Navigating Political Conversations at Work (Ep. 136)

Times are changing. With information moving so quickly, and higher expectations of employees for their organization to “have their back,” executives are stuck between a rock and a hard place to navigate what’s appropriate and best for the business, their people and the company’s values.Pairing this with the idea of individual executives (or front line employees) having their own “brand,” there is often a conflict between the personal views of people that make up and are representing the company. Often it’s no big deal, but when politics enters the workstream every four years, the emotional challenges of navigating difficult conversations on philosophy, economic theory, social justice and more can overwhelm the group. It was never “ok” to speak politics at work - it was something that was left to individuals to believe what they wanted. In a way, it was a protection for us to not have the uncomfortable conversations we didn’t want to have. Similar to religion and even sports, emotions overtake logic, and most conversations don’t end well. But with the rise of never-ending information, opinion presented as facts, beliefs presented as truths - the game has changed. And many of us - from leadership down to the front line - are expected to navigate a political landscape with no real value in the end game. Here are some tips for navigating political conversations at work. Whenever we have a list of “tips,” I like to ask questions - as you are the one who will be lying in the bed you make.