“That’s just me, that’s what I’m like. My staff will just have to get used to it.” – there are times when I’m talking to a client about their offshore team, I’ll get this response.
Usually, it’s because the client swears a lot in conversation. I point out to them that in other cultures – e.g. the Philippines – people do not swear in polite company, which includes the work context.
Swearing makes people deeply uncomfortable and may mean they keep their guard up or avoid conversations.
It’s hard to manage a team effectively – let alone lead – if your actions are eroding respect.
Everyone has a choice. As a manager, you can choose to take the pragmatic approach and eliminate anything that detracts from building a high-performing team, or you can choose to insist on upholding a dubious principle.
