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The 30% Solution

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The 30% Solution - How Civility at Work Increases Retention, Engagement and Profitability, provides essential information, facts, insights from the field, and practical tips related to the business of civility. The book represents a ready-to-use tool kit with practical applications Business consultants Performance and productivity analysts Workplace trainers Social and communication training facilitators Customer service experts Business owners, managers, supervisors, and individuals who want to build a better workplace.

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2016

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19 people want to read

About the author

Lewena Bayer

11 books

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Grady.
Author 51 books1,823 followers
September 3, 2020
‘We are smack in the middle of a civility crisis’ – Practical solutions from a wise coach

Canadian author Lew (Lewena) Bayer is internationally recognized as the leading expert on Civility at Work in North America. She is CEO of Civility Experts Worldwide, Trainers Consortium, President of the International Civility Trainers Consortium, Executive Director of The Center for Cultural Competence, Founder of the In Good Company Etiquette Academy Franchise Group, and serves on the boards of multiple important organizations whose emphasis in on civility in the workplace. She is a certified Culture Coach and is credentialed in Intercultural Communications, Essential Skills, and Occupational Language Assessment. Her articles and honors are prodigious, both in Canada and the US.

‘Civility’ – civilized conduct, especially courtesy and politeness – is the core of this book, and the author explores and explains it well indeed! As she explains, stress in the workplace results in desperation, which is caused by incivility. And as she states, ‘temporary lapses in judgment and minor social errors aside, whether it’s road rage, theft, disrespect for time, harsh tone in communication, absence of common courtesy, flagrant self-promotion, a general lack of restraint, sloppy dress, quick judgment, petty grievances, assuming the worst, gossip, negativity...many of us are desperate...I suggest that this desperation is a key contributing factor to incivility.’

Careful examination of the causes of incivility in the workplace turns on a light bulb for all of us. The author knows the territory and explains the causes and effects of desperation and depression and how the antidote or cure or desired change is Civility. ‘Civility is the solution.’ As she has stated, ‘To solve the incivility problem in our workplaces, we need to change how we work. We need to create workplaces that support a culture of learning where thinking is best practice. We need to build a capacity for civil behavior by giving people the skills they need to make better decisions, and to contribute to reducing the stress and incivility in our workplaces. We need to imbed civility in our workplace policies and procedures, into our organizational values and mission statements, into our job descriptions and codes of conduct, and into our hiring and evaluation processes. Civility has to become a core element in the character of our organizations. Stated directly, civility in the workplace is a change imperative for organizations expecting to survive, and thrive, in the new world of work.’

Following her erudite examination of workplace problems, the author offers four key skills for competency in civility: continuous learning, social intelligence, systems thinking, and cultural competence. The included ‘tool kit’ provides practical applications for business consultant, performance and productivity analysts, workplace trainers, social and communication facilitators, customer service experts, and business owners, managers, supervisors and individuals who want to build a better workplace.

This is a book to absorb, not scan. Every reader will benefit from the wise guidance of this superb coach. Very highly recommended.
Profile Image for Anthony.
Author 29 books200 followers
October 20, 2020
The Review

This was a very well researched and developed non-fiction read. The author doesn’t cut any corners as they explore the nature of civility, how it has been missing within the workplace for years now, and how leaders can gain the tools necessary to not only identity uncivil behavior within their businesses but how to create a more civil environment overall.

As several businesses and leaders can attest, it is not always affordable to hire an outside consultant for this kind of situation, so this book presents a clear to understand and well-written account of how leaders can address this problem personally. The author uses hard, well-looked data and figures to explore this issue. The author also writes in a way that the average reader but especially business leaders will be able to understand clearly and precisely.

The Verdict

A smart, incredibly written, and evenly paced non-fiction read, author Lewena Bayer’s “The 30% Solution” is a must-read book for anyone within a business environment hoping to create a more civil workplace. Not only does the author delve deeply into how civility has been absent in the workplace and the hard figures to support this, but how civility can be defined and how utilizing this simple yet complex behavior in the workplace can drastically increase productivity. It’s a powerful read and a heavily fact-supported journey for the reader and author both, so be sure to grab your copies of this book today!
Profile Image for Amy Adams.
824 reviews9 followers
November 29, 2016
This book could be a helpful supplement to managers looking to improve civility, preparedness, and continuous learning. It is designed to encourage administrators to create a definition of civility, identify issues, and create a strategy for addressing the issues within their own organizations. It contains many references for further reading, as well as a collection of tools that might be helpful for managers. The book isn't for someone looking for a straightforward answer or a step-by-step plan. There are general guidelines, and there is an overarching three-step process, but the ideas are really meant to be built upon within the organization to fit that organization's needs. It also points out the vast expanse of the idea of civility, as it goes far beyond just having good manners.

I read the Kindle version of the book on my phone, so I had some issues with spacing that may not be present in the print version or on a full-size Kindle. I also had trouble connecting the title to the book. While the subtitle definitely was explained, I had to hunt through the book and the author's website to make sure I understood what "The 30% Solution" actually was.

I would recommend this book to managers looking to get a strong foundation for improving their workplaces.

*I was originally paid to read and review this book. My opinions expressed here are not influenced by the payment.
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