Even run-of-the-mill presidential elections can stir up a heated debate in the office. However, this year’s election is filled with variables that even the most experienced historians and political scientists would never see coming. So with election coverage dominating social media and the traditional media, the topic will come up at the office. Is there a safe way to talk about this election and still like your co-workers after the conversation? We hope these ideas can get you through a conversation during this political season without a fiery exchange.
1.No name calling
If you’ve watched either of the presidential debates you’ve seen the candidates call each other names, so you might be inclined to take their lead when a co-worker doesn’t share one of your opinions. Remain calm even if a co-worker makes the conversation personal. One strategy to deal with an inflammatory comment is to say something non-judgmental like, “I didn’t see that part of the debate,” or “I haven’t really been following all the coverage,” and finding a natural time to leave the conversation if things get too heated.
2.Well at least my candidate doesn’t. . .
This is a close “cousin” to name calling. When a co-worker kicks of their response to a statement you make with “Well at least my candidate doesn’t. . ._______ ,” you might feel like they’re calling “your candidate” an idiot. One productive way to approach a scenario where a co-worker is very opinionated is to say that you’re hearing what they’re saying about the topic or the candidate, but ask a question like, “Is there anything that happened to you or influenced you to arrive at this opinion?” You’re going beyond the name calling and negativity and trying to learn something about your co-worker. They may stand there with a puzzled look on their face, and that should trigger you to tell them why you’re asking. Explain that you’re trying to get to know the background that led them to their passionate stance on the topic or candidate.
3.Don’t recite headlines
Starting off a conversation with a co-worker that may not share your opinion of the election by reciting headlines can be asking for trouble. You innocently mention that CNN reported XYZ this morning, and your co-worker responds with something like, “Well that’s not true, that’s only because candidate ABC said XYZ at the debate last night.” If you didn’t watch the debate the night before, it would have been hard for you to come to the same conclusion as your co-worker because you only knew of the morning headline. There’s always more to the story than just the headline. So if you’re not reading the whole story, or following all the big events, you’ll be missing out on critical pieces that will lead you to form your own opinion on the big picture.
4.You might not know everything
This relates to point number three. If politics aren’t that interesting you, or this election has left you without a horse in the race, you might just want to tune it all out. However, here and there a piece of news about the election sneaks into your consciousness, and you may be inclined to react to it or strike up a conversation with a co-worker. It seems like a relatively harmless action, right? Well, if you pick someone who has a serious interest in politics and political history, they might take the opportunity to display their vast knowledge of U.S. history, elections and politics in general. This may leave you speechless, but you will also likely learn something from this person. Perhaps this interaction won’t be enough to inspire you to brush up on your political knowledge, but you will now know who you can go to should you have a nagging question about anything election related.
5.Don’t assume anything
You may have made some educated guesses about the political stances of your co-workers. However, this can come back to haunt you. You may be more inclined to make a critical statement of the candidate you don’t support if you think a co-worker feels the same way. However, keep in mind that unless you have heard that co-worker directly pledge support for a certain candidate, you really don’t know how your co-worker will be voting. If you act on your assumption, you might get yourself into hot water without meaning to.
This election is a tricky topic because political affiliations tend to tell the world how you think the country should be run, what sort of social and economic policies you prefer, and give some insight into your personal values. These are often times deeply held beliefs, and when the people you work with disagree with you or judge you for how you feel, it can leave you feeling angry, isolated and alone. Use these five strategies to navigate this election season, and you’ll escape November without a visit to HR.