Words Matter
Words Matter.
What you speak, write or sign can profoundly affect the recipient of those words in ways you may not have ever imagined.
Our words have the ability to raise someone up, and tear someone down.
Recently I heard an exchange between two co-workers; one an older man and the other a much younger woman. She was helping him with something at work and when it was done, he said “Thank you Sweetie!”
I cringed.
I found some time to speak with this woman and asked her how that made her feel. She said she didn’t like it, it made her uncomfortable, but she didn’t think he “meant anything” by it. I agreed that he probably didn’t mean anything untoward, it was just his way of speaking, but here’s the problem: His calling her Sweetie, immediately removed her, from the role of co-worker to something smaller. Those types of expressions carry a negative connotation when spoken to people in a professional space. It demeaned her in a way that most likely was not consciously his intent, but that was the result all the same.
Calling a co-worker Sweetie, or Honey and any other terms of “endearment” is not only disrespectful, but also a subtle form of sexual harassment.
This was not the first time this had happened to this young woman, and it probably won’t be the last, but she is now equipped with a polite but firm response to address it.
Words have power and create our reality.
Choose them carefully.
Founder & Managing Partner @ MT Talent | Recruitment Expert
8 个月This happens more often in the workplace than people think. It can tend to be more of an "old school" thing, but either way, it needs to change. As you mentioned, it's likely that most often the person means no harm, but doesn't see the full extend of the message they are sending. Thanks for sharing this Nancy.
Is Life As Boring as You Are
8 个月Choose Your Words Carefully, And There Will Be No Problems. When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things." "The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that's all."