Public Safety Insights Newsletter: Let’s Stop Excusing Bad Behavior and Harmful Outcomes

In today’s world, “politically correct” language has run amok, leaving dysfunction in its wake. Instead of engaging in candid conversations, people tiptoe around issues or situations for any number of reasons: they don’t want to upset others, they’re uncomfortable dealing with emotions, or they don’t want to jeopardize their personal interests. As a result, we allow poor performance and even “unacceptable” outcomes to flourish.

Examples of the toxicity of politically correct language and its dysfunctional outcomes abound in the news. Here are a few of the most recent:

Here’s the problem: politically correct language provides cover for those whose bad or illegal choices harm others because it excuses or rationalizes their actions. Failing to hold people accountable due to fear of being labeled politically incorrect creates a toxic work environment and opens the door to victimhood and feelings of helplessness and despair. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We have a choice: to continue to enable bad behavior and harmful outcomes by tolerating “political correctness” or to say “no” to victimhood by insisting on accountability. We start by using candid language that clearly reflects reality and refuses to excuse or rationalize bad choices and harmful outcomes.

Here are four steps you can take to enable candid conversations in your organization:

1. Teach people the skills needed to have direct, honest, constructive conversations.
2. Reinforce and reward those who engage in candid conversations.
3. Hold everyone, including yourself, accountable for their decisions and behaviors.
4. Let people know the benefits of candid conversations as well as the negative consequences of indirect or politically correct language.
                

If you would like to learn more about how a lack of candor can hurt your agency, and how you can realize the benefits of an environment in which candid conversations are the norm, take a look at our article Why and How to Drive the Political Correctness “Elephant” Out of Your Workplace. To find other articles and resources that may be of value to you, I invite you to visit my web site at www.PublicSafetyInsights.net.

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©2015 Pat Lynch | Public Safety Insights