Turning Division into Strength: What Successful Leaders Do Differently
The world feels more divided than ever. Every news cycle brings another debate about who should be allowed to speak, who should be silenced, and where the line falls between free speech and harmful speech. While much of this plays out in politics and media, the ripple effects are felt in workplaces everywhere.
Employees don’t leave their perspectives, identities, or frustrations at the door. When society is divided, workplaces often mirror those same divides. For leaders, this creates a profound challenge: how to protect freedom of expression while maintaining cohesion, trust, inclusion and performance.
Why an Inclusive Culture Matters in Divisive Times
Research shows that teams with strong inclusion are more resilient and innovative, even in periods of external turbulence. A 2023 study in the Academy of Management Journal found that inclusive leadership practices helped teams maintain collaboration despite holding divergent political or cultural perspectives. In other words, inclusion doesn’t mean eliminating difference, it means creating the conditions where difference doesn’t derail performance.
Similarly, a 2019 article in Contexts highlighted how the societal debate between free expression and inclusion often mirrors organizational dynamics: employees want to feel both safe and heard. Leaders who lean too far in either direction (over-policing speech or ignoring harmful language) risk eroding trust and engagement.
Practical Guidance for Leaders
Resilient leadership isn’t just about enduring turbulence, it’s about leading with clarity and steadiness when others feel uncertain. The most effective leaders ground themselves in values, model inclusive behaviors, and create environments where people feel both safe and heard. The following practices translate the principles of resilient leadership into everyday actions:
- Anchor to Values: Make organizational values the common ground. Remind employees that while personal views may differ, shared values such as respect, dignity, and belonging are non-negotiable.
- Set Clear Norms: Employees need clarity on what respectful dialogue looks like. Free expression doesn’t mean free rein to demean or devalue colleagues.
- Model Inclusive Leadership: Research in Harvard Business Review emphasizes the power of “leader modeling” when leaders themselves demonstrate curiosity, respect, and openness, teams mirror that behavior.
- Foster Psychological Safety: Encourage people to share perspectives, but back it up with systems that protect them from retaliation or marginalization.
- Equip Managers: Middle managers often carry the heaviest load when divisive conversations enter the workplace. Providing them with tools to mediate, de-escalate, and re-anchor dialogue is critical. (check out our guide on ‘Keys to Unlock MIddle Manager Potential’)
What is Resilient Leadership?
Resilient leadership is the ability of a leader to maintain effectiveness and guide their team through high-pressure situations, unexpected changes, and setbacks, bouncing back from adversity and adapting strategies as needed. Key characteristics include emotional stability, adaptability, empathy, strategic vision, and confidence. Resilient leaders don’t just weather storms; they turn challenges into opportunities for growth, innovation, and a stronger organizational culture, fostering a sense of psychological safety and confidence in their team.
The Leadership Imperative
Polarization outside the workplace is unlikely to disappear any time soon. But inside organizations, leaders have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to chart a different path. By focusing on building an inclusive culture, not just as a moral principle but as a driver of performance and resilience, leaders can ensure their workplaces remain a source of cohesion and innovation rather than division.
The test of leadership today is not whether we can silence disagreement, but whether we can create environments where people can disagree and still belong, collaborate, and succeed together.
Want to learn more?
- Check out our #1 downloaded guide “4 Ways to Navigate Differences in Politically Charged Times”
- Ready to help your leaders turn challenges into opportunities? Get in touch to learn more about our leadership development programs [email protected]
References:
Gino, Francesca. The Business Case for Curiosity. Harvard Business Review, September-October 2018.
Cushman, T. (2019). Freedom of Expression versus Diversity and Inclusion: A Cultural Fault Line of the American Future. Contexts: Sociology for the Public, 18(3), Summer 2019.
Sharma, L., Agarwal, P., Joshi, B. P., Kumar, N., & Tiwari, S. (2023). A Study of Impact of Inclusive Leadership on Innovative Behaviors and Diversity at Workplace. Environment and Social Psychology, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.54517/esp.v9i1.1721
