In organizational culture, there are two types of people: those who look for reasons to be offended, and those who look for ways to understand others. The former type tends to lash out at coworkers, saying cruel things in private or criticizing them in public. They seek revenge on their managers if they feel they have been treated unfairly or if they don’t get their way frequently enough, and they’re sure to tell everyone how unhappy they are on social media and other blogs if things don’t go their way.

From 7 billion people – we’re all the same

We all have likes and dislikes. We’re not all cookie-cutter copies of each other, but we do share a lot of common traits, beliefs, goals and feelings. To build team unity, look past your differences and emphasize what you have in common.

Respect what you can’t control

The only thing that you can control is your attitude and how you choose to react. It is important to remember that when things don’t go your way, there are other people involved in almost every situation. Others may act rudely or unprofessionally but it doesn’t mean that you need to respond in kind. Take a breath and let it roll off your back. Before speaking out, remember When someone shows you who they are, believe them! -Maya Angelou

Stop looking for reasons to be offended

Your team members all have different backgrounds

cultural, social, and religious. They have different life experiences that they’ve had to overcome, mistakes they’ve made, and opportunities they haven’t been able to take advantage of. That’s why it’s important that you try your best to understand them. Learn about their passions. Ask them about how their families are doing. Share an interesting story with them from your own life.

Different ≠ Wrong

At first glance, different and wrong seem like a match made in heaven. But when you work with people, there are so many things that feel new and different every day—and some of those differences will make it hard to fit into your company’s system. This doesn’t mean they should be written off as bad or wrong.

Improve Culture Through Understanding

The best way to improve your company’s culture is through understanding. If employees know what motivates each other, they can build off of those motivations and create a team where every member is supporting and encouraging everyone else. The more you understand others, however, often means accepting them as they are without criticism. A high-performance culture improves productivity because employees are comfortable working with each other and trusting that their teammates have their best interests in mind.

SHRM has a different take on being offended in the workplace here.

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