Re: Bad Behavior in Workplace (was Ugly Incident)

[Steven Feldberg <steven -at- ICU -dot- COM>]

> This is _unacceptable_ in the workplace. It doesn't matter who is =
involved, if people cannot behave as adults and communicate in a mature and
=
effective manner, work will not get done <

Who is to say what is unacceptable in the workplace? The locker room of an
NFL football team at half-time is, to my understanding of the term, a
``workplace.'' Dare anyone suggest as ``unacceptable'' a loud, perhaps
explitive-laced dressing down of an unmotivated group of workers there?

Many of us have worked in ultra-stressful, highly charged development
environments where it was acceptable practice for programmers to tear into
each other, often using what an objective observer would consider ``abusive
language.'' I have worked beside developers, toiling in tight quarters under
even tighter deadlines, who would even don military regalia and wave toy
guns to make their point. I am not in any way advocating such behavior
(although I find it more silly than offensive), but, under the
circumstances, the behavior was indeed ``acceptable.'' And it actually led
to more, better quality work being done.

As I teach my computer documentation class, technical writers communicate
with different audiences under different circumstances. What works in one
situation may be anathema in another. Be afraid, be very afraid, when
mandating _absolutes_. Especially with respect to personal behavior. (Sorry,
I couldn't hold back any more).

/Steven Feldberg
steven -at- icu -dot- com

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=