A Guide to being Politically Correct in the Office
Political correctness raises many people’s hackles. They object to, what they call, “walking on eggshells” and cannot see why their right to “free speech” should be curtailed. In reality, we censor our speech every day for good manners sake; you would not ever say to someone “hello fatty” because it would be rude, unkind and hurtful. True good manners is not about forks and hats or how to address an arch-bishop. They mean considering other people’s feelings and not making anyone feel uncomfortable. Does that sound familiar? That was the true purpose of political correctness too before it was hijacked by those with other agendas and the plain silly. This transfers equally into the office situation. The same general rules apply to offices as any other social group.
When entering any new social group, or office, it is advisable not to go into the situation like a bull in a china shop. You have to quietly observe and learn about the way the group works to know what acceptable behaviour by members within that group is. In any case, treating everyone with consideration, respecting their feelings and plain good manners will take you far. Good manners should prevent you from making jokes about anyone’s race, gender, religion, or ethnic origins. There is, or should be, no place at work,or anywhere els,e for such jokes.
Do be careful about management speak, people can tell when you are using the officiously stupid phrases of politically correct speech unnaturally. D, a manager in a British enterprise, used all the politically correct phrases and liberally peppered his speech with them. He chided other staff for their “attitudes”. Unfortunately, his everyday behaviour revealed him to be totally bigoted and those to whom he spouted his rubbish could easily discern that he was just mouthing the words and was a prejudiced bigot. All is not what it seems.
Accept people as people and never use stereotypical phrases. Treat everyone as you would wish to be treated and as they would wish to be treated. Classify people by how they behave and the person that they are rather than by any other measure.
Common sense and true good manners avoid the need for unctious politically correct behaviour. True good manners mean respecting and considering others and their feelings. If you treat everyone with the respect and consideration that are good manners you obviate the need for political correctness in all situations, and the office is no exception to that rule.
