Hello,

“There’s two things you don’t talk about in mixed company: religion and politics.”

This old adage comes to mind in the wake of one of the most divisive elections in our country’s history. Off the cuff it seems logical, as we’ve spent the last two years listening to two sides yelling at each other. But maybe the issue is less about the “politics” and more about our culture’s inability to listen and have respectful discourse with those who we disagree.

When we vote, the bubbles we fill in reflect our morals and what we value most. So in the context of fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment — one where all are seen and valued — it seems counterintuitive to say we shouldn’t share what’s important to us with others in the workplace. Instead, maybe it’s less about what we’re talking about, and more about how we’re talking about it.

When it comes to the recent election, there are just as many people mourning the results as those who are celebrating them. When we decide we can’t discuss these things in the workplace, we’re choosing to perpetuate that divide and allow it to simmer in the background of all our interactions. It becomes a poison that pulls our teams apart rather than brings them together.

At Rework Work, we talk a lot about getting comfortable with being uncomfortable when discussing DEI. In fact, if we decided to focus more on listening during these conversations and less on our own voice being heard, these conversations become a little less uncomfortable. We shift our mindset from convincing and converting to understanding and seeing others. We stop focusing on winning the argument when we intentionally choose not to “argue” at all.

The most uncomfortable conversations are usually the ones most worth having. If you’re wanting to initiate these discussions at work but don’t know how to begin, utilize the tools and strategies in our 100K Conversations Challenge to help you get started.

Stacey Gordon, MBA
Rework Work CEO