Why You Should Talk Politics at Work
People love to argue about politics, especially during a presidential election. They argue about it at home, at play ... and at work. But conventional wisdom says political talk at work is a distraction, a waste of time, or even worse. If you’re a manager, you should be cracking the whip and urging everyone to get back to work, right?
Absolutely not. People who work together talking about our political future isn’t off target. It is the target.
As long as the discourse is civil, such conversations enhance esprit de corps and a greater sense of belonging to something that’s bigger than your own small world of work and family. Call it community. People perform better when they feel they’re part of one. Smart managers, therefore, encourage real connections among people, not just as employees but as real human beings dealing with the difficulties of everyday life. They build community.
People talking about what they really care about in life breeds trust. When I know more about you as a person, I understand you better. In most cases, it makes me care more about you. I’m more willing to help you. Political discussion is important because it reveals our values and our aspirations.
So, whenever a natural opportunity arises where you can get to know people beyond just their employee role or help them get to know others at work as real people, take advantage of it. Encourage conversation about the important things in life and people will feel better about you and their workplace.
Is there political talk in your workplace? How are you handling it?
Editor's Note: Harvard Business Review senior editor Julia Kirby also took on this topic in the HBR Editors' Blog
Stewart D. Friedman is the founding director of the Wharton School's Leadership Program and Wharton's Work/Life Integration Project. He is the former head of Ford's Leadership Development Center. His book, Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life, will be published in June by Harvard Business School Press.
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Yes, but... How does this work in practice? If you're a fan of a candidate who's seen as a fringe candidate, wouldn't mentioning that around the water cooler get you blackballed? That's not team-building or community-building
- Posted by Steve N. Sloan
February 27, 2008 10:02
Really important point, Steve.
As a manager, the key is to actively encourage respectful dialogue about different points of view. In whatever way you're comfortable, find a way to convey to your colleagues that you believe it's important for people to express other sides of themselves at work and that talking politics is just another opportunity to get better at understanding another person's point of view and to get to know each other as real people.
That said, if you've got a radical political point of view it's smart to acknowledge that you know it's different, on the edge, and that you're interested in hearing what others have to say. Don't grandstand and be humble by listening.
A good friend, and Ultimate Frisbee coach, puts it well: Respect everyone, fear no one.
To sum up: The goals are to (a) bring more of the real person into the workplace while (b) encouraging respectful dialogue in order to (c) build community.
- Posted by Stew Friedman
February 27, 2008 11:33
But what if the fringe guy being supported is some sort of David Duke? Where do you draw the line? I'm no supporter of crazy or racist guys but how do you make sure it's not arbitrary when people say some candidate is mainstream but another guy is fringe? Jimmy Carter started as a fringe candidate but he sure didn't end up that way. I guess my real question is --- how can we make people feel SAFE before their candidate hits the mainstream?
Related note --- in response to Stew's answer, I don't know anyone with radical beliefs who's interested in what other people think. Do you? You're preaching good manners to people who don't know what that is.
- Posted by Ian Sessler
February 27, 2008 16:24
Thanks for your comment, Ian.
Community-building starts with mutual respect. The point of supporting political discussion at work is to encourage people to get to know a different side of their co-workers and to do so in an atmosphere that encourages this kind of open inquiry, which has to be actively promoted.
If people hold views that are openly hostile toward others, of course, then you've got a problem. What you can do, especially as a manager but really in any position, is set simple ground rules about civility and assert why mutual respect is key.
Ian, while I've met quite a few dogmatic people, I wouldn't conclude that radicals are bull-headed.
I'd like to hear other perspectives. /Stew
- Posted by Stew Friedman
February 28, 2008 22:13