Employees are demanding that managers engage on topics like climate change and racial equity — and leaders need to be ready to respond. The above is the headline of the above-titled article that appeared in the Sloan Management Review in January 2022
Here are some snippets from the article:
"Increasingly, employees are starting challenging conversations with management: “So, what’s our policy on Black Lives Matter, gender equity, and climate change? Or human rights in our supply chain?”Some leaders have responded by saying that their organization is apolitical; handing off some hard-to-avoid issues to a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program; or keeping to business as usual. But this course is being challenged — and with it the leadership agenda."
"Don’t claim that the organization is apolitical. Those claiming to be apolitical may hope that such statements read as a neutral stance, but in reality, inaction is as much of a position as action. Leaders need to accept that attempting to convey neutrality is no less risky than taking a stand. It often reflects a leader’s lack of confidence in their ability to manage conflict — or their discomfort with wading into discussions in which they have no expertise."
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