10/30/2024

Don't be Scared

Political discourse at work can serve three important functions

Political discourse is discouraged in the workplace for fear of creating division, enabling workplace harassment, or engendering legal liability. In a 2024 study, 45 percent of respondents said they regretted discussing politics at work; 51 percent said discussing politics poisons the workplace environment; 24 percent said the upcoming election will make their workplace more uncomfortable.

Talking politics at work can be fraught with peril, but the general malaise about this topic demonstrates how much we have misunderstood the assignment. Talking about politics doesn’t actually mean talking about politics: We shouldn’t discuss politics to expose political beliefs, endorse candidates or fan the flames of political discontent. Instead, we should talk about politics as a way of building better leadership habits and designing better workplace cultures.

The misgivings about political discourse in the workplace highlight our misconception of dialogue and perhaps our own limitations in managing difficult conversations. Not all conversations are meant to be debates or fodder for gamesmanship or blood sport. By creating an environment for interpersonal exchange, we are asking our employees to perfect the time-honored practice of communicating effectively when there are differences, whether it’s related to a project deadline, a personnel decision or a community initiative. Political differences can serve as case studies for honing leadership competencies such as listening, empathy and creating psychological safety.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Fast Company.