August 28, 2008
Guru loves a bit of political correctness gone mad (PCGM), especially when it involves allegations of sexism and offensive phrases.
Winner of this week's PCGM award is the buffoon at Chichester District Council who decided to publish a politically correct 'language guide' to prevent staff from offending women, small children, Islamic fundamentalists and Scientologists (I made the last three up).
The guide tells council staff not to use the phrase "man on the street" - in case it causes offence to women. It says the term is based on the assumption that the world is male, and suggests "general public" as an alternative.
The booklet also says "manning the switchboard" and calling women "ladies" or "girls" is sexist. The council says it is simply being "responsive to people's sensitivities".
Guru thinks that rather than tell your workforce what they can't say, just lift the barriers, let them get on with it and let them say what they really think. Cold steeled honesty and frankness is the way forward, in Guru's humble opinion.
What the UK's workplaces need is a healthy dose of political incorrectness. Or is that political correctness gone mad, gone mad? Guru is off for a lie down...
