Politics and Difficult Discussions At Work
Right now, politics seem to be involved in every facet of our lives. Coronavirus, health care, unemployment, protests and the overall economy are top concerns for most people. Whether or not you are typically interested in politics, currently it’s hard to ignore these heated topics that are relentlessly thrust in front of us every day. Even though many of us are working remotely now, it is still natural to discuss topics that are on our minds.
Everyone has their own opinion which should be respected
However, I don’t remember a time when I have seen so many people passionately and combatively at odds with each other. Families, friends, co-workers and even spouses are having a hard time discussing politics or current events without getting a little hot under the collar. In addition, everytime you look at social media, you are likely to see opinions that may be very opposite to your own.
To discuss or not discuss
If you work closely with your colleagues, you may have an idea of their politics. Only you can decide if it is productive to speak up or better to keep quiet. Being brave in discussing issues has helped us make forward progress over the years. But, if you go into a conversation thinking that you will convert someone to your way of thinking, you will most certainly be disappointed. The best you can hope for is that your influence will encourage someone to stop and think about a different point of view. Maybe they will do a little research and consider other possibilities.
Communicating difficult messages
In any case, these challenging conversations about current events and politics can help you practice and improve your ability to communicate other difficult messages at work. Challenges such as turning down an employee’s idea, giving a difficult performance review or even settling strategy disagreements in a team setting.
If you are going to discuss politics or other difficult topics, here are some tools you can use to keep it positive:
1. Ask questions so that you get an idea of how the other person feels. Not snarky questions full of sarcasm. Instead be sincere in your desire to understand.
2. Always be respectful and stay calm. It is difficult to keep your emotions in check when you feel strongly about your viewpoint, but remember, they feel just as strongly.
3. Try to find some commonality. Most people are going to have similar ideas of what success looks like for their family, team, community and country. The main disconnect is how we are going to get there. Listening to other’s opinions can be very enlightening and help you learn more about your colleagues, friends or family.
4. Practice how to politely disengage if you start feeling frustrated or angry. Give yourself an out before you lose control and start a rant. It is easy (and true) to say, “I really need to get back to work now!” or “I learned a lot today from our conversation, let me think about that.”
No matter what your politics are: educate yourself, be open to reliable information and make an effort to look at the big picture. Share what you learn, but don’t spread inaccurate information.
The right hires smooth out difficult communications
Partnering with a CRA (Consumer Reporting Agency) with the services you need to fill in your HR gaps can be an economical solution that also helps you stay in compliance. The right CRA partner can help you recruit, integrate your system, perform background checks, provide education and license verification, drug testing at convenient locations, and support throughout the process.
Feel confident that you are bringing the best hire into your company
Perform due diligence both legally and ethically for your employees and customers. A professional CRA partner pays for itself by avoiding costly hiring mistakes. For a free consultation or more information, contact Genesis Background Screening Services at 866 944-0041 ext 101. Online, email or visit www.genesisbackgroundscreening.com. You can sign up to be emailed whenever we post a new blog at https://genesisbackgroundscreening.com/subscribe-to-the-blog/
Genesis Background Screening is not a law firm and provides our blogs for informational purposes only. Blog is not a substitute for experienced legal advice. Research laws or regulations mentioned in our blogs and ask your legal counsel any questions you have to be sure your organization is within the law and compliant with regulations.
Jacqueline McClure
Genesis Background Screening Services
