Civility: It's Not Just For The Holidays!

As a rule, I hate cold weather. No, I mean, I really hate cold weather. I’m ready to defend possession of my Man Card, but I’m that guy that starts bundling up when the temperature drops below 70 degrees. Yeah, I know.

As with most things though, there is an exception to this rule: I love the cold between Thanksgiving and New Years. It just feels more like the holidays when the temperature drops, and the forecasters talk about snow.

The other thing that seems to happen more around the holidays is people treat each other better. They’re more polite. They’re more patient. They smile more. There even seems to be more politeness on the road. It always makes me wonder why, if they’re capable of being that way for 6 weeks, they don’t do that year round.

The book I’m reading right now is titled The No Asshole Rule. It’s written by Robert Sutton who’s a professor at Stanford University. His evidence shows not only how much more productive a workplace can be when people are nice and treat each other with respect, but how damaging to a workplace those jerks are. (He also contends, right up front, that “jerks” just doesn’t quite “capture the fear and loathing” that he has for those “nasty people.” Asshole has that impact.)

Dr. Sutton also cites evidence that assholes cause more damage per impression than nice people can compensate for with good deeds. So apparently you need a higher ratio of good to combat evil. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work to me. Be nice. Treat people well.

Too often, it seems like we get caught up in the day-to-day, and lose sight of how much easier it is to be nice than to snipe and cut (mean people also have to think up way too many clever and mean things to say and do). The workplace is the best place to keep in mind that we’re all working toward the same goals, and that the best rule is The Golden Rule. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Very simple.

Enjoy the holidays. Enjoy the cold weather. And carry that holiday spirit of treating people well throughout the year. There are a zillion studies that show how much healthier happy people are than the grumpy ones. So do it for your health!