Author: 44DNPadmin

Then the Trump years happened. And today, more than 50 long and exhausting months after our post, the words of Amanda Gorman, the United States’ first-ever youth poet laureate, illuminated a united path forward during President Biden’s inauguration ceremony. The power of the message and the moment was sublime. Gorman rhythmically recalled the chapter we’ve lived through, and more importantly, she called us to forge a union with purpose for the future – “to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.”

In her challenge to “lift our gazes, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us,” every leader, in every sector, should hear a calling. Not to be partisan, not to take sides, and not to hunker down and avoid conversation. But to truly see the people we lead. To open the door to conversation, even when it’s uncomfortable. To foster connection and listen to understand. To seek facts and truth.

For some leaders, these awkward and sometimes heated conversations come naturally, and they’ve been doing it since the start of the pandemic or longer. For others, talking about anything related to politics or diversity is anathema to the workplace, and they have no idea where to start. Some grew up professionally in the days when these topics were simply not deemed appropriate in any work-related setting, so they’ve learned to avoid them at all cost.

But the great lesson of a year dominated by the pandemic and racial reckoning is that business leaders do have a place in politics and diversity – not to advocate for one side or the other but to acknowledge and show compassion for the hardships and heartache of the people they lead. Hardships and heartaches that are often connected to politics and diversity.

In the spirit of unity, just as we did in 2016 but with a much deeper understanding of just how damaging division can be, we offer the following steps for leaders as they zoom into their next team interaction:

• Stay connected to your team. Make space for dialogue. Don’t shy away from topics like the riot at the U.S. Capitol or inauguration events. Let people know it’s safe to talk openly about what’s happening in the world and how it’s affecting their lives.
• Don’t try to persuade people to your point of view. Rather, seek to understand theirs. Be curious and open to new perspectives – and encourage others to do the same. Simply say “Can we talk about x? I’d love to understand where you’re at and what you need.”
• Focus on facts. While the line between fact and fiction has blurred beyond recognition, truth still matters. Seek to find it, not through emotional sparring, but through respectful debate, grounded in facts and respect.
• Be vulnerable. None of us is beyond blame for the current state of polarization in our world. Many of us have experienced an awakening during the past year that has laid bare our past failings. Don’t be afraid to share your learnings with your team. As Maya Angelou, a past poet laureate said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
• Connect the dots. As you listen to, learn from and support your team, help them see why these conversations matter for your business and how the positions your company takes support your purpose and values.

The Role of Companies

In the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, more than 113 million voters cast ballots, making it the largest voter turnout in a century. A record 44 percent of U.S. firms gave employees paid time off to vote, up from 37 percent in 2016. This trend is expected to continue in 2020.

According to Pew Research, three in five Americans want the voting process to be easier for U.S. citizens. Eighty-one percent of consumers prefer to buy from companies that support democracy. Employers have the credibility to promote informed voting in a nonpartisan way, motivating their employees to exercise their right to vote – and making it easy for them to participate in the democratic process.

“Nonpartisan” is the operative word here. While company leaders have an obligation to speak out on issues relevant to their business and corporate values, election preparation is focused not on partisan policy issues but on the very bedrock of democracy. Organizations of all sizes, across industries and sectors, can play a role in making sure that every citizen has the opportunity to cast an informed vote.

Benefits of Proactive Civic Engagement

A recent report in Harvard Business Review describes the sweet spot for organizations as “pro-democracy and pro-voter, without being partisan.” In other words, invest in information, tools and practices that help employees understand candidates and issues as well as how and where to vote.

The HBR report outlines civic engagement actions taken by eight companies including Gap, Spotify, Target and Blue Cross Blue Shield MN. These companies indicated that, in addition to increasing voter turnout, their campaigns raised brand awareness, strengthened relationships with employees and shareholders, elevated the company’s standing with elected officials, and generated positive feedback on social media.

Five Critical Actions

Employers have much to gain – and little to lose – by being proactive about getting out the vote in 2020. But for organizations who haven’t done this before, it can be overwhelming – questions about where to start and how far to go can paralyze busy executives with the best intentions. Here are five critical steps to help you manage employee engagement for the 2020 election: 

1. Assess your organization and determine if policy change is needed. Do you have an understanding of employee voting habits and the laws for the state(s) you operate in? Do you offer time off to vote for all employees? Can you make Election Day 2020 a “no-meeting day” to further remove barriers to voting? Do you want to change anything about your existing voting policies and practices to make it easier for people to vote?

2. Determine the scope of your effort. Will you provide basic information – how to register, key dates and reminders to vote – through a straightforward internal communications campaign? Will you personalize your campaign to your brand, with special touches like candidate forums (bipartisan), voter guides, voting captains across locations, or “I Voted” selfie stations or branded stickers? Will you extend your campaign to customers and other stakeholders? We recommend starting small and building over time – but even limited-scope efforts should be timely and in line with the energy of your brand.

3. Identify a partner or resource (e.g. local election officials, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, etc.) to ensure the information you share with employees is fact-based, accurate and current – and to learn what other companies are doing that you may want to mimic.

4. Determine whether or not to join a national movement, such as Time to Vote, Rock the Vote or Democracy Works. These national campaigns can be a source of information and inspiration – and lend credibility to your effort.

5. Focus on how to register and vote – not for whom to vote. While there may be moments when your company needs to take a stand on a partisan issue for business reasons and/or because it reinforces your corporate values, your get-out-the-vote efforts should remain purely non-partisan. Even the perception that you are telling employees who to vote for undermines your credibility and the sincerity of your efforts. And if you do take a stand on an issue, be sure you share your reasons with employees, like this example from Columbia Sportswear CEO Timothy Boyle.

According to the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer, released in January, trust has changed significantly in the past year. People are shifting their trust to the relationships within their control, referred to as “localized trust” — and represented mainly by employers. Trust in “my employer,” at 75 percent, outranks trust in any single institution. This is a global phenomenon, not just a U.S. finding.

Over time, trust has shifted away from societal institutions (government, religious organizations, etc.) toward social platforms (trusting what “friends” say) – and now away from social platforms toward employers.

A key factor of localized trust is the expectation for CEO engagement. More than three-quarters of respondents say they want CEOs to take the lead on change instead of waiting for government to impose it, and more than 70 percent of employees believe it’s critically important for their CEO “to respond to challenging times.”

And 73 percent believe a company can take actions that both increase profits and improve economic and social conditions in the community where it operates. Employees expect employers to actively join them in advocating for social issues. Companies that do are rewarded — with greater commitment, advocacy, and loyalty from employees.

The work companies are doing to build inclusive cultures is made even more essential by the rise of localized trust. If employees are looking to employers to create community — to provide a sense of belonging they are craving in a divided world — then efforts like addressing unconscious bias, adopting practices and policies that advance inclusion, strengthening cultural competency, and ensuring everyday artifacts and symbols are welcoming to all become the essential building blocks in creating community.

A 2009 Harvard Business Review article was ahead of its time with this reference: “Somehow, in our hectic, individualist world, the sense of community has been lost in too many companies and other organizations. In the United States in particular, many great enterprises, along with the country’s legendary sense of enterprise, have been collapsing as a consequence.”

The article goes on to explain how to build community in a company: start by creating an atmosphere that builds trust, then build a robust culture based on a clear purpose, and then put leadership at the center, highly engaged (not sitting at the top).

It sounds easy enough. But these are not easy times. Many CEOs aren’t equipped to engage on social issues or interested in becoming visible leaders of critical topics, let alone prepared to take the lead on challenges that government is struggling to solve. So, if your CEO is not Howard Schultz or Marc Benioff, how can you attract and keep talent that is looking to you as a trusted resource in an uncertain world?

We don’t have all the answers to this weighty question, but here are our top five recommendations for building community in 2019:

• Prioritize communication. Healthy relationships are based on healthy communication. On the formal side, build thoughtful CEO and senior executive engagement plans that prioritize face-to-face meetings with employees and ensure a consistent cadence of communication. Informally, manage by walking around. Get to know people. Lead from the center, as an engaged member of the team.
• Equip leaders at all levels. Don’t make the mistake of assuming mid-level managers and supervisors are building trust in the ways you expect. They are as local as it gets, so be sure you are providing them with the context and training necessary for them to engage and lead with purpose.
• Acknowledge what’s happening in the world. Gone are the days of avoiding tough conversations and only communicating about activity inside the organization. Employees know their companies know what’s happening – and they expect a conversation, a point of view, or at the very least an acknowledgement. Companies can do this in simple ways, like sharing authentic messages from leaders in times of national strife, conducting nonpartisan campaigns and providing paid time off to get out the vote during election seasons, or hosting panel discussions of employees tackling tough subjects like race and gender. The expectation for connection isn’t going away, so if you’re not already practicing this in your organization, now is a good time to start.
• Break down walls. Nearly every company, no matter how far along on the “welcoming and inclusive” scale, has silos — between operating companies, between business units, between departments, between teams, and so on. Create opportunities for employees to engage with one another beyond their roles — in community volunteer events or collaboration sessions designed to solve real business challenges. Convey an expectation to engage beyond the confines of the job description.
• Do things that build trust. Tell the truth. Be as transparent as possible. Hire people who tell the truth and hold them accountable. Do what you say you are going to do. Explain why you are doing it. Make it easy for employees to share their point of view – and listen to it.

Do these ideas resonate? How well does your organization create community? We’d love to hear your challenges and successes.