Your Job and Your Politics: Keep Them Separate

Your Job and Your Politics: Keep Them Separate

Presidential election season is already upon us with recent announcements by Ted Cruz,

Hillary Clinton and Rand Paul.  There are still 19 months to Election Day,

and these three are already seeking our support 

for their runs to the White House in January 2017.

And if you're like me, you've got an opinion on all of them 

(and the gaggle of Republicans sure to follow them into the mosh pit).  

You probably also love or hate the current guy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  

And if you're even a little bit like me, you may also have a big mouth.

So here's the question:  Should your professional career and your political opinions mix?

No.  In case you missed that, here it is again:  HELL. NO.

Much like your employer is prohibited (legally and by the laws of common-sense)

from unduly influencing you or pressuring you to vote for (or support) a particular candidate

or party, it's also smart business for you to keep your political ranting, raging, opinions

and campaigning limited to your friends and family, and under wraps when at work.

That means you should leave your "Change '08" earrings at home

- and cover up your Ronald Reagan tattoo when you head to the office.    

And when you post your anti-Keystone blog from your couch,

maybe limit your audience to your spouse and your mother

- and you may want to take down that "Don't Tread On Me" flag in your office, too.

While I don't know if anyone from the ACLU or the Tea Party Patriots is among my LinkedIn followers, I can already hear the noise about individual rights, liberty and free speech.  

But I'm not writing this from the perspective of your rights or your liberty

(and what you're allowed to do under the law).  

I'm writing this because it's your job we're talking about.  Your career.  Your livelihood.  

Your paycheck.  Your family's meal ticket.  

I'm writing this from the perspective of common sense.

Sharing your Obama rants with co-workers and clients - is a flat-out horrible decision.  

Cajoling your fellow-empoyees to vote for "your" Candidate is a terrible idea.   T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E.  

And wearing your "I LOVE RICK SANTORUM" t-shirt on casual Friday is just bad, bad taste.  

And all of it is solidly in the danger zone on the career-damage-o-meter.

Yes, California, Colorado, New York, North Dakota and Washington, DC all have laws in place

that make it tough for your employer to discriminate against you professionally

because of your political activity or beliefs at (or away from) work

(unless your rantings are disrupting business).

But the legality of you being politically active at work is not my point.  

What we're talking about here is:  Is it SMART to do it?  (please see above for that answer)

Being a big-mouth about politics (candidates and elections) at work can be a silent killer.  

It will quietly (or loudly) frame opinions about you among co-workers, executives and subordinates. It will limit your opportunities.  It will label you.  It will cost you.  

I realize many may not agree with that.  And even more people might not like it, but it's true:  

When it comes to your personal life and opinions at work, less is more.

So, whether you're in the far left wing of the Liberal Movement

- or if you're in the right's Conservative Camp (or somewhere between the two),

leave it at home.  

 All of it.

And remember, the Inter-web makes an opinion exponentially bigger than it actually is.  

Which means we must know our entire audience before we post politics or pictures,

and before we open up with political rhetoric at work

(this is also smart behavior that will be a big benefit in future job hunting as well).

In short, the company water cooler is a great place for catching up on last night's sports,

the Kardashians (I'm sorry. Really.), and talking about actual local/national/global/intergalactic news. Or (novel idea) - even work.

But it's definitely no place for your political opinions.  It's just not worth it.

Bruce Martin is the President of Broad & Pattison, Inc., the leading management 
recruiting firm servicing the U.S. automotive industry.

He is also the President of Drive 180, LLC, an online job site launched in 2013,

and exclusively servicing OEMs, suppliers, vendors, agencies

and dealer groups in the U.S. auto industry. He is based in Chicago, IL. Follow Bruce on Twitter. 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-job-politics-bruce-martin

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