The Defense of Civility: Why CEOs Must Lead The Offense

Gerard Corbett:

We are living through an age of manufactured outrage. Social media algorithms reward inflammatory rhetoric, cable news thrives on conflict, and political discourse has devolved into tribal warfare. In this cultural moment, civility—treating one another with basic respect—has become a casualty.  Let’s get on the offense in civility’s defense.

This erosion in civility presents a particular challenge for business leaders navigating an increasingly polarized landscape. The question for public relations professionals is how to convince CEOs that championing civility is both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity.

From Political Issue to Performance Issue

The case for civility is straightforward. Organizations cannot function effectively when employees feel unsafe expressing dissenting views. Innovation suffers when disagreement is conflated with disrespect. Yet many executives remain reluctant to engage, fearing they’ll alienate stakeholders.

PR professionals must reframe civility as a performance issue. The evidence is compelling: incivility reduces productivity, increases turnover, and damages employee health. Georgetown University’s Christine Porath has documented how witnessing rudeness decreases performance and creativity. Companies known for respectful cultures attract better talent, build stronger customer relationships, and weather crises more effectively.

Civility Transcends Ideology

Championing civility doesn’t require partisan positioning. It’s not about agreement—it’s about disagreeing productively. A CEO can advocate for respectful discourse without endorsing any particular policy. In fact, modeling how to engage with opposing viewpoints respectfully may be one of the most valuable contributions business leaders can make to our fractured public square.

Smart PR professionals will provide concrete examples: Satya Nadella transforming Microsoft’s culture by emphasizing empathy, or companies navigating controversial issues by focusing on shared values rather than partisan divisions.

Making It Personal

Many CEOs may not fully grasp how dramatically communication norms have shifted. Younger employees and consumers expect organizations to stand for something beyond profit, and they’re watching how leaders behave when tensions arise. A CEO who dismisses civility concerns risks appearing out of touch.

Perhaps most importantly, business leaders are cultural influencers whether they like it or not. When a prominent CEO speaks about respectful dialogue, it gives permission to others to do the same. The most effective champions of civility lead by example: demonstrating respectful disagreement in meetings, acknowledging mistakes graciously, and recognizing employees who exemplify these values.

Addressing Resistance

Some CEOs will worry about seeming weak or fear backlash from stakeholders accustomed to combat-style communication. The answer lies in helping them see that civility is foundational infrastructure, not cultural commentary. Just as companies need functioning technology systems, they need norms of respectful interaction. Without these basics, nothing else works properly.

We are not returning to some imagined golden age of universal politeness. Difficult conversations about injustice and organizational failures must happen. But there is a vast difference between passionate advocacy and personal attacks, between rigorous debate and ritual humiliation.

The Opportunity

Public relations professionals occupy a unique position. They can help CEOs navigate this terrain, translating concerns about social fragmentation into concrete leadership strategies. In a landscape where so many institutions have lost public trust, business leaders who champion civility without cynicism can help rebuild the social capital we’ve depleted.

That’s not just good PR. It’s good leadership.

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Gerard F. Corbett is CEO of PR agency Redphlag

Written by: Editor