The culture of any organization is a reflection of the standards set by its leaders and the behaviors they choose to tolerate. Top executives and managers do not just participate in an organization’s culture; they are often its chief architects. They decide what conduct is acceptable, how conflict is managed, and how people treat one another both within the organization and during client interactions.

Civility—defined as the practice of respectful, considered, and intentional professional conduct—is not just a matter of office etiquette. It is a measurable driver of organizational performance. Research consistently demonstrates that organizations where civility is embedded in the culture outperform their peers across key metrics, including employee productivity, talent retention, customer loyalty, and financial results.

On the other hand, workplaces tolerating incivility pay a huge price, often without recognizing the origin of the problem. Understanding the importance of civility serves as the bedrock of organizational performance, helping leaders identify where behavioral structures break down and what managers can do to build and sustain a healthy workplace.

Understanding Civility in Leadership

Civility represents the social norms and rules that must be followed in order to positively and productively relate to others. When people hear the word, terms like respect, courtesy, tolerance, consideration, and a rational approach to conflicts come to mind. However, professional civility goes far beyond mere good manners.

It relies heavily on effective self-awareness and social awareness. You cannot be an effective practitioner until you recognize your place in the general scheme of things and learn to develop an appreciation for the unique contribution of everyone else. It requires a delicate balance between pursuing self-interest and practicing self-control.

The importance of civility carries a dual significance when it concerns executives:

  • At the Personal Level: It defines how you engage with your leadership team, your direct reports, and your broader workforce.
  • At the Organizational Level: It defines the culture you build, codify, and enforce.

Leaders cannot separate these two dimensions. Executives who practice civility model the standard, while those who do not signal to the entire organization that incivility is acceptable.

The Foundations of Civil Conduct

Promotion of civility within the workplace is built on behavioral practices that create a culture of consistent mutual respect. These practices may seem basic, but executing them consistently has an outsized cultural influence.

1. Greeting and Acknowledgment

It is only courteous for people in the same workspace to acknowledge one another. This can be formal, in the case of colleagues who are less familiar with one another or between a superior and a subordinate. It is vital to always give a formal acknowledgment of another person’s presence, regardless of that person’s rank.

  • Verbal Communication: Starting an interaction with greetings is a way of establishing rapport with new acquaintances and maintaining it with old ones. Phrases like “Good Morning,” “Good Afternoon,” or “Good Evening” are excellent ways to initiate and maintain a positive relationship with a co-worker, client, or business partner. With closer peers, these interactions can extend into detailed conversations about how their days or nights went.
  • Written Communication: Written correspondences carry the same cultural weight as face-to-face interactions. The tone, formality, and responsiveness of text-based communication matter. A simple etiquette rule to follow is to always start with a salutation so the recipient feels respected, irrespective of their role or rank.

2. Respect in a High-Performance Organization

Respect is not passive; it is an active practice with specific, observable expressions. Realizing the importance of civility means actively practicing the following:

  • Demonstrating genuine active listening in meetings and one-to-one conversations.
  • Showing strict consideration for other people’s time.
  • Maintaining clear professional boundaries and respecting people’s property.
  • Protecting an individual’s right to hold personal beliefs that do not affect professional conduct.

Most importantly, leaders must respect others’ time. When managers consistently host poorly run meetings, introduce last-minute schedule changes, and expect availability outside of reasonable hours, they clearly state that some people’s time matters more than others. When this compounds over time, they gradually begin to condone incivility.

3. Active Organizational Participation

Civility at the organizational level extends beyond interpersonal conduct to the quality of engagement employees bring to the organization’s collective effort. Cultures that prioritize the importance of civility foster environments where employees feel invested in outcomes, take initiatives to identify and address problems, and see themselves as active contributors rather than passive recipients.

Leaders should cultivate this culture by demonstrating it themselves. They can do this by showing a genuine investment in the organization’s wellbeing, seeking input rather than simply issuing directives, and creating visible pathways for employees to contribute beyond the boundaries of their formal roles.

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