As the tension of Election Day mounts across the nation, there’s a good chance that some of that emotion may spill over into the work environment. This may be a good time to remind employees of basic office etiquette should disagreements arise.
“Conflict is a fact of life, and it’s going to happen, whether we are comfortable with it or not,” says Mike Staver
, author of the audio book and seminar How to Defuse Anger and Calm People Down. “Add politics or religion to the conversation and the heat and emotion only intensifies. The more personal the topic, the more emotional intensity is present.”
Unique, individual perspectives may cause disagreements to occur, believes business consultant Debora McLaughlin
, author of The Renegade Leader. “Values and past experiences drive our thoughts, feeling and actions. Today’s political field is a battleground deeply rooted in core values. Words such as trust, integrity and character have moved to the forefront of foreign policy, homeland security and taxes. When core values are violated, these emotions increase.”