Employees Need Your Attention and Care About the Israel-Palestine Pain

Sylvia Baffour

Leaders know tough conversations are a part of their responsibility and work. Most may not know however that the Israel and Palestine conflict is deeply meaningful to some employees and something about which they would like leaders to respectfully, honorably converse.

“There are several reasons why leaders ought to be more aware of their own emotions and those of the people they’re leading when it comes to this conflict,” says one expert.

They mention four points in particular to strongly consider.

“Promoting psychological safety,” is a smart investment of time and effort, says Sylvia Baffour, an EI (emotional intelligence) motivational speaker, executive coach and the author of “I Dare You to Care.”

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is politically and emotionally charged and leaders need to care about creating a psychologically safe space where their employees feel comfortable expressing their views without fear of retribution or ostracization,” she says. “They ought to regularly reassure employees that all perspectives are valued and protected.”

Making sure the organization exhibits a credible form of compassion is on the figurative checklist as well.

“Enhancing empathy and understanding,” is vital, says Baffour, who has presented at Capital One, The World Bank, Wells Fargo, The US Department of Defense, Whirlpool, Nationwide and SAP. “When leaders are attuned to their own emotions and those of their employees, they’re better able to show the kind of empathy and understanding needed to effectively navigate the conflict’s discussions.

“And this ultimately supports a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture. One way they can achieve this is by encouraging storytelling sessions where employees share personal experiences with each other.”

A third reason is “preventing escalation of tensions.” This is invaluable risk management expertise because, “inevitably, the Israel-Palestine conflict is deeply emotional and intertwined with personal identities and beliefs,” Baffour points out.

That’s of course problematic and dangerous.

“In the workplace, this can lead to heightened tensions if not handled sensitively,” Baffour says. Yet, to the contrary, “Leaders who are aware of the emotional undercurrents, understand the heightened tensions that might exist and this awareness helps them preemptively address potential issues and handle them with care and compassion.”

“Leading by example” is always important in leadership and on this matter, it’s the same.

“Leaders who are aware of their own emotions set the tone for their employees,” Baffour says. “They actively listen and model how to engage in constructive, respectful conversations about sensitive topics. They set the example in demonstrating how to balance personal emotions with professional decorum.”

A lot more than a little could be at stake with a team as a collective, with individuals and how leaders and the organizations are experienced and judged.

Baffour explains by addressing four points in particular, the first being the danger of competing, intense viewpoints.

“Discussions about such a contentious topic could increase the risk of opinions becoming more polarized,” she says, therefore, “Leaders who aren’t skillful in leading these conversations might inadvertently cause their employees to retreat into echo chambers as they regard those with opposing views more negatively.

Emotionally-pained responses predictably becomes likely.

“These conversations can trigger strong emotional responses. Employees might take differing opinions personally and this could lead to interpersonal conflicts, resentment or a breakdown in professional relationships,” Baffour warns.

An overstepping of professional boundaries is not out of the question.

“The mere act of creating space for their team members to have discussions around this conflict means their employees will share personal opinions. This can inadvertently lead to the overstepping of professional boundaries and ultimately creating discomfort, harassment claims or a feeling of an unsafe work environment,” Baffour says.

Communication breakdown is an additional reality.

“During intense discussions, there’s a risk of statements being misconstrued, resulting in misunderstandings,” Baffour offers as a reminder, adding that, “Such breakdowns in communication can lead to negative perceptions among team members.”

A straight-forward, brief-list approach to helping employees be treated as people first if they are struggling emotionally and with their usual best focus and work is possible.

“Practice active listening and show genuine interest and understanding towards their concerns,” Baffour recommends. “Promote self-care breaks to help them take care of their mental health above all else. Provide them with access to professional support services, such as counseling or employee assistance programs.

“Create a work culture where seeking help is encouraged and supported. Implement regular one-on-one check-ins to monitor employee well-being, allowing for a safe space to discuss any challenges they're facing.”