As the US presidential election approaches, the political tensions facing the country are at an all-time high. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to prevent political discussions from spilling over into the workplace, and physical security teams are no exception.
“When employees have different political views, the conversation can quickly turn into an argument or argument,” says John, director of health security for a large health system in Houston, Texas, and director of International Health Security and Safety. said Eric Sean Clay, president of the association. . This conflict can wreak havoc on your security program.
How political polarization impacts security teams
“Political conflict can completely undermine the effectiveness of physical security teams by undermining unity, respect, corps spirit, teamwork, and camaraderie,” says Global Insights in Professional, Washington, D.C. said Michael Gips, principal at Security. This is especially problematic in security, an area where trust is crucial, says an advisor at the Network Infection Research Institute, where he studies how online chambers foster extremism. He added that there is.
Additionally, political polarization on security teams can lead to low morale, internal discord, compromised decision-making and possible security breaches, said Dr. Alan Saquera said. Located in Prescott, Arizona. “When team cohesion decreases, team retention can become difficult and the team’s professionalism and trustworthiness can be negatively perceived by external parties.”
Left unmanaged, political conflicts can lead to “cost overruns and poor choices regarding the type of technology being adopted and used,” says CPP, Global Security Advisor for MSMEs. said Charles “Chuck” Andrews, Chairman of the Board of Friends of Friends. Chuck (FOC) is a professional security network group. “A bad decision can even destroy the continuity of that technology, ultimately exposing you to more risk in both assets and people.”
Strategies for dealing with the political sector
Given that collaboration and trust are essential to effective security programs, it is important for security leaders to manage political polarization and foster collaboration within their teams. Here’s what four experts recommend:
Specification of standards
“Our role as security leaders is to create a safe environment free of hostility, discrimination, and bullying, and this includes our security team members,” Clay said. “It’s difficult, if not impossible, to avoid discussing politics within your team, but as a leader, it’s important to ensure that conversations involve protected classes such as race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and age.” You can set ground rules to ensure that employees are not discriminated against, religion, family status, or anything else that an employee might interpret as discrimination. ”
understand your culture
It’s your responsibility as a security leader to regularly assess your team’s climate and culture to stay on top of issues. “If political polarization is happening, you better be aware of it. Otherwise, by the time you deal with the symptoms, it’s too late,” Andrews said.
Know what your organization represents
In security, everything starts with risk analysis and assessment, which must also include consideration of the organization’s political stance. “You need to be aware of what the company and management team represent, where they operate and what their staff believes,” says Gipps. “Not everyone on the team will agree with the politics or social issues of the company or its founders, so you need to respect their opinions.”
Make everyone feel valued
Andrews found that bringing the team together in an informal atmosphere, where everyone had a chance to speak and contribute, was invaluable in combating political divisions. “It has to be a roundtable atmosphere where everyone’s contribution counts. Depending on age, experience and ability, each person can bring something different,” he says. “We’re better together than apart, so everyone’s voice is heard.”
Modeling expected behavior
Lead by example, says Clay. That means avoiding political conversations at work, even if you share the same views as your team members. It also means treating everyone with respect, whether you agree with their opinions or not.
build trust
“Without trust, you have nothing,” Gipps says. “These people depend on each other in matters of life and death and must be able to communicate, so we cannot afford to weaken, ignore, disconnect or circumvent that chain.” Give team members the opportunity to privately and clearly express their concerns and beliefs. Ultimately, he says, trust is built through empathy, acknowledging and respecting the other person’s perspective.
Facilitate team building activities
Andrews said taking team members out for food and fun can resolve many political differences and create respect. In my previous job, I would take employees to arcades, movie theaters, and restaurants to encourage connections.
hold employees accountable
“Leaders should not be afraid to call out employees who make insensitive or inappropriate comments in the workplace,” Clay says. This notifies employees that these comments are not allowed. “Also, hold all team members to the same standards, regardless of which side of their political or emotional beliefs they hold,” he says.
focus on similarities
We have to accept that everyone has the right to make their own choices, but we also need to find the common ground that Andrews says. “We are all human beings, we all work in the field of security, and we all have an obligation to be bound by ethics and company policies to perform our duties to protect people, buildings, and property. That is the common denominator If we find that, we can all succeed. We may not like each other, but we can all accept what we have in common and move forward.”
find the gray area
Be prepared to listen to diverse perspectives and wring your political beliefs out if necessary, Gips advises. Most people live in shades of gray and have similar core beliefs, such as equality and freedom, regardless of which side of the political aisle they are on. “Find common ground, encourage conversation, and model the respectful and empathetic behavior that the other person desires,” Gipps says.
Emphasize the importance of the team
Clay points out that it’s important to emphasize to your team how important their work is to the organization. Tell them that these heated political debates can “produce intense emotional reactions from people on both ends of the political spectrum,” which can undermine the team’s effectiveness.
Perform regular maintenance
Andrews points out that you can accomplish great things with your team, but failure is inevitable if you don’t recognize that regular maintenance is required to keep it in good condition. Masu. In this case, maintenance means meeting regularly with members of your team. “You’re responsible for the development and recognition of your employees, so make sure they feel like they got the job done,” he says.
Get ready
“Addressing political polarization in security teams requires proactive leadership and strategic action,” Saquera says. His strategies for achieving this include:
- Develop a crisis response plan
- Establish clear expectations
- foster inclusivity
- Provide conflict resolution training
- Encourage active listening
- Establish a code of conduct
- Model inclusive leadership
- create a neutral space
- Implementation of diversity initiatives
- Provide professional development
- Provide interaction resources
- celebrate success
- seek outside guidance
- Continuously monitor
- encourage instruction
- deal with microaggressions
- Create a team charter
- Establish a feedback channel
“Combined, these strategies contribute to a more comprehensive, cooperative and effective security environment,” Saquera said.
