For most of history, an article about how company leaders should address a geopolitical human rights issue would be not just unnecessary, it would be perceived as absurd and presumptuous.
But it’s a new era, and externally, heightened expectations compel companies to engage in these discussions. Internally, most companies genuinely desire to safeguard the well-being of their workforce and confront issues that may impact them. Balancing these tasks reinforces why it is such a difficult moment to be in leadership.
With the abundance of human suffering, addressing this sensitive issue within the diverse corporate sphere requires wise and thoughtful internal communication. It’s essential to:
- Start with common ground
- Communicate compassion
- Avoid corporate stances
1. Start With Common Ground And Connect It To The Company’s Core Values
Conceptualize which foundational issues everyone can agree upon. While their strategies may differ, when you dig down, all major political parties agree about protecting the vulnerable and having compassion for humanity.
Hopefully your company has already penned strong core values and guiding principles, and they live by them. However, the true worth of these values becomes evident in times of crisis and suffering. Well-crafted values should reflect a human dimension, emphasizing concepts like dignity and compassion — universal principles that all embrace, and proactively address individuals who are struggling or in pain.
Some companies have penned principles such as: “We value human dignity,” “We stand with the suffering,” “We care about our community,” or “We respect people.”
Most contentious political events involve an element of suffering or injustice. Designating one side as the clear ‘good’ and the other as the ‘bad’ is often a complex matter, but your company’s values can consistently be applied when communicating with their employees about global events.
Create concise company statements that apply your values to the current issue: “As a company, we stand with the suffering.” “As a company, we uphold human dignity.” However, refrain from taking a specific side on the issue. Equip your managers with these statements to effectively communicate with their teams.
Additional resource: Rethinking The Value Of Core Values
2. Communicate Compassion
A key is teaching your managers that they don’t need to have all the answers; they simply need to exhibit compassion. Managers aren’t therapists or pastors, and it is unreasonable to expect them to be. Nevertheless, most discussions about current events occur at the team level, which presents an opportunity to equip managers with tools to foster respect and empathy. Instruct your managers to be slow to judge, slow to speak, and to prioritize compassion.
Referencing your company’s values again, reiterate your dedication to the physical and mental well-being of each employee at the local level. Remind them of wellness resources the company already provides, and give space and grace for employees to use PTO (and cover their projects) if they have been directly affected by the event.
Additional resource: Connect With Empathy, But Lead With Compassion
3. Avoid Corporate Stances
One of the best ways to care for your employees is to acknowledge their permission to maintain diverse perspectives. A company’s best way to support people’s voices is to let them have their own. So as a company, avoid the trap of making external political statements, which only divide rather than unite.
If the company takes a public stance, their employees are forced into two buckets: those who agree with the company, and those who don’t. This leads to disillusionment, alienation, and the erosion of morale within your talent pool.
The role of a leader is to bring people together. When faced with contentious issues, bringing people together is not achieved by making aggressive statements.
However, this doesn’t mean you must suppress political conversations. Give staff space for open dialogue on their own time, but encourage employees to stand by the same commitment to human dignity as the company values, meaning they must treat everyone with respect even if they vehemently disagree with their opinion. One company’s internal rule says “assume anyone you are talking to will be on the opposite end of the political conversation.”
Additional Resource: Political Silence Is Smart Business
Work is the New Public Square
Internally communicating with your employees about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can transform a divisive discussion into a unifying moment. It can reinforce your company’s values on a global scale, as well as the care you have for employees individually. It can cultivate culture and foster a climate of respectful dialogue.
I’ve said before that work is the new public square. Companies now stand as one of the most significant venues in society where individuals with differing viewpoints can converge while sharing a common purpose — the product they collectively work towards. We must safeguard these neutral gathering spaces, where unity and shared objectives enable us to recognize the humanity in our coworkers.
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