Talking about politics at work can be dicey. So what should you do as a manager? While it may be tempting to ban political conversations on your team, doing so can alienate employees and make them feel like they can’t bring their authentic selves to work. Instead, ask yourself: How can I encourage my team to handle differences, respect one another, listen, and learn? Here are a few suggestions.
- Build empathy for others’ views. Encourage regular conversation and sharing of personal stories and vulnerabilities on your team. Understanding and respect are built through day-to-day interactions.
- Invite different perspectives. Lead by example; admit you don't know everything, and demonstrate open-mindedness.
- Accept mistakes gracefully. People tend to avoid political conversations for fear of saying the wrong thing or being misunderstood. Encourage grace and give your team members the benefit of the doubt (unless they've proven they don't deserve it).
- Demonstrate that disagreement is OK. Make clear that it’s fine to dissent and debate as long the conversation doesn’t turn into an existential battle where “I’m right” and “You’re wrong.” You don't have to be persuaded by someone's belief in order to understand it and respect it.
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