Being Impartial | Leila's House of Corrections

Have you observed lately that politics and religion are OK to discuss at the office? People seem to be expressing individual and sometimes controversial opinions. Well, it s not OK for you as a manager to join a fiery conversation. You have to remain neutral.

Come on managers, it s time to learn to be impartial.

Managers must remain impartial. They are judges, judges of employee tasks, behaviors, performance. Think about it. You make decisions on raises, promotions, vacation schedules, and project assignments. Once you learn of an employee s political opinions, it s very difficult to separate those opinions from the employee as a whole, especially if his political candidate or religion isn t yours.

Here s what to do when hot topics rise.

Tip 1: Avoid the discussions altogether.

For most of you, this is an obvious and easy step. Don t join in. Yes, it s tempting. Yes, your opinions are just as valuable and interesting as those of your team. But remember, the expectations of a manager differ from those of her staff. When you join the conversation, you make your job harder. So steer clear of debates, even if that means politely excusing yourself and walking away.

Tip 2: Be cautious of body language.

How does your body respond when an employee expresses a belief that goes against your convictions? Begin to track what your face is saying when your mouth is shut. Are you frowning, clenching your teeth, or sighing? These physical cues tell people what your opinion is even though you haven t said a word.

Tip 3: Redirect.

Sometimes you will be in a meeting or conversation in which the focus switches from business to current events. As a manager, you need redirect the talk back to office. Do this is a subtle way such as saying, Let s get back to the agenda or OK, time for Karen to report out. Avoid drawing more attention to the contentious discussion by saying something like, OK, enough of that or No more political talk.

Sometimes it s tough to be reminded that you re not one of the gang. Managers need to behave differently. Being impartial is one of the skills great managers master. Being neutral eliminates distractions that add nothing to your strengths and those of your team. Instead of aiming to change someone s vote or faith, you want your opinions to be able to influence the business.