NHBR Column: Political Conflict at Work - Leaders Who Encourage Respect Serve Both Business and Country

Two of your best employees have always worked well together to the benefit of your business, but more recently their political differences have led to diminished cooperation — and it is affecting your business. You notice them having heated discussions about the upcoming election or, alternatively, avoiding each other altogether. A better approach is to talk civilly and listen respectfully to people with other points of view.

What’s a business leader to do? Here are a few suggestions:

• Reflect: Are you doing anything that adds to the problem?

• Model positive behavior: The character traits of leaders matter. When you set a positive example by exhibiting empathy and listening to differing points of view, your team is more likely to follow.

• Adopt a company code: Most organizations have mission statements of some kind. Review yours to ensure it incorporates values and expectations such as respect, honesty and empathy for both co-workers and customers.

• Communicate expectations: Most mission statements collect dust on the wall, so it is important to remind people what yours says and to act in ways that show you really mean it.

• Deal with interpersonal conflict: When necessary, intervene. These are challenging conversations to manage, but when you have set clear expectations and model positive behavior, they are easier and ultimately more effective.

• Reach out: Engage in a personal and curious way with people on the other side of political or other issues. Increasingly, many of us are self-limited to a bubble of people who think like us, and this can be very self-limiting.

• Learn more: Read books and listen to podcasts that explore these issues. Seek out resources and join groups such as Braver Angels. (You can become a member for only $12 at braverangels.org.)

We each have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, including our own. Don’t underestimate your impact! You can strengthen your business and our country, too.

You can read the full column here: https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review#2020/10/23/?article=3581943