By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA
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We’ve had four years of political bickering and now the 2020 presidential campaign is barreling down the tracks toward the November 3rd finish line. As interest grows, people on both sides of the political aisle are digging in their heels and waiving the pom-poms for their preferred candidate and party. While good natured bantering can be fun, people who are relentlessly backing either party can be viewed as hostile and intolerant of others who do not share their point of view. On the street corner, it’s called freedom of speech but in the workplace, it’s called divisive and can poison the collaboration needed for effective teams to work smoothly and productively.
For example, James and Susan are both competent, highly skilled anesthesia providers who have earned professional respect from the entire peri-operative team. James is, above all else, anti-Trump and has publicly stated at the nurse’s station that Trump supporters are uneducated, illiterate, and incapable of understanding what is best for the country. Susan, a strong Trump supporter, swings back stating that she could not have earned her doctorate degree or CRNA certification without being literate and begins to chant, “four more years.” The tension that they create between themselves daily spills over and is felt by all who witness the frequent hostility. Along the way, morale drops and the attention of other workers is diverted from patient care.
Writing for The Balance Careers, author Susan Heathfield notes that in a workplace that values diversity, polarizing topics such as religion and politics should stay at home. Her position is reinforced by a study done by the American Psychological Association which revealed that political talk in the workplace creates stress and reduces team morale. The APA findings revealed that when political talk was allowed at work:
- 15% become more cynical.
- 13% feel less productive.
- 10% report that their work quality suffers.
Taboo topics in the workplace
Topics that are tied to deep-seated beliefs trigger emotions when the listener’s viewpoint is challenged. If you work in the field office of the Republican National Committee or are employed by moveon.org, it’s OK to have strong political beliefs at work; however, in the healthcare workplace, trigger topics disrupt collaboration and ultimately affect patient care. Three topics that are guaranteed to push hot buttons and therefore must be outlawed in the workplace are:
Politics. Despite claims to the contrary, very few people are truly politically neutral. Even those who do not vocally and financially back one candidate versus the other have preferences based on family history, education background and personal life experiences. Starting a debate and presenting logic from an individual point of view it is unlikely to change the other person’s mind and more likely to make the person feel uncomfortable. As the conversation intensifies, the other person may feel as if he/she is being bullied. Regardless, heated political discord creates tension and kills trust. No matter how right you believe your point of view to be, it is wrong to take it with you to work.
Sex. The overt discussion of sex related topics is less frequent than politics in most workplaces but is equally likely to create discomfort and distrust within the team. Verbalizing sexual expectations is classified as harassment and banned under labor laws. Most organizations require employees to view learning modules that define gender-based harassment and present options for remedy. Less obvious and equally offensive are the covert comments and innuendos that are subtle and can be denied if the recipient takes offense. Gender related comments based on stereotypes fall under the category of sex associated taboo topics. As operating room workers, we view male and female body parts of all sizes and shapes on a regular basis. Openly discussing sex-related body parts in the lounge not only violates patient privacy, it creates anxiety in those who prefer to talk about other things.
Religion. We are Americans and we live in a diverse nation that values religious freedom. Those with strong religious beliefs will defend the dogma to their death and have the right to do so if it does not interfere with the rights of those who believe differently or not at all. Follow your faith but make sure you keep it out of the workplace. Espousing your religion or denigrating the beliefs of others can be viewed as bullying and kill collaboration in the workplace.
How to dodge taboo topics
The key to eliminating taboo topics from the workplace is to first set standards and then follow with boundaries. Make rules for yourself to ban participation in the discussion of hot topics and hold yourself accountable without exception. Once done, apply the standards to others and take steps to squash taboo topics in your workplace. Here are some tips:
Value collaboration. Above your personal beliefs or political affiliations, value civility and collaboration at your workplace. Practice emotional intelligence and consider how your comments will be received by others. Accept that others on the team may have different opinions and be respectful of the diversity that they bring to the team. Focus on building trust rather than spreading political dogma.
Know the rules. Most companies have rules related to bullying and sexual harassment. Being forceful when verbalizing personal views may be perceived as undue coercion and set you up for a reprimand. At the very least, your rant most likely will not align with the values of the organization.
Avoid hot topics. The big three topics to be avoided are politics, sex and religion. Consciously draw a line and do not allow yourself to be drawn into conversations related to those topics. It’s OK to say, “yes, I have an opinion, but I also have an obligation to keep it to myself while on the job.”
Be civil. Civility is a key ingredient for effective teamwork. Taking others out of their comfort zone by insulting the intelligence of those with opposing views is a sure way to create tension and kill productivity in the workplace.
Be mindful of social media. Without question, the first amendment gives you the right to freedom of speech. Be mindful that others in your workplace may see the comments that you post on social media. Even if you keep quiet at work, polarized rants on social media that are read by your colleagues will create a rift that affects how they interact with you at work.
Just walk away. Sometimes you are caught off guard when confronted by a person who demands that you see things his/her way. Regardless of the choice that you make, hoping on the bandwagon or confronting the person with an opposing belief, you will diminish yourself in the eyes of others if you jump in the fray. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn into the conversation. When someone starts to rant, check your watch, say you have a deadline, and move on.
The passion of politics will continue to grow and extend well beyond the November election. Both parties will try to convince you that American will not continue to exist if the other party is elected. (haven’t we heard that before?) Issues come and go but your job and your colleagues will remain. It’s up to you to take the high ground and value teamwork above politics. Set a high standard and establish boundaries that keep politics out of the workplace.
Tom is an experienced leader, author and requested speaker.