Tips for Navigating Polarization at Work - From Independence Day to Election Day

Growing up, I'd sometimes dress entirely in red, white, and blue, just because. In my small, southern town in rural North Florida, patriotism was a badge of honor and it wasn't rare or stigmatized. The American flag was everywhere, even before 9/11 brought on a surge of American bonding (for some, and Islamaphobia for others...). My maternal grandfather, dad, and paternal uncle were all drafted during the Vietnam War. Gabriel from The Patriot was my first crush. Even so, as an adult, I still understand why the Fourth of July can be a controversial day. Considering 2024 is also an election year, in this month's post I want to talk about my favorite topic -- having courageous conversations in polarized environments.

Key points in this post (for the speed readers):

• Political polarization significantly impacts workplace dynamics.
• Diverse perspectives on Independence Day reflect broader societal divisions that impact us year-round.
• Effective strategies for navigating political discussions at work are essential.

Research has shown that political polarization can significantly impact workplace dynamics. For instance, a 2022 study?by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 45% of U.S. workers reported personally experiencing political disagreements in the workplace. Another study?published in the Journal of Applied Psychology revealed that perceived political dissimilarity can lead to workplace incivility and reduced helping behaviors among colleagues.

Many workplaces try to implement "don't talk about it" policies, but these are largely ineffective, especially with so many people posting their views on social media. Even if people aren't talking about it at work, they likely already have access to information about their co-workers outside of the building, and that might influence how they treat them. Ignoring issues doesn't make them go away (shocking, I know).

Even so, inevitably polarized discussions come up. We have seen many protests and declining sales toward companies whose customers disagree with their stance on the Israel vs. Palestine conflict. Other examples of polarization at work include debates over displaying flags or political symbols in shared spaces, tensions arising from discussions about national events, and conflicts over company policies related to diversity and inclusion initiatives.

What's the point here? Not talking about it doesn't work. Talking about it WITH respect, boundaries, and an open mind is the most effective way. In my keynote talk, "Choosing Courage: It's Not Sports," I delve deeper into how I've navigated these polarities in my personal life and provide strategies for having courageous conversations in various settings, because the only way out is through.

This topic is very important to me as someone who was raised in the conservative Bible Belt and has since worked in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in metropolitan areas. For over a decade, I have often felt like I'm straddling an ever-widening divide --?Between childhood me and adult me.?Between family beliefs vs.?co-worker beliefs.?The isolation and terror of asking yourself, "What do I?believe, even if they don't?" ?"What about their experience has shaped that perspective?" These are important questions to ask during times of national celebration on the Fourth of July, as well as, especially in an election year.

Especially THIS election year. Many Americans are disappointed to be choosing between the same two candidates that we did in 2020, neither of which most of us seem to have much faith in, according to the Associated Press. These past four years have been a whirlwind of painfully high inflation, a Democratic president writing executive orders and spending bills, and a mostly Republican SCOTUS issuing many landmark cases that have impacted many people's schools and personal decisions. Supporters of neither political party are happy right now and many wonder how these decisions will transfer into the workplace (will affirmative action be banned at work too, or just in schools? Will women still have reproductive care covered until their job insurance, or no? Who is "stealing" my job, AI or immigrants?).

Even if these decisions do not transfer to organizations...people are still living them. They affect decisions in their lives, regardless of which side of the aisle they tend to sit on, and those are the same lives they work in. As my co-host Raquel and I often say, work isn't separate from life. It's actually a VERY big part of people's lives.

To practice navigating these polarities, I recommend the below steps:

1. Listen actively: Seek to understand different perspectives without immediately judging.
2. Find common ground: Look for shared values beneath surface-level disagreements.
3. Practice empathy: Try to put yourself in others' shoes and understand their experiences.
4. Engage in respectful dialogue: Have courageous conversations that bridge divides rather than widen them.
5. Educate yourself: Learn about different historical perspectives and ongoing societal issues.
6. Celebrate progress while acknowledging room for improvement: Recognize how far we've come and how far we still need to go.

The Fourth of July is a great time to practice these skills because it is a holiday with so many different perspectives. There is no way I can capture every perspective on this holiday, but here are some different ones to get you started with some links to learn more. (Don't see yourself represented? I'd love if you left your perspective in a comment.)

1. Pro perspective: Many Americans see the day as a celebration of American values, freedom, and the founding principles of the nation. It's often associated with displays of national pride. It's a time to celebrate the birth of their home and to honor loved ones who may have died in battle or still be overseas.
2. Disabled Veterans and other People with PTSD: The most famous Fourth of July celebration - fireworks - can have an ironic effect on our combat veterans and others with PTSD. The sights, sounds, and smells of these joyful explosions can bring back memories and trauma of these senses they experienced in violent settings.
3. Black perspective: For many Black Americans, July 4th is a reminder that independence wasn't granted to all. Frederick Douglass famously asked, "What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?" highlighting the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while slavery persisted. The impact of slavery has never really been resolved, with people who lived through the Jim Crowe laws still alive and working.
4. Indigenous perspective: Native Americans often view the holiday as a celebration of colonialism that led to the decimation of their populations and cultures. Arguably one of the most famous lines from the Declaration of Independence is, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." But it also accuses England's King George the III of inciting, "...the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions."?The mass murder of many Native tribes is a pain that has never, and likely never will, go away.
5. Asian American perspective: Many Asian Americans have a complex relationship with the holiday, given the history of exclusion and discrimination, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and Japanese internment during World War II. However, some see it as an opportunity to assert their American identity.
6. Hispanic perspective: For many Hispanic Americans, particularly those with immigrant backgrounds, the Fourth of July can be a day of both celebration and reflection on their place in American society. For some, it is an opportunity to highlight the ongoing struggle for full inclusion and recognition.
7. Women's perspective: The holiday can serve as a reminder of the long struggle for women's rights in America. As Abigail Adams famously wrote to her husband John Adams in 1776, "Remember the Ladies" in the fight for independence, a plea that went unheeded for generations. COVID-19's labor changes put an even heavier burden on women. In the last two years, many states have changed access to reproductive laws, and many women are concerned about their freedoms and how this will impact not only their careers but their lives.

In my own reflection on the Fourth of July, I've learned that the times that made me proudest to be an American were the times when we decided to do better. Nothing gets me going quicker than Babe-raham, I mean Abraham, Lincoln's quotes on realizing his previous efforts to preserve the union would not be enough, slavery had to be ended. Or learning about shutting down concentration camps in Germany. Or watching Rosie the Riveter flex.

But to be proud of those moments, and to continue making more of those moments, I must also be aware of growth opportunities. This means:

• Realizing that nobody but land-owning White men was in the room when the original laws of our country were made, and we've been updating them ever since.
• Acknowledging that we had Japanese internment camps here WHILE busting down the Nazi doors, and other forms of hypocrisy continue to take place.
• Having experienced being underpaid compared to my male peers while being expected to do many more tasks at work, and realizing there are racial pay gaps in addition to gender pay gaps.

As we approach this Fourth of July, I encourage you to use this time for reflection and growth. Celebrate the progress we've made as a nation, but also consider the work that still needs to be done. True patriotism isn't about blind allegiance; it's about continuously striving to create a more perfect union for all Americans. Everybody knows that one person cannot be perfect, so how would 333.3 million of us be?

A house divided canNOT stand (see, doesn't it just hit you?), but anybody who's lived with a family or a roommate also knows that households are never in total agreement either. It's about being respectful, setting boundaries, and prioritizing. And we have to do the same at work. Because work isn't separate from life, it's actually a really big part of our lives.