How to use Civility as an agency tool for success
by Director of Employment Programs, Marly Saade
March, 2025
When sitting to write this blog, I realized that I had much to say and not enough character space to accomplish my goals. There are too many instances of people with and without disabilities losing jobs due to physical, programmatic, and cultural inaccessibility. Similarly, minority people are stuck between outdated stereotypes and the ability to pay bills. South Carolina houses the fifth largest population of non-white people (Black, Native, and people of other races) in the United States (Source 1). It is also the home of 1.1 million people with disabilities (1 in 3 people) (Source 2). Applying civility in leadership practices and focusing on the largest untapped market of qualified employees is a survival tool for many employers. Modeling civility in leadership should be embraced by all companies that employ and serve the community for many reasons, the most crucial being showing and giving respect as we build an agency brand.
To understand civility as a workforce tool, let’s first define it.
Succinctly put, civility in the workforce “involves listening actively and acknowledging diverse perspectives so that others feel fully heard.” (Source 3). Civility in the workforce is modeled the same regardless of company hierarchy, as even supervisors, managers, and CEOs must work with various individuals, including minority people with disabilities. Civility requires three action steps: Open Body Language, Active Listening, and Emotional Regulation (Source 3).
Open Body Language: These are usually nonverbal cues that make people comfortable before conversing. You can use your body language, posture, and other physical gestures to inform others you are open to dialogue. This could look like making eye contact, sharing a smile, standing or sitting relaxed, etc.
Active Listening: Active listening requires an active choice to pay attention to and acknowledge the many voices in the room, regardless of how much we agree or disagree. When leaders actively listen to their staff, “it prevents conversations from escalating and helps both parties feel their point of view is being heard”(Source 3).
Emotional Regulation: Emotional regulation means keeping calm during conflict and not turning business disagreements into personal conflicts. It is about remembering your end goal and finding a satisfactory conclusion where all parties feel respected and have a path forward.
All three action steps are intertwined and must be modeled together.
Now, consider how civility in leadership can support agency culture & revenue.
- If leaders show respect and politeness at work, it sets the tone for treating staff and team members.
- This invites staff to mimic the behavior of leaders and coworkers.
- As a new leader within my agency, I pull directly from what I see my supervisor doing in many situations. I actively listen and aim to digest their words and how they say them.
- If various opinions can enhance team innovation by 20% (Source 4), are you preventing growth by hiring people who look, sound, behave, and think the same way?
- I am an Arab woman with one obvious disability and many non-apparent ones that make me appear “off” when coupled with the fact I was born to a culture that trained me to hide my disabilities. Since arriving at Able SC, a nonprofit where over 80% of the staff are people with disabilities, I have seen growth within myself by finding that my coworkers are just like me. A group of intelligent people with disabilities who have experienced similar barriers in the workplace. We are actively working to change business culture internally and externally.
- Furthermore, a leadership team of people from different backgrounds has been known to increase revenue by 19% (Source 5) and is 35% more likely to outperform competitors (Source 6). Why wouldn’t you want people with disabilities who are multicultural as team members?
- Any implemented changes must be codified within policy and procedure to help staff navigate the standards you aim to build.
Practical steps you can take today!
- Offer employee-centric programs
- Mentorship programs are a great way to support staff.
- Employee Resource Groups (ERG) can offer resources to support agency culture and values.
- Is there recurring staff training on current best practices to support Black, Native, or employees of varying races with disabilities?
- The Able Access Program can provide the consultations you need!
- Are people with disabilities who are non-white in leadership roles making decisions that impact the agency?
- Does your company have opportunities for ALL employees to advance?
- Employing people of varying races with disabilities is about breaking barriers that allow skilled individuals equal opportunity and increase agency value.
- Most importantly, you must monitor and evaluate any changes
- This is how you determine potential issues, track progress, and measure the results.
- Develop an internal schedule and a standard checklist, and ensure you ask for and include staff feedback.
Civility does not mean favoring people or creating space for unqualified employees. A civil workplace promotes positive interactions, helps prevent conflicts, and creates a more productive and supportive environment. It means being open to a fair approach to the workforce where all people are appreciated, supported, and guided to achieve their full potential.
This blog, written by a Middle Eastern woman with a disability, was developed with the funding of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
Sources:
Source 1: South Carolina Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)
Source 2: Stats — Hire Me SC
Source 3: How to Model Civility for a Better Workplace Culture
Source 4: Why Embracing Different Opinions in Your Team is Important
Source 5: A Study Finds That Diverse Companies Produce 19% More Revenue
Source 6: Ethnically Diverse Companies Are 35% More Likely to Outperform Their Competitors