How to Work With and Lead People Not Like You

CHAPTER 1“I Used to Just Be Able to Do My Job—Now I Have to Be Politically Correct”

You've probably heard the line that goes something like, “Work is hard—if it were easy, it wouldn't be called “work!” How true. I don't know anyone who doesn't work hard, who doesn't feel pressure at work, who feels 100 percent secure in their job at all times. Work can be a stressful place these days. Between layoffs, downsizing, “right‐sizing,” corporate acquisitions and consolidations, wage or salary restrictions, budget tightening and trying to achieve company goals, everyone is doing their best just to get through each week. As an employee or leader, you work hard, do your job and you learn to adapt to change.

But these days, it's not just management or policy or budget changes you have to adapt to. You look around your workplace and your coworkers look increasingly different. Different from you. More diverse. You're expected to work with people who aren't like you. Or you're expected to lead people who are not like you. (If you're responsible for leading a diverse group of people at work, this book will help you with concrete, tested steps and solutions that will provide direction for effectively building trust, resolving conflict and creating a productive team. Part II of this book is specifically for people like you and you can skip straight to Part II to learn how to lead diverse teams.)

Maybe your coworkers are of a different race or ethnicity. Perhaps they hold different religious views. ...