Be respectful to your coworkers
Bardzo mi przykro, ale lekcje na platformie The Blue Tree działają jedynie na komputerze lub tablecie.
Do zobaczenia na większym ekranie 🙂
Zespół The Blue Tree
THE BLUE TREE
Learn from TED
CEFR B2
Upper
Intermediate
warm up
Answer these questions. Use the model answers to practice listening and reading.
| We spend much of the day with people at work. How important is it for you to have a good rapport with them? |
TRANSCRIPT
Having a good rapport with my coworkers is really important to me. It makes the workday more enjoyable and helps us solve problems together more easily. When we understand and trust each other, there’s less stress and more teamwork. Even small things like saying hello or asking how someone is can improve the atmosphere and make work feel more positive.
| In any team there are people who can be a bit annoying. How do you deal with such people? |
TRANSCRIPT
I try to stay calm and professional. If someone annoys me, I remind myself that we’re all different and that I probably irritate others sometimes too! I focus on our common goals and try to talk to the person politely if the problem continues. Often, just being kind and respectful helps improve the situation without creating more conflict.
| What are the benefits of being on good terms with your workmates? |
TRANSCRIPT
There are many benefits. When you get on well with your colleagues, you can work faster because you help each other more. You also feel more relaxed, which is great for your mental health. It’s easier to ask for help, share ideas, and even enjoy a few laughs. Being friendly doesn’t mean you have to be best friends, but it really makes a difference.
part one
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the first part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
| 1 | 0:22 | How do you answer the question: “Who do you want to be?”We answer it every day through our actions and the way we treat other people. |
| 2 | 0:33 | How important is the way we treat people?It means everything and can define our professional success. |
| 3 | 0:42 | What does it mean to lift people up?It means respecting people and making them feel valued, appreciated and heard. |
| 4 | 0:51 | What does it mean to hold people down?It means making people feel small, insulted, ignored or excluded. |
part two
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the second part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
| 1 | 1:14 | What kind of behaviour does incivility include?Mocking, belittling, hurtful teasing, offensive jokes and texting during meetings. |
| 2 | 1:40 | What does the example of texting while others are talking illustrate?People see rudeness differently. What matters is whether someone feels disrespected. |
| 3 | 2:10 | Why did her father end up in hospital?He suffered work-related stress after more than ten years with a rude boss. |
part three
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the third part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
| 1 | 2:33 | How did her colleagues treat her?They insulted her and dismissed her opinions with rude comments. |
| 2 | 2:41 | What did she decide to do about this situation?She quit her job and returned to graduate school to study incivility. |
| 3 | 2:53 | What theory does Christine Pearson have on this topic?Small acts of rudeness can lead to bigger problems, including aggression and violence. |
| 4 | 2:57 | Does incivility affect the bottom line?Yes, it does. |
| 5 | 3:31 | What were some answers they got for their survey on incivility?One boss insulted an employee’s work; another tore up someone’s work in front of the team. |
| 6 | 3:44 | Explain what this data means: 66%, 80%, 12%.66% reduced their work effort, 80% lost time worrying, and 12% left their jobs. |
| 7 | 4:02 | How much money was Cisco losing due to incivility?Cisco estimated that incivility cost the company $12 million a year. |
| 8 | 4:32 | What did they find as regards people who experience incivility?People who experienced incivility performed significantly worse than those who did not. |
part four
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the fourth part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
| 1 | 5:23 | What happened to the performance of witnesses of incivility?Their performance also decreased significantly, even though the rudeness was not directed at them. |
| 2 | 5:33 | Why does Christine say that incivility is like a bug?Because it is contagious: we can pick it up simply by being around it. |
| 3 | 5:44 | Where can we catch this ‘bug’?At work, at home, online, in schools and in our communities. |
| 4 | 5:55 | Do you remember the areas that incivility affects?Our emotions, motivation, performance, behaviour, attention and mental ability. |
| 5 | 6:26 | What are some words that can trigger rudeness?Words such as “obnoxious,” “bother” and “impolitely interrupt.” |
| 6 | 6:56 | How did seeing “rude” words affect the participants of this study?They were five times more likely to miss information, made slower decisions and more mistakes. |
| 7 | 7:41 | What happened when a doctor shouted at his team?The team gave a patient the wrong dose of medicine after missing information on the chart. The patient died. |
part five
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the fifth part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
| 1 | 8:22 | What is the number one reason for incivility?Stress. People feel overwhelmed. |
| 2 | 8:31 | What is the second reason for lack of civility?People worry that being nice will make them seem weak or less like a leader. |
| 3 | 8:53 | Do ‘jerks’ get ahead in the long run?Generally, no. Their behaviour often damages their relationships and eventually their success. |
| 4 | 9:08 | What is the main factor behind executive failure according to research?An insensitive, aggressive or bullying leadership style. |
| 5 | 9:34 | Does civility pay?Yes. Civil people perform better and are more likely to be seen as leaders. |
| 6 | 9:53 | What does it mean to be truly civil?Doing small respectful things, such as smiling, greeting others and listening carefully. |
| 7 | 10:08 | What is “radical candour”?Caring about people personally while challenging them directly and respectfully. |
| 8 | 10:23 | How do people view others who are civil towards them?They are more likely to see them as leaders who perform well. |
| 9 | 10:35 | What are the two characteristics of a civil person?Warmth and competence — being friendly and smart. |
part six
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the sixth part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
| 1 | 11:11 | What do people want from their leaders?Above all, they want to be treated with respect. |
| 2 | 11:31 | Explain this data: 56%, 92%, 1.1x, 55%.These figures are not stated in the transcript I checked. The talk says respected employees are healthier, more focused, more loyal and more engaged. |
| 3 | 11:59 | How can we make people feel more respected?Thank them, share credit, listen carefully, ask questions, acknowledge them and smile. |
| 4 | 12:15 | What is the 10-5 way?Within 10 feet, make eye contact and smile; within 5 feet, say hello. |
| 5 | 13:16 | How does Doug’s story illustrate the fact that civility can improve company performance?He helped turn Campbell’s around through respectful leadership, leading to record performance and awards. |
| 6 | 13:37 | What kind of leader was Doug?He was demanding about performance but caring and respectful towards people. |
| 7 | 14:06 | How did Doug show his employees that he valued them?He paid attention in daily interactions and handwrote more than 30,000 thank-you notes. |
| 8 | 15:22 | What does Christine Porath encourage us to do in the end?Be more mindful, lift others up and spread civility at work and beyond. |
POLL
Cast your vote in the poll.
DISCUSSION
Dialogue
Alita and Pete are having lunch together in the office kitchen. Earlier that morning, a colleague snapped at someone during a team meeting. This leads them into a discussion about civility and respect in the workplace.
Alita: Did you notice what happened in the meeting today? I felt bad for Marta. She didn’t deserve that reaction.
Pete: Yeah, I saw it too. It was completely uncalled for. Even if someone’s having a bad day, that’s no excuse to be rude.
Alita: Exactly. A little kindness goes a long way. We all have our own stress, but we still need to treat each other with respect.
Pete: And it affects the whole atmosphere. After that moment, the mood in the room totally changed.
Alita: True. People became quiet and less engaged. It shows how one negative comment can impact the entire team.
Pete: I think we sometimes underestimate the power of small, respectful actions. Saying “thank you,” or even just smiling, can change how people feel at work.
Alita: Absolutely. Civility is more than just being polite—it builds trust and makes collaboration easier.
Pete: And the best part? It doesn’t cost a thing.
Alita: Right! It’s free and makes everyone’s day better. We should all be more mindful of how we speak to each other.
OVER TO YOU
Discuss these questions.
 | Why do you think some people behave rudely at work? |
| What are some small things we can do each day to show respect to our coworkers? |
| Do you think people are more or less respectful today than they were in the past? Why? |
| Have you ever witnessed or experienced a situation where someone’s kindness changed the atmosphere? What happened? |
| Do you agree with the idea that civility improves teamwork? Why or why not? |
MIND-MAP
Use the mind-map below to have a more in-depth conversation about this topic.
COMMENTS
Share your views and experience here.