Civility Workshops and Training Designed for Higher Education and K-12
Incivility is the general unpleasantness that most of us experience to one degree or another every day. The difficulty of addressing incivility comes from the fact that we know it exists, but we have a difficult time actually defining it. We question ourselves and our perception of what we are experiencing: Am I misinterpreting their comment? Am I overreacting? In truth, incivility is real and it has a tremendous impact on our work environments. It negatively impacts our ability to do our best and to enjoy the work that we do.
Oftentimes, people think of incivility only as it relates to the cutthroat culture of corporate America. They do not necessarily associate incivility problems with institutions of higher learning, but unfortunately it does exist and it impacts our institutions in countless ways.
Laura Peña Pantano, Ed.D. works with colleges, universities and K-12 schools to educate faculty, staff and students on what it means to work and thrive in a civil environment. Through tailored workshops and presentations, Dr. Pantano brings the conversation to the forefront and helps campuses work towards developing civil campus climates.
Why does civility matter?
Exposure to incivility has a detrimental effect on an individual. Research has shown that individuals exposed to incivility report increased stress, anxiety, health-related concerns, absenteeism and dissatisfaction with their work environment, which can negatively impact their performance and may ultimately result in the person leaving their position.
In group situations, incivility is contagious! It leads to increased disrespect towards fellow employees, students, parents and outside community partners. It also decreases productivity, collaboration, innovation and creativity, which impacts our ability to do our work.
Incivility not only impacts the targeted individual, but also observers of the behavior. Incivility creates toxic environments and inhibits our ability to be effective campus leaders and employees.
Dr. Pantano works with colleges and K-12 schools to tailor interactive workshops to meet each institution’s individual needs. Workshops not only help participants understand what incivility is, but they help develop strategies to combat incivility and prevent it from spreading throughout the entire organization.
Did you know?
- 93% of Americans surveyed say Civility is a problem in America today
- Those who have experienced incivility report 10.6 encounters on average per week
- Encounters with incivility occur in person and online or through social media
- 29% of Americans surveyed say they have experienced incivility at a past or present job
- Only 33% of Americans surveyed say they feel safe to report incivility or harassment to their supervisor or someone in authority
Civility in America: A Nationwide Survey (2018)
Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate, in partnership with KRC Research