What people really talk about at work
This one should interest all managers and bosses. According to a Harvard Business Review podcast (Mar 08), 60% of all interpersonal conversation in the office falls into two categories: (1) workers talking about how good they are; (2) workers denigrating and complaining about their co-workers. And this is a worldwide phenomenon.
The weather, and even babies, take a back seat to self-promotion and the tearing down of others. And it does not surprise me one bit. Why? Because if everyone were wise and rational, we would all be wearing togas
So, people can be blind to the detrimental impact, even to their own person, brought about by all the negative conversations and gossips. A really basic rule of thumb applies in such situations: if a topic does not add value, avoid it. Of course, this begs the question whether people understand and recognise value.
Another great advice I have been given is, whatever you would not say in front of someone, do not say (or write) it anywhere else. (Same thing goes for things on the Internet – if you have to hide it from your parents, kids and co-workers, click away from it!)
Which brings us back to why, oh why, do people spend 60% of their office chit chat on negative matters. Confucius probably got it right. The “superior man” (大人) does not need to stoop to low levels in order to promote himself. If fact, it is his duty to promote all those over whom he has influence. On the other hand, the “lesser man” (小人), will sow discord, exploit the weak, and take advantage for self-gain. The question that Confucius poses is whether the “lesser man” can ever learn and recognise good values. The answer is yes (except for some gone-case types).
This is where we come back to our corporate world. Confucius points the way by saying, “By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.” For example, it is by the constant practice of asking “Does it create value?”, and acting on the logical conclusions, would we be able to do the right thing, say the right thing. Ethics needs practice.
I believe in a world of 大人, where we can reclaim 60% of our talk time for something much better.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Hmm, i beg to differ. I assume the stats are from the US, where most of the office workers aren’t exactly thrilled about their jobs? Do we always have to prick up our ears to US ranting? What about info from a worldwide census?
From personal experience in Singapore offices, not only through myself but learnt from other colleagues, 60% of the banter is postive not negative. Making fun of colleagues in a lighthearted manner, discussing new and interesting solutions to current projects, etc, all adds to a healthier work environment and should not simply be construed as a waste of value resource time.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Hi! I find great encouragement reading your blog. =)
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Gragarious Chinese philosophers since the Spring & Autumn Era (those days 3,000 years ago when jobless teachers like Confucius went around giving unsolicited and unwelcomed advice on good governance to political leaders) have always argued whether human nature is inherently good or bad.
Chaps like Mencius (Confucius’s most well-known successor) said most people are good, even if some of us behave badly or enjoy saying bad things. If you see a child falling into a well, you will be horrified and you will rush to save the kid, without thinking.
Hanfeitse, on the other hand, says humans are born bad and will continue to do bad things — gossip about colleagues, throw litters in JB, insult their bosses, whine about the govt, evade paying taxes, drink and drive, kick old parents out of the home, rape their stepdaughters, etc — and so we need to have inflexible, all-encompassing laws to govern and control them.
I think most people are born good, and if given encouragement such as reading this blog, will try to reform themselves. On the other hand, there are rats like those generals in Burma who are willing to gun down women, old folks and monks, in order to hang on to power permanently.
If only there is some way to disarm all the rats in the world, we will have a better world.