favors makes a big impression.
  21. Buying lunch for your work group every now and then sets a good example for generosity that others will follow.
  22. Gossiping, no matter how tempting, always comes back to haunt a person. On the other hand, a reputation for confidentiality builds trust.
  23. Correcting people’s grammar in the middle of a conversation tends to annoy them. Since communication skills are important, consider leading an informal grammar workshop.
  24. Not wanting to admit a mistake is human nature, but doing so earns respect and inspires others to do the same.
  25. Similarly, never apologizing usually makes problems worse. A little humility goes a long way toward persuading people to forgive you and follow you.
  26. Taking credit for other people’s work can be tempting, but it’s one of those things that people never forget. Giving credit where credit is due makes people want to work even harder on your behalf—which is how real leaders get ahead.
  27. Mumbling is one of those things we do unconsciously. A great way to correct this: tape record yourself!
  28. Using sarcasm is fun for many and habitual for some. In business, not everyone has a sense of humor, so when in doubt, leave the sarcasm out.
  29. Complaining about other people’s shortcomings is tempting, but a better way to advance your career and the effectiveness of your organization is to work with people directly to improve their performance.
  30. Complaining about other people’s shortcomings while never acknowledging one’s own is bound to cause resentment over time. Great leaders I’ve known are quick to point out their own flaws and slow to point out those of others.
  31. Always asking for help but never offering any leaves the impression that you are selfish, even though that may not be the case. Make a point of offering help to someone at work every day.
  32. Listening in on an employee’s private conversation and then offering unsolicited advice, even though well intended, may not be well received. Be judicious about offering your opinion; sometimes, the less said the better.
  33. Conducting loud, personal conversations within earshot of other employees leaves a strong impression that you are oblivious. It’s always wise to have private conversations in private places.
  34. Invading someone’s personal workspace or looking over someone’s shoulder can be genuinely disconcerting to people. When it’s necessary to do so, ask for permission—for example, “Is it OK if I watch how you enter this data?”
  35. Eating noisily and/or sloppily at one’s desk can be very distracting. Good manners, on the other hand, are always disarming.
  36. Some of us have a tendency to speak first and then think. Especially in the heat of battle, it is wise to take a time out, cool off, and think through exactly what you want to say.
  37. Having an extremely weak or strong handshake is hard to correct, because people are reluctant to tell you about the problem. That being the case, ask a few trusted people to evaluate your handshake style. It may help you go a long way.
  38. Detail-oriented people tend to give overlong answers to simple questions. Since time is always at a premium in the workplace, keep your answers simple. If people need more elaboration, they will ask for it.
  39. Flattering superiors may seem like a career shortcut, but in reality it is a dead end. Strong managers favor subordinates who are willing to speak their minds. If this is not true of your organization, it may be worth exploring other opportunities.
  40. Flattening subordinates, in a similar way, tends to achieve limited short-term results at the expense of long-term career advancement. Just as a rising tide lifts all boats, a rising manager lifts all subordinates.

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Over to You

Obviously, we’ll never eliminate all of our morale-draining habits—we’re human beings, after all. However, by paying attention to these things (often, we do them unconsciously) and then making an effort to change, we’ll reduce the cumulative damage done to our organization’s esprit de corps. With this in mind, here’s a question for you:

Bringing up these issues to an employee is a delicate matter. Do you have any tips for managers about how to help their staff members improve in these areas?

Read all of Brad Shorr's articles on AllBusiness.com.

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