Faux Pas Savoir-Faire

The term faux pas has become commonplace in English language referring to breaches of social norms or, according to Merriam-Webster, social blunders. In French the term means “false step” and can be used to describe a person or situation that is out of balance. The value of protocol, etiquette and codes of behavior shape our everyday life. The rules can be complicated. They vary from situation to situation and culture to culture. Some are formal, others informal but equally important to preserving harmony within groups. In this article, we'll take at peek at my own faux pas in France and then discuss workplace culture and conflict.

1 French Cafe by Constance Weibrands

A Café in France

While in France last summer, my husband and I spotted a lovely outdoor café which was completely empty. Pointing to a table, I asked if we could sit down. The owner grunted in disgust and waved us to one of the less desirable tables, toward the back. He hurried off with the menus, leaving us standing, bewildered. When he finally returned, I smiled and asked if we could move to one of the more interesting tables along the sidewalk. He slammed the menus on the back table and in a cross tone shouted, “No! You will sit here!” With my palms up, I quietly looked at the abundance of empty tables asking, “Why?” He shouted in reply, “You are unbelievably rude! Do you realize you never even greeted me? You won’t get anywhere until you learn to first say bonjour!” At that moment I had an epiphany: while I may be fluent in French, I was not fluent in etiquette. French peoples’ seemingly rigid adherence to etiquette is often interpreted by visitors as rudeness, but a quick review of déjà vu encounters made me realize that it wasn’t French people who had been rude in all those situations. Au contraire! I was not respecting well-established cultural norms and therefore I sparked conflicts as a result. From that point on, I noticed that in every café, grocery store and public place, French typically greet everyone as they enter. Following this simple norm in France has worked brilliantly ever since for me. Filled with a little bit more cultural savoir-faire, France appears to be one of the most polite places I’ve experienced. Friendliness toward strangers doesn’t hurt in other cultures, but may not always yield the same results. Not all people apply the same rules equally.

Workplace Culture

In the workplace, protocols for managing communication and conflict may also be determined by an organization’s “culture” or “way of life,” according to employment lawyer-mediator, Blaine Donais. In his article, Every Workplace Has a Culture, he outlines elements that influence culture in the workplace:

• Laws -- These can be internal, such as policies, procedures or external laws that influence the way the organization is run. Examples include grievance procedures, open-door policies or civil rights laws.
• Language – The codes, acronyms, slang and other tools coworkers communicate with one another both formally and informally.
• Fashion/dress code – Whether in suits, coveralls or aprons, the way people dress shape the organizational culture and, in many cases, the workplace defines its external image by setting dress codes.
• Authorities, power relationships and conventions – The culture of an organization may be shaped by its hierarchies, power strucutres or lack thereof.
• Conflict management/dispute resolution processes – Whether rights-based or interest-based, most organizations follow certain policies and procedures, to ensure that conflicts are managed before they escalate.

2 Clocks on, phones off by Derek K Miller - Penmachine

Watch It!

When mediating workplace conflicts, I often find that key issues center on varying interpretations of the organizational culture and social norms. In one case, a manager accused a subordinate of breaking a company policy that prohibited personal calls while working, as he “discovered” her texting on her cell phone on the production floor. The subordinate was adamant that she only used the phone to check the time.The younger subordinate proved, with a cell phone bill, that she did not have texting capabilities on her phone. The manager admitted that he had a bias against cell phones and wondered why she wouldn’t use a watch, “Like everyone else has done for the past 25 years I’ve worked here.” The employee admitted that cell phones can give the appearance of using personal time during work hours, not only a breach of company policy but also of the business’ culture. She checked the time so that she wouldn’t miss her two 20-minute breaks, which she used to contact her kids, who were at home on summer break. She thought it unfair, however, that she should have to purchase a watch. She claimed they were uncomfortable and made it difficult to do the tasks assigned to her. In fact, she went on, only one person in the department had worn a watch to her knowledge and that employee stopped after developing carpal tunnel syndrome. So, the employee asserted that a new social norm replaced the use of a watch: the cell phone. Because the supervisor was looking at the situation through his own lens, which had been shaped when he was a line worker 25 years ago, he had neither noticed this widespread use of cell phones on the workroom floor nor the necessity for employees to check the time. They came up with an elegant agreement: the company would furnish clocks around the workroom floor and cell phones would be turned off inside the building. As we wrote up the agreement, the manager joked that, back in his day people used to take smoking breaks but they got rid of those when regulations limited peoples’ ability to smoke near buildings. The subordinate joked that maybe “cell phone breaks” should replace what used to be taken as smoking breaks. I looked up and asked if they would want to seriously consider this.Indeed, it made sense to them and it is now part of the department’s policy: the addition of two 5-minute breaks for personal time – including texting and calling outside of the workroom.

3 Watch by Derek K Miller - Penmachine

Steps To Consider

The best way to understand another group’s protocol is to check your own cultural lens. What do you consider to be faux pas or missteps? What will you tolerate? What rubs you the wrong way? Recognize values that may shape your own approach to communicating and focus in on others’ when there is a breakdown in communication.

When you run into a conflict with others outside your “cultural” boundaries, try these steps:

Note the facts

• What protocols, rules, laws or norms were broken?
• What gestures, body language and external factors did you observe?
• What did you hear?
• What words were actually spoken?

Check your reaction

• What did you experience?
• How did you respond, both emotionally and physiologically?
• What is your attitude about the other person?
• What is your perspective of the problem?
• What influenced your reaction? (education, fear, values, background, upbringing, stereotypes, media, etc.)

Ask questions

• What are the ways around this conflict? What can you do to facilitate understanding?
• What do you stand to gain or lose? And the other person?
• Ask the other person what they meant. We often feel like it is taboo to do this, but often people prefer the opportunity to clarify than to be the object of assumptions and misunderstanding.
• Ask for mediation. See if the other person will agree to have a third party assist you in reaching a better understanding and resolution.

Protocol, etiquette and codes of conduct play an important role in maintaining a sense of harmony within a group. Some may be informal, such as cultural norms and others are as formal as written laws. When misinterpreted or unclear, they can cause stress and lead to conflict.

Understanding and respecting the expectations of different groups is key to minimizing conflicts, but not so easy to do. But next time you make a faux pas, refocus your lens and take the next step with renewed understanding and perhaps a real joie de vivre!

4 Steps of Fate by Vincepal