Choose Civic Engagement Over Noxious Tribalism

The runup to a presidential election can be a peculiar and passion-filled time under the best of circumstances. Combined with the division that comes with political outrage, a global pandemic, and the threat of an economic recession, and you have a recipe for a total meltdown of civil discourse. And, more tragically, the meltdown of a free society.

Each bizarre plot twist in the news cycle walks us further away from trust and rational thought and toward skepticism and defensiveness, planting the seeds that undermine our institutions and our credibility in society. It’s an agonizing cycle for generational leaders to behold. But we can’t see just this moment – we must see through this moment.

Business leaders are particularly challenged to balance it all: keeping the business afloat, employees motivated, clients satisfied, communities thriving. Add to that creating and sustaining jobs and minding all the other ways business as an institution shapes lives and society. Against those tides, leaders are tasked with steering companies through an ever-changing and uncertain world where markets can move on 280 keystrokes.

Still, managing all of those points of friction reminds us of the importance of reflection, wisdom, and civic engagement. At Gen Next, we are seeing everyone in our community work hard to strike this very balance while keeping their optimism and faith in our country. I find it encouraging – because times like these summon leaders to rise to the occasion.

After all, we are a country of entrepreneurs and innovators, a trait passed down to us from our Founding Fathers who not only built a completely new form of government but also declared a completely new model of respecting human dignity, freedom, and flourishing. The ideas that guided them didn’t come easy – they were deeply thoughtful leaders who convened and challenged one another, becoming intimately acquainted with the classics and their counterpoints, so that they could put into motion the idea that America represents. Freedom across generations is a bet on the best version of you. We were given a republic, “if we could keep it,” as Benjamin Franklin is rumored to have glibly said.

Though those qualities of the American spirit have held true since our founding, the world is constantly evolving, a truth we experienced in jarring fashion this year. But we can’t be distracted and must always remain true to our fundamentals. In an ever-evolving world, it’s our duty to those we lead in business, and in life, to always keep our minds open and know where we stand in the world.

It isn’t easy, but it is necessary. Those who are successful in staying true to their values in a world that seeks to divide are united by these habits: know thyself, know your ideals, and give others the benefit of the doubt. Sensational headlines matter far less than your own values and our country’s ideals, which play out in your daily lives and relationships. That matters a lot in our republic. And it’s up to us to lead the discourse the way it should be conducted, no matter how challenging.

Peggy Noonan has meaningful thoughts on business that are very easily translatable to voting and civic engagement. She said, “in building trust, think close to home … if your children understand business in America as modeled by you – as honorable men and women engaged in an honorable pursuit – then they will have respect for the institution of business.” Replace the word “business” with the word “debate” and you’ve got a model for true civic leadership.

We must be free to be our best selves in the constant pursuit of the ambitious, yet incomparable American Dream. Voting and thoughtfully engaging in the debates that shape our country are necessities of a good society because they depend on the voluntary actions of citizens to elevate the kind of leadership needed to ensure prosperity. It’s easy to be opinionated, but it’s much harder to be informed, and any strong opinion must be rooted in vigorous thought, introspection, and purpose. To be truly informed, we can take lessons from the Founders and dive into the classics. The Federalist Papers are a perfect starting point in truly understanding our form of government and why it deserves our unwavering guardianship.

No matter the outcome of this year’s election, we will be faced with the weight of governing and leading. And by we, I mean you, and I mean we. We are, after all, blessed with a system that demands self-mastery in self-determination. It is rare and it’s a system that many thirst for; let us never forget that, so we always cherish it. By seeking wisdom, character, and community, we more clearly see ourselves and how ideas move through us and into the world. There, we begin the process of bringing those around us back onto the path of an enlightened citizenry and carry the legacy that this great country deserves.

My plea is simple: don’t embrace noxious tribalism in any form. A free country comes from the best of us.