Don’t Let Rude Colleagues Ruin Your Workday

It’s often difficult to understand why some people act the way they do. After all, how self-unaware must one be not to know they are being rude? Were they raised by rude parents in a rude society, or is it something deep within their DNA, or perhaps just an unlikeable part of their personality. It’s unfathomable that in today’s workplace, where candidates are intensely vetted and scrutinized by various levels of a meticulous interview process, that rude people actually make it into the workforce. But they do.

This article elaborates, “’One of the five classic dimensions of personality is agreeableness,’ says Art Markman, Ph. D., Psychology Advisor and author of Smart Thinking. ‘Rude people are way on the disagreeable end of spectrum.’ In addition, a rude person is probably something of an extrovert. ‘In order to be rude, you have to be willing to be disagreeable and disagreeable publicly,’ Markman adds. He points out that rude people aren’t always rude; it depends on the situation—they may be charming to their mothers, for instance.”

We all have days when our patience wears thin and we treat others with less compassion, understanding and respect than we should. Habitually rude colleagues, however, are a disease within the workforce as they undermine compatibility and professionalism from the inside out. Rude people hamper meetings by monopolizing time with their insistence on being heard, they corrode morale by wearing down others with their tiresome attitude, and their selfishness permeates all aspect of business including client relations.

Rude coworkers should be confronted in a dignified, professional but relentless manner. It is corporate’s responsibility to cultivate a respectful culture at the office, where employees feel comfortable and protected from rude colleagues. Do you have rude employees where you work? How do you handle them?

Photo courtesy of eVo photo.