Friday, August 29, 2008

Money & Business

On Careers: Outside Voices

Just Say No to ObamcCaintalk

May 22, 2008 11:04 AM ET | G.L. Hoffman | Permanent Link

GL Hoffman
GL Hoffman

It is hard to remain neutral when everyone is talking presidential politics and taking sides. But if you lead or manage anyone at work, my advice is: Be like Switzerland. Stay neutral, keep your PIN number safe, and carry a funny-looking little knife.

Conversations around the water cooler start off informative and may even be helpful to new voters. Some people want to know about the issues and how positions taken by the candidates will help or hinder. Fine and good.

But there is just something about politics that degrades goodwill fast. Open-mindedness hits the road. We exaggerate, generalize, and personalize. Feelings get hurt. I once heard a boss—who would NEVER EVER say anything remotely sexist, homophobic, or racist—say "You're an idiot!" because he was righteously indignant about the political views of a subordinate.

I understand that bosses can't go around the workplace and tell people NOT to talk politics. "They" can talk about politics. "You" shouldn't.

Three reasons why:

Winners and losers. By aligning yourself with one candidate, you are picking the "winners" in your company or department and not by their talent, results, or skill. This is a bad thing.

It won't help your business. For every customer or vendor that shares your views, another one doesn't. Why lose business so easily?

Don't underestimate your power. Bosses influence behavior in subtle, unintended ways. Why waste this power on something nonproductive?

But please, go vote. Just don't tell me who for.

G.L. Hoffman is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor/operator/incubator/mentor. Two of his companies have traveled the entire success path from the garage to IPO. Currently, he is chairman of JobDig and his blog can be found at WhatWouldDadSay.com or at JobDig.com.

Tags: management | presidential election 2008 | corporate culture

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Reader Comments

I take a different approach

I really like politics and I love to talk them at work. I make a point of letting the other person know I'm open minded and maybe even work in a conversation about the stigma of politics at work. That way they know, its just conversation, no judgments. However, I do work in a profession and area that has a similar demographic and beliefs.

That being said, I also know the ones that I don't talk politics with (people the exact opposite of me who get angry easily) and I never ever talk politics at or in front of a client!

GREAT ADVICE

A vendor came in nearly four years ago, ranting about how if I didn't vote for so and so that I had to right because I didn't have a child in the service overseas. I bet her five bucks that my candidate would win. Lets just say we didn't see her in our office ever again for two reasons. 1. She was so obnoxious in our office that she was told not to return. 2. She was a poor sport and I didn't collect my fiver. I was worth it.

This is "your" opinion

You can talk about your choice of candidates whenever and wherever you want...The problem is that so many of us don't and why? Are you embarrassed or will feel judged as to who you choose as a cadidate? You should care less what others think...You push your products in every way to get the word out there...Ever saw a commercial for the same product 10 times in a 4 hour sitting in front of the tv....They are just getting their product or info out there, yes? I for one will express and tell everyone about my candidate of choice..I feel more people need to do that, whether in the work place or not. I am open minded too and listen to everyone's opinions and am willing to give my own as well. I do not know where you are from, I am guessing a bigger city...I am from a small town in Iowa...We all talk about our candidates, even hold town meetings to dicuss it...Nothing wrong with that...I have also heard it disucssed in the workplace and feel it is very healthy and good to do that....This country is either going to go in a positive direction of change, which everyone knows we need, or we are going to continue to slide and keep going down hill, chosen the wrong candidate. If you have someone at work that just had a baby in the family, such a proud grandpa or grandma....do you not talk about that at work , send flowers, give gifts...any events...are they not discussed at work.? I feel you are dead off on your post here...but everyone has an opinion, right? I do not feel you can speak for anyone else, even given your time in your career field...This is your experience, not that of everyone else....Maybe this is not how you do it in your company, but in mine, we invite the chance to talk about the candidates and are not afraid to do so....If someone wants to go back in a corner and criticize us for our choice, so be it....That is their right....But I refuse to not let everyone know where I stand, and if they ask me to explain it further, I am certainly open to do that.....on the street, in my church, or at my work place....From reading your post, I am feeling that you are voting for Mr McCain, which is your choice...I am a 40 yr old, white woman, not prejudice and very proud of my country, and born and raised small town....I am voting for Barack Obama and am proud to be a delegate of his and have been to every convention so far and will be at the Nationals in Denver....I will take every opportunity to speak up and do so whevever I choose... If you can't handle the heat, then perhaps you need to get a coffee from Starbucks...or Burger King....Now that is your choice too, huh? But again, this is only one womans opinion...one woman NOT afraid to speak out.....

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