When Tempers Flare
Eons ago, when I spent two years chopping vegetables and searing meat in the White House kitchen, I discovered I toiled side-by-side a group of politically opinionated cooks. I had known of the executive chef’s political views long before I joined the staff. However, politics tends not to be a typical hot button issue for most kitchen staff, who generally are more concerned with tea infusions than tea party politics.
On at least one occasion, a topic arose that caused tempers to flare. I have no memory as to what the issues were. I worked in the Clinton White House when universal health care was widely debated, Louis Farrakhan marched on Washington, D.C., and a temporary shutdown befell the federal government. Whether it was one of those topics or something else, I’m not sure. But I clearly recall our kitchen conversation boiled over. When it did, the executive chef stepped in and banned further discussion of the subject for one week.
Employers may face a similar challenge as we enter this year’s presidential campaign home stretch. The race is close. People feel strongly about their options. It’s not hard to imagine tempers flaring over the next several days. It's critically important for those who are starting work to carefully navigate these potentially treacherous waters.
If you find yourself in a water cooler conversation that is about to turn ugly, be prepared to take action to turn down the heat with or without your supervisor’s assistance. You might consider saying, “Clearly we disagree on the desired end result, but surely we can agree that they’re both honorable candidates who want the very best for our country.” This communicates that while you may disagree politically you respect and wish to preserve your personal and professional relationship.
comments powered by Disqus
