Productivity and Drive-By Insults

Confronted by a lengthy report that challenges conventional thinking or traditional assumptions, which comment is easier to make among your peers?

"Looks like we might have to re-think our strategy, based on what I'm seeing here."

Or

"I'm soooo glad we have a gold-plated MBA on our team. Pardon me for asking, but how much of this do you think was downloaded straight from the Internet?"

Unmitigated sarcasm -- which has been called the lowest form of wit -- only works when someone gets hurt. It is base humor at someone else's expense. When sarcasm is thought-through and self-directed (consider Winston Churchill's self-deprecating humor -- "History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it!"), it can intensely underscore a point.

But when sarcasm dominates, it destroys productivity. Rabid sarcasm openly directed in a belittling way drains morale and creates productivity-sapping resentment.

And as has been said, resentment is anger in rehearsal.

Ever been the brunt of a intense sarcastic remark that you didn't get immediately? An hour or so later you then realize the deep cut and probably begin ruminating -- replaying the hurt over and over again and perhaps plotting your witty and equally sarcastic response. Full of resentment, you can thus induce an unending cycle of building (and unexpressed) anger that only produces more bad thoughts and can spill over into other relationships.

In the workplace, how much productivity gets lost because of this waste of time?

Perhaps in the end it can be argued that sarcasm is the chief defense for those whom mediocrity is a key outcome. "Consider the source" might be good advice.

But avoiding unnecessary sarcasm, the kind that is intended to inflict pain, is a better option.

Want to improve your competitive capacity in 2008? Try championing civility. And avoiding hurtful (and productivity killing) drive-by insults.