We live in interesting times. That is just a factual statement.
Right now, many people feel insecure, scared, and confused, while others feel just fine, perhaps elated and emboldened. That isn’t anything other than a factual statement as well.
In our leadership roles, we often talk about bringing our authentic selves to work, but does that include politics, one of the biggest taboo topics for work (along with religion)? And when we say work, is that just our offices? What about LinkedIn?
A few different LinkedIn posts in recent weeks have caught my attention, and I liked them. I did not think they were controversial but informative. What caused me to sit up in my chair were the comments from some of my 1st Connections that were, to say the least, combative, including commands not to post these types of things on LinkedIn.
My first instinct at that point was to put fingers to keyboard and respond, in all caps, “YOU KNOW WE CAN ALL SEE WHAT YOU JUST POSTED.”
But I refrained. But I did file those comments away.
I am not of the mindset that we cannot discuss politics (or religion) at work. It just needs to be done with a #3E mindset: Engage, Educate, Entertain. And I’ll add a fourth “E” for good measure: Empathy.
It is true that not being political is a privilege. It is also true that taking a position on current events may not necessarily be political but moral.
For me to be my authentic self, you need to know something about me, my family, and my experience. And I can do that without inflammatory rhetoric.
After sharing my thoughts, I can politely agree to disagree with you. Or perhaps I just give a “like” to your post to let you know that I hear you, I see you, and I value you and your opinion. A supportive comment to someone who has shared their vulnerabilities can go a long way. And, if it should move me, I might actually create a post to share my experience to engage, educate, and perhaps entertain you.
Through it all, I am acutely aware, and you should be as well, that anything I post publicly on any social media site can be seen by anyone. But when I post on LinkedIn, anything I post or comment on is immediately connected back to my firm and my professional role. I am, after all, wearing firm merch in my profile picture.
So post, comment, and like as you are so moved. But be mindful that anyone and everyone can see your posts. And perhaps keep that “E” for empathy close by as your final filter.