Your Favorite Band Sucks

My friend Bob has a long standing policy of no politics allowed in his shop.   He has this policy because such discussions almost inevitably degrade into a scene of two one-way conversations occurring simultaneously, with each participant left feeling that the other is a close-minded idiot who simply can't be bothered with reason.  

I'm not sure I completely agree (Bob and I have had many good discussions, even though we are on polar opposites of the political wheel) but I do understand.    Numerous topics like politics, religion, music, and more tend to bring out the emotional side of our personalities, especially when we feel passionate about the topic.   There can be plenty of upsides to an honest and frank exchange of ideas, and such discussions can be very rewarding in the right context and appropriate place.    One place where such discussions are rarely, if ever, appropriate however, is the office.

Consider a manager or leader discussing his politics with his subordinates - those who don't agree with his political views will tend to be silent and avoid the potential confrontation that has no benefit for them.   Beyond the immediate discussion, such an occasion may have longer term ramifications which are detrimental to the team if such topics are frequently brought up.   

Another example might be the coworker who evangelizes his faith throughout the office during the workday.    If you happen to have the same belief system, you might not mind - if you have a different belief, on the other hand, you probably do.   Either way, you might be inclined to wonder why he is not doing his job.   This one is a two-fer - not only can it be a divisive topic, but it can also build resentment towards the individual who is preaching instead of doing his work.   (Full disclosure: if you want to know more about Jesus, ask me about it over lunch or after work).

A former coworker used to wear a shirt with "Your Favorite Band Sucks" emblazoned on the front.   I've always thought such was a great synopsis for discussions about divisive topics - while they might be fine outside the office, they do little to promote teamwork, trust, or inspire our coworkers to do great things.