Elections are often hard on many of us. According to a recent survey, over one-third of American adults say the 2024 presidential election is causing them to feel anxious or depressed. I've run into many colleagues who say at the very least they get distracted by election campaigns (or the media coverage of them).
On top of this, a World Economic Forum survey ranked misinformation and disinformation from AI as the top global risk over the next two years, ranking higher than both climate change and war.
With contentious (and sometimes even fake news) stories dominating our feeds and stress levels at a high, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by negative emotions. However, if you take the time to find value in it, entrepreneurs have a lot to learn from this election season.
Related: What Small Business Owners Care About This Election
Look for how people's true opinions change over time
The truth is important in all areas of life, especially in building a successful business. Entrepreneurs should take this election as an opportunity to observe how people's opinions change over time and uncover their underlying motivations.
Instead of getting lost in the turmoil of the election season, use it as a reminder to seek the truth and an opportunity to broaden your understanding of human behavior.
For the majority of this election cycle, Democrats were resigned to the inevitability of having Joe Biden as their party's nominee. While many Democrats were privately stewing over their dissatisfaction with Biden, it wasn't until his poor performance at the presidential debate that some democratic leaders found the courage to speak out about how they really felt.
In this case, it took a critical moment for people to finally express how they were actually feeling. As an entrepreneur, it is important to keep it from getting that far, and to consistently keep a pulse on how your business is performing. An example could be a significant drop in sales or losing a major client before management realizes there are serious issues with product quality or customer service.
The key is often to know what your team, customers and competitors really think, and sometimes it's just as simple as creating an environment where people feel genuinely comfortable voicing their opinions. Asking questions, through one-on-one meetings or employee surveys, keeping an open mind, and showing sincere interest in their responses can go a long way in understanding how people feel and where they are coming from.