3 Ground Rules For Cursing At Work, And Why You Should Do It
Quick View: A summary of key points
Cursing is not an indicator of low intelligence
If you choose to curse at work, use it thoughtfully, in the right circumstances, and with some ground rules
Cursing can be a way to show your passion, build camaraderie, and relieve tension
Should you curse at work? Yes!…sometimes… with ground rules. I've heard people suggest that cursing is the lowest form of communication. That it's applied out of laziness by people who aren't intelligent or articulate enough to find other words. Studies have shown the opposite to be true, that cursing can be aligned to higher verbal fluency.
I have been known to curse at work. Fairly regularly. For me cursing is a way to signal that something is important. My typical application is to use it to emphasize something that isn't going well. Cursing can be a valuable punctuation to call attention to a situation. It is important to curse thoughtfully, in the right contexts, and using ground rules.
3 ground rules for cursing at work
No name calling. In my 20 year career I've worked with plenty of people who deserved to be called names. Calling someone a curse name either to their face or behind their back is never a good idea. Not only is it not nice or helpful, it can hurt how others perceive you. Spontaneous trait transference means that the way you describe someone else is how people come to see you. The punch line: if you're going around calling everyone an a$$#ole, people will think you're an a$$#ole.
Save it for your inner circle. Avoid cursing in large meetings or around people you don't know very well. Some people do find cursing offensive and inappropriate for work under any circumstances. Either test the waters and gage reaction or ask outright if colleagues find cursing offensive. Everyone is different. You need to demonstrate emotional intelligence to avoid rubbing people the wrong way.
Some words are off limits. I'm not going to go into specifics about what words are on the never use list. Clearly some curse words are more offensive than others and no matter where you are, you should never say them.
3 reasons you should curse at work
Now that you know the ground rules, why might you curse at work? What possible value could it have? I've got 3 reasons:
Shows passion for your work. This is the primary reason I curse. It's ok to be passionate, it shows that you're invested in the outcomes.
Creates camaraderie. Remember when I said to save it for your inner circle? It always feels a little conspiratorial when I curse with someone. It creates a feeling of "we're in it together" to solving a tough problem
Releases tension. Sometimes curse words can be inserted in a joke and who doesn't need a little humor at work sometimes?
Conclusion
This is an individual perspective from working in the banking industry in the United States. Different industries and countries will have other cultural norms and tolerances. As with all communication use both emotional intelligence and your own personal preferences to guide your actions. Stay true to your authentic self and if part of that is cursing to get your point across, follow the ground rules and go for it.
RESOURCE ARTICLES:
Swearing is actually a sign of more intelligence, not less, say scientists - Science Alert
The way you describe others is the way people see you - Psychology Today