I almost just left this entire page blank. That’s the easiest way to approach this topic. I am a pretty old fart, so I have lived through a variety of iterations of what passes for “politically correct” across multiple decades. They are as wildly different as hairstyles and clothing preferences over the same period of time. The ancient Romans summed it up best: De gustibus non est disputandum, “In matters of taste, there is no dispute.” Simply put, it is what it is. Live with it and adapt to it. Or pay the price.
One might be tempted here to digress into discussions about gender, ethnicity, physical appearance, and the like. I am not tempted. Of course I could regale you with tales of what used to pass as acceptable behavior in the workplace (and elsewhere). The simple fact is that it doesn’t matter. Things that might have been customary, tolerated, or otherwise okay are like runway fashions: one day they are in, the next day they are out. The rules change and you have to accept the changes comply.
It’s really not as arduous as it might seem. Rules change all the time. Tax laws change. Accounting principles change. HR procedures change. You wouldn’t think about contravening these changes using the defense that you prefer doing it the old way. Or at least you shouldn’t. Political correctness operates on the same principle. It doesn’t matter what worked yesterday. You need to be aware of what works today and act accordingly. Awareness and communication are the keys here. As a leader, you must be on top of what your employees are experiencing and provide a model that demonstrates an understanding of and sensitivity to that experience. Remember that in this case you don’t make the rules, but you had better know them and abide by them.
Period.
