Cursing & Cubes

In the Workplace,Every Bleeping Word Can Show Your Rank
March 21, 2006; Page B1
By JARED SANDBERG
Wall Street Journal, Link to entire article

Ann Garcia had to thread the needle. On the one hand, the No. 1 executive at her former company hated the use of profanity, seeing it as a sign of not having learned to communicate effectively. On the other hand, the No. 2 executive appreciated a potty mouth now and then because it indicated passion. He "felt that if you weren't swearing, you probably didn't care enough," says Ms. Garcia.

...Still, profanity is a barometer of corporate culture because cussing up a blue streak may be taboo to some companies and expected in others. It's used as everything from a social bonding tool to a badge of status, from a weapon to a substitute for it. Not least, it's a stress reliever when a paper tray doesn't know it's already full, a voicemail system doesn't recognize a password, or when an automated restroom faucet splashes your pants, suggesting incontinence that is good for no one's career.

"Uttering a profanity is almost like enjoying a breath of fresh air," concedes P.M. Forni, author of "Choosing Civility" and co-founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project. While he recognizes its usefulness, he hates it for the most part. "As a form of respect for the people around you whose sensitivities you cannot individually gauge, you should abstain from uttering profanities."

...In some workplaces, says Timothy Jay, a professor of psychology and author on cursing, "if you're the one who doesn't swear, you're the weirdo." He says "profane language can be very effective in gaining credibility," and has been a privilege of rank. Traditionally, "it works down the hierarchy, not up," he says.

...Similarly, Jay Sapovits, a sales executive who won't swear in certain environments, distrusts other salespeople who never find occasion to swear. "There's an inherent element of dishonesty with people who are in a situation where a swear is warranted and they don't swear," he says. "If a salesperson doesn't swear, they're either 1) not dialing the phone enough or 2) are not to be trusted."

...In almost any work environment, profanity can be a way to signal a level of intimacy among colleagues. As Amanda Jacobson Snyder, who works for a data publishing company, puts it, "It's sort of like a friendship's second base."