Speaker 1: Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
Speaker 1: performance through strong human relations, team building and goala GV.
Speaker 1: This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host
Speaker 1: Paul fella Aledo.
Speaker 2: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
Speaker 2: It's episode two fifty three. Today we're diving into a
Speaker 2: challenge that many leaders are facing, how to effectively manage
Speaker 2: teams with different political views and beliefs, especially in today's
Speaker 2: highly polarized political environment. This topic comes directly from listener feedback,
Speaker 2: so thank you Darcy from California for the suggestion. And
Speaker 2: this is such a hot topic right now, especially in
Speaker 2: the United States. But here's what I see in any organization.
Speaker 2: People bring their whole selves to work, including their value,
Speaker 2: use their opinions, and yes, their politics. As a leader,
Speaker 2: your job isn't to referee debates, but to create an
Speaker 2: environment where people can work together, respect each other, and
Speaker 2: remain focused on the mission. So you have to set
Speaker 2: the tone from the top. It starts with you. If
Speaker 2: you engage in political debates or make bias comments, your
Speaker 2: team will follow your lead instead model professionalism and neutrality.
Speaker 2: This doesn't mean avoiding important conversations. It means having a
Speaker 2: workplace culture where respect is the priority, and make it
Speaker 2: clear that while differing opinions are natural, the workplace is
Speaker 2: for collaboration, not conflict. Now, if today's politics are directly
Speaker 2: impacting your business with money, supply chain issues, or new costs,
Speaker 2: then I would create an internal assessment team to directly
Speaker 2: look at how some of these new political policies or
Speaker 2: executive orders could potentially disrupt or in impact your business.
Speaker 2: That doesn't mean with every employee. That means a small
Speaker 2: collaborative team. In next, you have to establish ground rules
Speaker 2: for civility. If political discussions are causing division, address it
Speaker 2: head on. Set expectations that all workplace discussions, whether about
Speaker 2: work or world events, must be respectful and productive. Consider
Speaker 2: a simple policy, we respect diverse viewpoints, but our focus
Speaker 2: is on teamwork and service. Encourage employees to avoid heated
Speaker 2: political debates during work, especially in high stress environments, and
Speaker 2: then keep the focus on the mission. One of the
Speaker 2: best ways to unify a team is to redirect their
Speaker 2: attention toward a shared goal, whether it's providing excellent patient care,
Speaker 2: serving customers, or supporting the community. Remind your team that
Speaker 2: their mission is bigger than personal opinions. When political differences
Speaker 2: start cause friction, refocus conversations on the work at hand.
Speaker 2: How can we work together to deliver the best results
Speaker 2: for the people who depend on us, And this one
Speaker 2: is important. Don't allow political division to become workplace toxicity.
Speaker 2: If politics start interfering with teamwork, step in immediately. You
Speaker 2: wouldn't allow gossip, bullying, or favoritism to spread unchecked. Political
Speaker 2: division should be treated the same way. If tensions arise,
Speaker 2: address them privately. Talk to the individuals involved, reinforce expectations
Speaker 2: and remind them that mutual respect is non negotiable, and
Speaker 2: then build a culture of inclusion and mutual respect. Your
Speaker 2: team doesn't have to agree on politics, but they do
Speaker 2: have to work together. Encourage people to see each other
Speaker 2: as teammates first, rather than as representatives of opposing viewpoints.
Speaker 2: Create opportunities for connection outside of work related tasks. Team
Speaker 2: building activities, shared meals, and celebrating wins together help humanize
Speaker 2: each other beyond political beliefs, and last, when necessary, reinforce
Speaker 2: HR policies. If conflicts escalate or discrimination occurs, be ready
Speaker 2: to lean on HR policies. Political discussions should never cross
Speaker 2: the line into harassment, exclusion, or hostility. If an employee
Speaker 2: feels uncomfortable or unsafe, take it seriously and handle it appropriately.
Speaker 2: So great leaders don't allow politics to fracture their team. Instead,
Speaker 2: they set the standard for professionalism, respect, and unity. Keep
Speaker 2: your focus on the mission, establish clear expectations, and remind
Speaker 2: your team that their shared purpose is what truly matters.
Speaker 2: These are truly tough times in leadership matters more than
Speaker 2: ever right now, and if you haven't done so, please
Speaker 2: five start review the show on your favorite podcasting platform.
Speaker 2: This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast and I
Speaker 2: thank you for listening.
Speaker 1: For more Paul Fellow Alito podcasts, visit Paulfellowalito dot com