Mixing business with…. politics

It can be dangerous for employees to air their political views at work – or may seem so. Imagine espousing a radical left-wing viewpoint in front of your ultra-Conservative boss! Dare you? Of course you should be absolutely free to do so; your comptence is all that matters, is it not? Perhaps – but perhaps not too. Bosses (especially Tory-leaning ones in my experience) are as swayed by prejudice as anyone and some seem to regard liberalism as a sign of weakness of mental aberration, which may lead to unfortunate consequences for the well-meaning lefty employee. However, we should surely stick to our principles whatever the mindset of others. This can be difficult but princples are worth it. These may also guide how we do our work. Treating people with respect; ethical sales behaviour; concern for staff and community are all principled aspects which should not be compromised. So allow yourself to take some risks with your internal reputation and stick to your political princples and you will not onle be a better manager yourself but you will be able to sleep at night.