Election day is almost here and whether you are a conservative or liberal or somewhere in between I am sure you have experienced the bombardment of campaign commercials, ads and political discussion. While some of the discussion and media coverage can be tame, much of it is high spirited debate if not just plain ol’ arguing.
Now, I have never been really engaged in all the political discussions. Mainly because one side of the family are liberals and the other conservatives. And while my husband and I are on the same page, my mother and father are on opposite sides, as are my in-laws…makes for interesting silent pauses in conversations, for sure.
As I have thought about the issues at hand and the various perspectives, one thing is apparent, political discussions trigger something in me. The reason is that they challenge my values, morals and perspectives. Political discussions force us to determine which side of the fence we are willing to commit to and defend with our debate and actions. And we are ultimately triggered to respond at some level.
So how does election affect business? Is so many ways, both internal to your business as well as external.
Internally
- Awareness of your personal values and standards are likely more present than in non election seasons
- You are likely operating with heightened sensitivity to be “politically correct” or politically sensitive
- There is an additional layer of tension due to the controversial climate
- Daily distractions of political discussions and campaigns have become, or are becoming, tolerations that ultimately affect your state of consciousness
Externally
- Clients and prospects are also being challenged as to their values and standards. They are likely, consciously or subconsciously, wanting to align more with those who have similar values and standards
- Clients and prospects are operating with the same sensitivity and tension that you are
- Prospects could be in a buying or decision making holding pattern until after the election or new year
And what are business owners to do with all this? Here are a few things that I am doing to manage the affects of the election on my business:
- Internally focusing on alignment of values both personally and professionally
- Embracing that everyone comes from and operates by their own perspective
- Providing space for supportive conversations of business values, standards and perspective for clients and prospects
- Eliminating words, tone and conversation that unnecessarily adds to the existing tension filled climate
- Adding more humor and light heartedness to my day
As a business coach, it is my job to provide an environment for business owners to be supported, be creative and expansive. The best way to do that is to help them eliminate those things that don’t serve them well including tension, anxiety, and frustration from external sources.
Coaching question: What can you do to eliminate the distraction and tension that affects your business?
