The Impact of Civility on Modern Leadership: Lessons from Everyday Life

The other day, I visited the U.S. Embassy to renew my children's visas—a process we all know can be incredibly strict and complex. We arrived very early with all the necessary documents, only to realize at the front of the line that, due to the signal jammers inside the facility, the QR code on our confirmation page wouldn't load on my phone. To resolve this quickly, we were instructed to go to a nearby digital service and copy center (like an Office Depot or FedEx Office) to get a physical printout.

Upon entering the shop, which was packed with applicants in the exact same situation, the attendant curtly warned us that the express printing terminal fee did not include any technical assistance. Once at the screen, the system lagged a bit, and I struggled to locate the downloads section. I asked the employee for a quick pointer; he barely looked up and told me to just keep scrolling down. Moments later, an elderly woman next to me asked the exact same question because she didn't know how to access her email, and he simply ignored her.

I completely understand that the employee had to assist other customers and cannot spend time guiding everyone step-by-step. However, it was a very simple question to answer. While my husband finished printing our documents, I took a minute to help the woman download her file before leaving. We left quickly and relieved, and I am sure she felt much better knowing she could move forward. Supporting others is a basic act of civility—a quality that seems to be fading due to rushes, crowds, tight schedules, and a general lack of service-oriented attitudes.

Civility and Leadership: Why Small Details Define a Great Executive

In today's corporate landscape, true leadership is projected through consideration, proper etiquette, and respect toward others. Leading by example causes the environment to respond positively, eliminating unnecessary tension, shouting, or thoughtlessness. A high-level leader stops ignoring those around them and balances screen time to connect humanly with their team.

When civility fails within an organization, it is common to make mistakes that erode the workplace culture. Poor leadership becomes evident in behaviors that are often normalized but fracture trust, such as:

• Invading personal space: Asking overly personal questions or taking office tools without asking.

• Ignoring your surroundings: Walking into the office or corporate building without greeting security or reception staff.

• Lack of basic recognition: Failing to say thank you upon receiving a report or not appreciating a subordinate's hard work.

• Disregarding other people's time: Arriving late to meetings, selfishly assuming only our schedule matters.

  
  

The 25 Rules of Conduct for High-Impact Leadership

In his book “Choosing Civility,” Dr. P.M. Forni highlights 25 essential rules of consideration and good behavior. Mastering these actions is what truly consolidates management skills and a professional's ability to navigate the business world successfully. To strengthen your executive profile, consider practicing these core guidelines:

1. Pay attention: Listen actively and be fully present.

2. Acknowledge others: Validate your team's presence and efforts.

3. Think the best: Avoid assuming malicious intent from the start.

4. Include others: Foster diversity and seamless collaboration.

5. Speak with kindness: Mind your tone and word choice during feedback.

6. Don't speak ill of others: Maintain loyalty and professional ethics.

7. Accept compliments and respect a subtle "no": Act with assertiveness and diplomacy.

8. Respect others' time and space: Avoid interrupting or overtaking someone else's schedule.

9. Avoid unnecessary complaints and accept responsibility: Authentic leadership seeks solutions and owns outcomes instead of blaming others.

10. 
    

By choosing to practice and integrate just one of these skills into our daily routine, we can contribute to building a much more harmonious corporate environment. Civility will always speak volumes about who we are as professionals capable of connecting through respect, accountability, and empathy.