\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Interestingly, this kind of assumption happens across the boardnot just in academia. First, talk to your boss as an individual. Not responding in the moment is a disservice to both yourself and your employees. Not only will you embarrass the person speaking, but everyone else listening will think you're a know-it-all jerk for putting someone on the spot in an unnecessary and condescending manner. Here are seven predictions for how brands will harness the power of virtual influencers in 2023. Let's examine the behaviors to watch out for and the ways managers can appropriately address every kind of condescending employee to create a more cohesive and productive workplace for all. Emmas response it pretty good. Although its tempting to give the offender a piece of your mind, remaining calm is the best response. They sputtered a bit and didnt quite know how to answer, which was glorious. Finding yourself in this situation is annoying, because the other person has, for whatever reason, assumed that you don't possess the same knowledge, and sometimes emotional intelligence, they do. "When someone's speaking and you're not giving them your attention, that's condescending," Siani says. Listen more. So when people feel like someone is talking down to them, it usually has as much to do with what they say as how they say it. It implies that the other person is being melodramatic or otherwise emotionally unstable, thus invalidating anything they have to say. The constant interjection is simply not necessary and comes across as narcissistic. Flying off the handle only makes the other person believe that their behaviour is justified. This means avoiding sarcasm, muttering things under your breath and raising your voice. MANAGER: Which of the two assessments would you prefer, if you could repeat them? Some perfect examples of this would be people who choose not to follow the same spiritual paths as older family members or those who decide on a career path that only garners disapproval. Create a culture of accountability. French is weird." 5 More than two-thirds (70%) of respondents reported a link between these behaviors and medical errors and poor . This employee might tell his experienced colleague how to do a task he has been doing for years. Examples of Condescending Behavior at Work Condescending people make us feel bad about ourselves with their tone of voice and patronizing attitude. 2008 -2023 Lynne Eisaguirre | Privacy | Site Map Proudly Presented By: Learn more about our training offerings and check out our team members at: 3985 Wonderland Hill|Suite 106|Boulder, CO 80304, You may also call or write me to discuss your options at:303-216-1020 or, Newsletter Effective Online Training in Response to #metoo: Heres What You Need to Know, Newsletter Why You Need One-on-One Sensitivity Training AND Performance Management Training, What Leaders Can Learn About Retaliation From Andrew Cuomos Mistakes. Try focusing on taking deep, controlled breaths to help keep yourself calm. If someone is in the middle of a thought, you should definitely not interrupt to correct their pronunciation. Want to Be Happy About Returning to Work? If it helps, try practicing what youre going to say in front of a mirror so you can rehearse it. Unprofessional behavior can include a variety of behaviors, most of which are considered improper in a professional setting. For example, were you to tell someone, "You're always late," or, "You never clean the toilet," they're likely to feel as if you're making a definitive statement about who they are and will almost certainly rack their brains for contradictory evidence. The news site of the Australian HR Institute. The important thing to remember is that respectful two-way conversations involve reading cues from the other person. Manage your time effectively. Explaining Stuff You Already Know This person will explain things like they're offering you valuable knowledge. Oftentimes, people act condescending because they're secretly insecure. References. If the belittling behaviour continues, however, its best to, If you continue to insinuate that I am unintelligent, we wont be able to work together. (And then follow through on your warning.). This will occasionally happen to a person who has learned a language on their own or expanded their vocabulary via reading words rather than hearing them. When You Assume You Know Everything There's absolutely nothing. 4. By understanding the different types of workplace behaviors employees may have, managers can help their teams increase performance and complete work tasks more effectively. Its HR that needs the lessons dispensed to, not the other way around which is the problem. It is a frustrating experience that can happen in any number of ways, but most often at work or home with friends and family. Generally, the response will go along the lines of: Id love to explain this to you, but Id likely have to use really small words in order for you to understand me. Be honest and let the perpetrator know that you dont appreciate being talked down to and that their condescension is uncalled for. Condescending behavior is having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority; showing that you consider yourself better or more intelligent. Nathan acted as if he was superior to everyone in the room, using condescending words in every conversation. While it can be helpful to correct someone occasionally, the employee who is constantly correcting the pronunciation, grammar, and behavior of his colleagues is not needed in the workplace. Selective deafness is always an option. That person might speak 10 languages, but if they mispronounced a single word, theyll be considered stupid by a condescending native speaker. After theyre told to relax or calm down, anything they say is likely to be ignored or brushed aside as being petty and irrelevant. They can show up in the form of calling a co-worker sweetheart or kiddo or in over-generalizations such as youre always late. Such comments are demeaning, unpleasant to be around, and can leave coworkers feeling patronized. Here, we point out some behaviors people say that typically don't land well and foster negativity. You might want to set up a face-to-face meeting to address the issue, with a supervisor there as a mediator. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This is an ancient and highly transparent method for communicating superiority from a condescending coworker. (The Truth), Empaths In Relationships: 15 Tips For Happy And Healthy Love, Copyright A Conscious Rethink. We have unskilled pencil pushers who think they are completely untouchableuntil they find out they are. When it comes to interacting with people who are providing you with a service of some kind-whether it's the custodian in your office building, a server at a restaurant, your housekeeper, or your cab driver-nicknames are especially risky. An employee who is constantly explaining, lecturing, and informing his colleagues when it is not necessary can quickly make his colleagues feel condescended to. This article was co-authored by Frank Blaney. This response was given outside of direct observation of the behavior so as not to focus on Jane in front of the team. No one wins with this attitude not even the condescending person. Not only is it demeaning, its frustrating and even dehumanizing. Plus, those nicknames are almost always gender-exclusive; a male boss isn't going to call his female employee "chief" (and hopefully in 2022 he knows not to call any woman besides his wife "honey"). This is the employee who always tries to put in his two cents, even when it's not wanted. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. They may occur within families, at school or work, between peers, or even with strangers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); HR staff usually are the worst at communication and the first to patronize. While a male boss might think calling his subordinate "chief" is a way of being chummy, or rubbing elbows with the little people, it tends to come across with a patronizing tone. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. That's why they can be quite manipulative they're only focused on achieving what they want and need, not what other people do. Here are just a few examples. Still, at least now you know what to look out for. Ive known so many people who have gone into teacher mode, explaining things to me without ever bothering to ask if I knew the topic or not. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. So when someone tells a woman to "Take it easy," she'll likely feel like that person is saying she's "over the top" or "dramatic." Allow All Cookies. Ive seen this happen in work settings, but it can also happen in one-on-one situations as well as in groups. Try Finding Someone to Work in Isolation for 24/7! But on the other hand, Jack mightn't have lost his temper and his presentation would have gone more smoothly. 7. These people will often talk about things like the expensive meals they had recently, then express sympathy at the fact that others around them probably dont even know what X is (like beluga caviar or Kobe beef), let alone know what it tastes like. The goal is to keep undermining the others, and if they complain about this behavior, theyll be seen as petulant instead of fun coworkers who accept these pet names good naturedly. If your boss sends you an email that says, I need this now not later this week it really could just be that theyre in a rush and just need something quickly. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Ignoring the perpetrator is often the best approach. If you disagree with their lifestyle choices, it's usually best to mind your own business. You can address bad office behavior by telling people when their actions are not OK with you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/54\/Deal-with-a-Condescending-Boss-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Deal-with-a-Condescending-Boss-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/54\/Deal-with-a-Condescending-Boss-Step-1.jpg\/aid12653730-v4-728px-Deal-with-a-Condescending-Boss-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"