How would your team respond to these statements?
- I check emails, phone messages, or text during meetings.
- I rarely listen fully and without judgment.
- I am constantly late.
- I seldom say please and thank you.
- I avoid those I do not respect.
These seemingly insignificant slights cause far more damage than you may realize. The research is clear: failing social skills rob cognitive resources, impair thinking, hijack performance, and derail creativity. We all miss the mark at times—that is human. The challenge is to resist the urge to excuse poor behavior (“I am too busy” or “They are rude”). Regardless of “why” we act the way we do, incivility breeds incivility, kindness breeds kindness, and all of it impacts performance. How is your team performing?
