Does Bad Language Make You a Better Leader
It always surprises me how often in board rooms, 1 on 1 discussions, trade shows and any other professional environment how much colorful language is thrown around as comfortably as if you were talking to your grandmother. Does using profanity in a professional environment help to drive home an emotional point or create a more tightly bonded team? Or does it make you look ignorant and aggressive as a leader?
Naturally there are two camps on this topic. Apparently there is research supporting controlled use of profanity and bad language to create a more cohesive team that better relates to itself. This does not necessarily mean constant foul language as this could lead to charges of a hostile work environment. Instead, allowing profanity to be part of an employee’s right of emotional expression. This camp also believes that forcing employees to “censor” themselves restricts free speech and creative energy since employees spend more energy “being careful” about what they say rather than just letting whatever creative energy exists flow freely.
The other camp regarding this thinks foul language is simply a filler, no different than the excessive use of “um” or “so”. It conveys a lack of fluidity in the english language and lowers an individual’s perceived maturity level. . It creates a hostile work environment and has no real place in a professional environment.
I feel like reality is somewhere in the middle for most of us. I tend towards the latter because I think profanity is simply wasted air. It conveys nothing additional that your other chosen words and energy level could not convey on their own. It adds nothing to the actual content you are expressing and does come across like filler words. And because these are “bad” words it is difficult to know how others you interact with will process them. Some may not care about the language used while others may find it offensive or find that it makes them uncomfortable. As a result you are automatically placing your position at a disadvantage depending on who is on the receiving end.
Don’t get me wrong…it is not that I never use bad language. I think the difference for me is that is far more of an exception than the norm. I often wince when I hear certain words when thrown around in casual conversation but have used those same words in an expression of pain or extreme frustration—usually with technology. The real question to answer is as a leader with people who look up to you and follow your lead, does profanity add value to your team as part of your leadership style?
What do you think? Leave a comment on how you think bad language either helps or hurts leaders and their teams.
Jason Kistler