Moving Away From the “Us” vs. “Them” Mentality

We're All in This Together

One of my personal challenges, especially in recent weeks (and years), has been exploring how to advocate for things I find important, without creating more division and separation. Learning how to effectively navigate situations that may be different than our vision of the way things should be, without a sense of self-righteousness, is a tricky yet essential aspect of being a good leader.

In groups, teams, and organizations of all types and sizes, it’s common to see divisiveness. It’s important to speak up about this, now more than ever. In today’s episode, we delve into ways we can navigate this so that we create more connection, curiosity and positive change.

Key Takeaways:

[8:42] When we apply the sports mentality of radically cheering for our team no matter what, and apply it into politics, it often leads to an irrational “us vs. them” spirit that blocks us from making real change.

[12:27] The working title for my next book is “We are In This Together.” In it, I plan to share the conditions for high performance and success for teams and organizations where people can do their best work while feeling safe and included. We will dive into racial inclusion in the diversity of thought, and ways to realize we are all trying to do the best we can, and being a human can be scary for everyone.

[14:01] Politicians have used the tactic of creating fear and hate by rallying people together and splitting them up into “good and bad”, or “us and them.” It’s time we changed that within our own community and how we interact with others on a daily basis.

[17:08] Showing up with vulnerability is more powerful than showing up with self-righteousness. The first core principle in Bring Your Whole Self to Work is authenticity.

[17:50] When we act self-righteous, it creates separation, and stirs up an energy of defensiveness.

[20:03] There are other ways to see an issue and we are all limited and biased on some level of our worldview and pre-existing biases.

[24:19] Be aware of self-righteousness, and observe when it pops up around you. Spend time with people who have challenging viewpoints and worldviews other than your own. Curiosity is a great way to move through self-righteousness.

[26:23] Take ownership of your mistakes, and have empathy for the impact they have on others. Apologizing is not a sign of weakness.

Resources:

Purchase Bring Your Whole Self to Work and gain access to bonus material.

Mike Robbins Website

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