Is Bad Behavior Rewarded?

You May Get The Position But You Won’t Get The Respect

I have seen some of the most giving and kind people become cold and standoffish because of their generosity being taken advantage of. It’s almost as if bad behavior is rewarded by others out of frustration or fear. Kindness is looked upon as weak.

The forceful brute often bulldozes others to get their way so they are seen as great leaders who gets the job done. We overlook the misery and poor morale left behind. When the work life is miserable it spills over into the home life.

When my daughter was younger, I went to a fast food drive-thru to purchase a plain hot dog. The young lady serving us was obviously in a bad mood. She seemed to be in a hurry and very agitated at every stage of the transaction. I noted her attitude but brushed it off.

I handed my little one her bag and as I pulled off she let out an ear shattering scream. Her plain hotdog had every condiment on it, including chili sauce.

I was annoyed. Now, I have a screeching toddler on top of being treated very rudely. I pulled into a parking space and called the store to complain. I wasn’t that upset about the mistake but the bad customer service was inexcusable in my opinion. I advised the manager to the young lady off of the drive-thru because obviously she was having a bad day.

I have met plenty of people that are excellent at their job so they have are sometimes curt, almost rude but it aligns with their efficiency. I was not going to allow rudeness and inefficiency. If you’re going to be a jerk then at least make sure my order is correct.

I know the incident only upset me at the time because of what I was seeing daily at my own job in the military. There were people that prided themselves on being tough and walking all over people in an attempt to look like a strong leader. They were bullies.

The ugliest attitudes were being rewarded. To experience bad attitudes at work all day long and then to go home and experience it at other venues can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back as they say.

So, apparently being kind, decent, and humble will encourage people to dismiss your efforts. Being brash, whiny, and a bully that takes credit for the work of others makes you a good leader. That was my experience in the military and that is why I’m not surprised at the Commander-in-chief we have currently.

Leaders have to make tough decisions. People want to follow those that are willing to make those tough decisions. But at the end of the day, you don’t have to be a bully to get things done. The best leaders are respected because of their ability to make the tough decisions and how they treat those they lead.