Talking Politics in the Office

Can you possibly make it through this contentious political season without destroying your office culture, wrecking your home life, and killing everyone around you who doesn't agree with you? I say yes, you can. It's simple. It's not gonna be easy. You know, conventional wisdom says there are 3 taboo topics in the office: sex, religion, and politics. You could just implement a policy to ban any kind of controversial conversations in the office, but bullshit. That's not gonna work. Your workplace is full of people, and people love to talk. Can't we all just get along?

I'd say yes, we can. We can get along with people whether we agree with them or not, but we're gonna have to lay some ground rules. The first one is the rule of respect. Next, we're gonna need to know about the 5 assumptions you must make to have respectful conversations at work or at home. Finally, let's take a look at the top 10 things you should never do or say in office conversations. Now, you may lean a little to the left, you may lean to the right, you may not know which way you're leaning at all, But there is one rule that can help us have respectful conversations, whether we agree with somebody or not. And that rule is the only rule we practice at my martial arts centers. It's called the Rule of Respect. The Rule of Respect that I know and practice today was given to me by a first grader. I was asked to give a talk on respect and responsibility for a group of elementary school students. And when I started the conversation by asking for a definition of the word respect, One young man in the first grade stood up and bowed and he said, "Sensei, respect means taking care of one another." Have you ever heard a better definition? Practice this simple rule and you can have civil conversations with other people whether you're right and they're wrong or vice versa.

I know you've all heard the expression that when you make an assumption, you make an ass out of you and me. Well, here are 5 assumptions you're gonna have to make if you want to have respectful office conversations.

Number 1: Believe it or not, not everyone shares your point of view. That's something to keep in mind before you make the assumption that everyone in the room thinks the way that you do. Number 2: Whether you think so or not, the other guy actually is entitled to his own opinion. Number 3: You'll get along a lot better with people if you assume that the other guy actually has a rational reason for his opinion or point of view, even if it looks pretty irrational to you. Number 4: Silence does not always confirm agreement. Yours might be the loudest voice in the choir, but that doesn't mean you're singing in harmony. Just because everyone else around you is keeping their mouth shut doesn't mean they agree with you. In fact, they just might think you're not worth arguing with. And finally, to number 5: If you want to get along with people in respectful and civil conversations, you'd better assume this: they are entitled to 2 things: their thoughts and their feelings. And both of those are very difficult to argue with.

Can't we all just get along?

One foolproof way to make sure you get along with everyone is just surround yourself with people that worship you. Now that's not always practical, and it's usually quite expensive. Instead, why not just do this? Keep that rule of respect, take care of one another, be mindful of the 5 assumptions, and pay attention to the top 10 things you never, never want to do or say in workplace conversations. Now I am going to make an assumption before we get into our top 10 list. I figure if you got this far in the program, you've got a pretty good sense of humor. If you don't, or you're easily offended, get out. Now for our top 10 list. Number 10: Avoid starting any conversation with the words, "Of course." Number 9: Avoid assuming that the other person shares the same political affiliation that you do. And number 8 follows up with that: Avoid assuming that the other person shares the same sexual orientation you do. Or for that matter, views on any contentious subject. Number 7, and this might just about COVID it, avoid assuming the person you're talking to cares about anything you care about. Number 6, at least while you're at the job, you might want to avoid thinking that your thoughts or opinions are more important than your boss's. And number 5, you might want to avoid telling the other person that he or she is stupid, stupid, ignorant, or obtuse, especially if it's true. Number 4: You probably don't want to punch out the other person during office hours, no matter how stupid, ignorant, or obtuse they are. At number 3: Avoid assuming that anyone thinks you really know everything about anything. Number 2: Never assume that anyone really gives a shit about what you say, think, or feel. And finally, the number one thing you should avoid doing or saying in office conversations: avoid assuming that you're right and everyone else is wrong, even when you are.

You know, when this election is all over and the politicians are done ripping each other's throats out, we're gonna have to live together in the same neighborhoods, we're gonna have to go to work together in the same offices, in the same factories. So for all of you, now and when this election is over, best thoughts for success and happiness, whether your guy wins or not.

For a free Pushpin Philosophy download of a flyer for your bulletin board, just visit JimBouchard.org. Click here to learn more about my speaking and coaching services, and click here to find out how to buy your copy of Dynamic Components of Personal Power.