Right now, voters are closely watching as the control of the House and Senate remains unknown. States continue to tabulate votes as several races remain too close to call. Those close-to-call races will determine whether Democrats keep the majority in the House and Senate or if Republicans will gain control of one or both chambers of the legislature. The balance of power may take days to determine, especially in the Senate. Georgia’s race heads for a runoff in early December in the Senate race.

The anxiety that comes with waiting on a definite answer can be overwhelming. If you’re heading into the office, it’s likely the main topic of conversation among you, and your co-workers or employees will be midterm results. Regardless of where you stand when it comes to politics, experts say it’s not a good idea to keep politics out of the office; besides, it’s nearly impossible to try. CNBC spoke with an expert who gave these guidelines when discussing politics in the office.

The first thing to do is avoid going into a conversation trying to win. Your co-worker may have a different viewpoint or be upset with the final results; either way, it’s not the time to try to convince them your views are correct compared to theirs. Instead, the goal for both parties should be to reach a greater understanding.

The second rule, listen empathetically. It is noticeable when you try to listen to respond. Whether you think you will agree or not, go into the conversation willing to listen to what the other person is saying. Learn to walk away from the conversation caring about the person, not judging them based on their vote.

Other things to remember, be prepared to be uncomfortable, be willing to learn, and learn to identify when a discussion will not be productive and end it.

Add comment