"Five years ago, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong did a bold thing. He banned political conversations at work. He made this decision because he knows what the job of a business leader is: to deliver for customers, employees, and shareholders. More recently, another executive did the opposite. Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's fame left the company as part of a row with its parent company over social activism. For Greenfield, political stances are not just part of the company; they ultimately outweigh everything else."
""By recognizing how interpersonal trust, the foundation of teamwork, is primarily formed in our workplaces through acknowledgement, respect, and relating, as well as by modeling trustful behaviors, team leaders can manage political discourse," a 2023 study on political polarization found. They can also "acknowledge the good, and refocus on the mission, culture, and goals that united us in the first place, before polarization became so pronounced.""
Coinbase's CEO banned political conversations at work to keep focus on delivering for customers, employees, and shareholders. Jerry Greenfield left Ben & Jerry's amid a dispute over the company's social activism, prioritizing political stances over corporate unity. Rising polarization degrades public discourse and harms individual well-being. Workplaces can reduce polarization by fostering intergroup contact, shared goals, and trust, which improves cooperation and collaboration. A 2023 study finds team leaders can manage political discourse by modeling respectful behaviors, acknowledging positives, and refocusing on mission, culture, and goals. Businesses can and should help bring people together.
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