To say that what is happening politically and socially in the US right now is unprecedented would be a gross understatement. Established and reputable research organizations are signaling, as Pew Research does here, that America’s national politicians and those who are deep into domestic and foreign policy are extraordinarily polarized. Unsurprisingly, we’re seeing this reflected in mainstream, political, and social media where it’s claimed that this polarization is also found in the country at large.
But if we study it more closely, as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has, we’ll find that Americans actually agree, or are closer to each other, on a great many policy issues. However, it’s the extremists in conflict with each other who are attracting all the media attention because, as they say in the industry, that’s what “drives eyeballs” and thus advertising. And, as we all know, the US is having another presidential election this Fall which only adds to the intensity of the polarization maelstrom.
Bottom line:whether it’s based in reality or not, we are being constantly bombarded with messaging from all sides reminding us of how polarized we are.
So, it stands to reason that this actual and perceived polarization is going to – forgive the phrase but it seems apt – “bleed into” our workplaces. And as tempting as it might be to reiterate to our employees that we need to “keep politics out of the workplace,” the fact is, it’s already here and has been for some time. This is especially true since we all started carrying a device (i.e. our smartphones) in our purses and pockets that instantly gives us access to every news, opinion, blog, chatroom, and social media outlet anywhere in the world, anytime we want.
The question is, as respectful leaders who are in part responsible for creating and sustaining the culture in our workplaces, what do we do about it? Are there useful and practical approaches to avoiding or de-escalating political and social conflict in the workplace?
One in-the-moment technique is to simply acknowledge peoples’ passions without agreeing or disagreeing with their opinions (which are often stated as facts). Then, the trick is to then move on gracefully to a work related topic.
Another is to find common agreement, i.e. “I think we can all agree this is a complex issue…” which creates a sense in even the most passionate folks that the group is in agreement in general without having to take sides on a given issue.
Both of these are easier said than done.
These techniques and others are the very important focus of our next Respectful Leader Emergency Update for HR Executives on February 22, 2024 and we sincerely hope you’ll join us where we will discuss the trends, hear your perspectives, and consider strategies and solutions.
See you next week!
