HBR IdeaCast

How Political Polarization Is Changing Work

Apr 12, 2022

Julia Minson, an associate professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Francesca Gino, a professor at Harvard Business School, tackle the rising trend of political discussions in the workplace. They discuss how political polarization affects team dynamics and personal relationships, especially in remote settings. The duo emphasizes the need for constructive dialogue and offers strategies to handle workplace conflicts. They also highlight the dangers of groupthink in leadership roles, advocating for diverse perspectives to drive innovation and understanding.

27:50

Creator website

Episode guests

Francesca Gino

Julia Minson

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Bridging Political Divides in the Workplace

9min

The Dangers of Groupthink in Leadership Hiring Practices

2min

Navigating Political Polarization in Business Interactions

4min

Navigating Workplace Conflicts

13min

Navigating Political Polarization in the Workplace

2min

Politics has traditionally been a taboo topic to discuss on the job. But as people get more vocal about their views -- on everything from from climate change to racial justice, elections to invasions -- it's increasingly hard to keep debate out of the workplace. And that can lead to conflicts between colleagues. Julia Minson of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School have studied how political polarization is affecting organizations and have advice on handling the challenges it presents. Together, they wrote the HBR article “Managing A Polarized Workforce: How to Foster Debate and Promote Trust.”

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.