The Silent Profit Killer:
How Incivility Is Draining Your Bottom Line
Let’s talk about something corrosive. Something expensive. Something that’s draining the life and profit out of teams right now, and most leaders are missing it.
It’s not a market crash. It’s not a new competitor.
It’s incivility.
And before you tune out thinking, “That’s not my team,” hear me out. This isn’t about screaming matches or overt hostility. This is subtle. It’s death by a thousand paper cuts.
Think about the manager who scrolls through their phone during a one-on-one conversation. What message does that send?
What about the team member who sends emails during a colleague’s presentation? Or the subtle teasing of someone who doesn’t quite “fit the mold”?
And my personal favorite: the teammate who’s first in line for credit but has a lightning-fast finger to point when things go wrong.
Sound familiar? I bet it does.
The findings from the latest research are a wake-up call for any leader who cares about performance.
So, What’s a Leader to Do? You Set the Tone.
The buck stops with you. Culture is a leadership issue. It’s not about posters on the wall; it’s about the behaviors you model, reward, and tolerate.
You must:
- Model impeccable behavior. (Be present with your team and put your phone away!)
- Ask for blunt, honest feedback on your own impact.
- Pay fierce attention to the cultural cues in your team.
- Teach and train civility. It’s not optional; it’s essential.
This is where the magic happens. What separates truly healthy, high-performing teams from the rest? It’s not IQ. It’s not technical chops.
It’s Emotional Intelligence.
EI is the differentiator. It’s the bedrock of a respectful, resilient, and radically effective culture. It’s a set of five mastery skills that we must teach, practice, and reinforce every single day.
This is the investment that pays compounding returns. Investing in your team’s emotional intelligence isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the most powerful lever you have to build unshakable morale and a bottom line that thrives.
Let’s build teams where people feel respected, valued, and heard.
The rest will follow.
Here’s to building an emotionally intelligent workplace!
— Steve
As a master storyteller, Steve has unparalleled ability to communicate dynamic business and leadership truths through stories, anecdotes and humor. Harness the power of the “number one” predictor of professional success, impact, leadership, high performance and sustainable relationships in business and life. Steve’s highest rated keynote presentation.
To book Steve today, contact Michelle Joyce!
(For information on keynote presentations, team workshops, and one on one coaching.)
“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”
About the Author
Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a premier leadership development company based in Scottsdale. As a dynamic and highly sought-after speaker, Steve has delivered over 2,500 impactful presentations to renowned organizations such as Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Spotify, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
A published author and thought leader on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve lives near Scottsdale with his wife, Julie. Together, they cherish time spent with their three adult children and six grandchildren.
