Putting down Put-Downs...

It is more than frequent to experience put-downs in the work place, whether you dish them out or receive them. They can be intentional as a form of expressing your authority over someone in a lower division to you, but they also can often be unintentional. The term ‘put-down’ itself refers to when one person demeans another by insulting them. McIntosh and Luecke explore the idea as a bad habit which ‘will probably undermine your work relatonship’ (McIntosh & Luecke). Although some abuse their power over others and use put-downs as an empowering tool, a lot of the time put-downs are not always intentional.

Take for example a pair of colleagues who have to work on an assignment together. Worker 1 may suggest that he takes the harder aspects of the assignment which to him is because he knows he will do it faster, but this may come across as an insult to worker 2 as he may think he is being put down and will feel insulted. So how should you deal with this sort of situation?

I know in my experience I have more often than not just accepted it and moved on, even if it has made me feel insulted. This should not be the case! Bakc & Back (2005) provide some useful tips to deal with a put-down:

1. Preparation: Be prepared to tackle the issue at hand. Respond to the put-down immediately and think realistically as to why you may be receiving the criticism
2. Challenging: Don’t just take it as an insult, instead demand a response in an assertive manner. There must be an underlying reason, seek this information!
3. Stand up for yourself: Don’t get pushed around, take charge and reinstate your position or idea. This will show others that you aren't one to be messed around with.

"But I thought they went there..."

With regards to my personal experiences, one memorable time I have been put down was during time spent behind a bar with a, how to say it politely, not very nice lady. It was a busy shift and I was fairly new to the job and at one point she decided to raise her voice at me for forgetting to correctly replace some glasses. This was hugely embarrassing, especially in front of a busy bar. At the time I apologised and moved on, but I would have felt much better about myself if I had stood up to her (even after the shift) and questioned her lack of respect.

So tell me what you think about put-downs in the comments section below. I say put down the put-downs for a better quality of life!

/Charlie