Keeping Your Politics to Yourself

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=66&ncid=749&e=11&u=/bw/20040824/bs_bw/ca200408236584ca025

Keeping Your Politics to Yourself

Tue Aug 24, 8:15 AM ET


If you're like most corporate veterans, you can hold your own at the water cooler, whether the topic is sports, current events, or the hit HBO series of the moment. Unfortunately, though, in an election season in which passions are running hot, politics -- the national kind -- can overpower all other workplace conversations. And that can be hard on your office relationships, and perhaps hurt your career. <snip>

Such generalizations aren't reasonable, of course. But they can spread in a flash -- or not, if you resist the temptation to trumpet your political leanings. Should someone ask how you're voting, say: "I'm paying close attention to the campaign. Ask me after election day, and maybe I'll tell you then." Chances are, no one will believe that you're in the apparently tiny slice of the electorate that's still undecided. But how will they really know? <snip>

CLOSED LIPS. Here's how you might react were you better prepared. Your boss, an in-your-face Democrat, asks: "Don't you think it's absurd that we would go to war on false premises?" You say: "I'm more concerned that since we're there, we manage the situation the best we can, get the country on its feet, and get our troops home. But you know what? I'm trying really hard this year to keep my mind open and my mouth shut. Do you want to go over that vendor performance analysis?"


This isn't kow-towing, and it isn't insubordination, either. You're essentially asking your boss to view your political opinions as he or she would your religious beliefs (let's hope!) -- with respect and tolerance, including understanding for your desire to keep your feelings on the topic to yourself.


With a little forethought, you can be ready for nearly any political question -- and calmly count the days until November. At least after Election Day, you'll have to listen to only one set of rants -- from the losing side.



(the article had no advice, beyond having ready a "don't go there" rejoinder that you can use to back out of the topic, for those that had a GOP leaning boss)