We Can’t Talk about That at Work! Second Edition: How to Talk about Race, Religion, Politics, and Other Polarizing Topics

By having carefully structured conversations about taboo topics, instead of avoiding them altogether, people can safely confront biases and stereotypes and create stronger and more inclusive organizations.

Politics, religion, race--we can’t talk about topics like these at work, right? But in fact, these conversations are happening all the time, either in real life or virtually. And if they aren’t handled effectively, they can become more polarizing and divisive, impacting productivity, engagement, retention, teamwork, and even employees’ sense of safety in the workplace.

This modern classic offers step-by-step guidance for conducting thoughtful, intentional conversations about taboo topics, so organizations can surface stereotypes and resolve conflicts in a way that brings people together instead of driving them apart.

In this second edition, Mary-Frances Winters and new coauthor Mareisha Reese add recent stories and examples, and address issues like pronouns and other topics that have arisen since the first edition came out in 2017. There is a new chapter recent models being used for dealing with sensitive issues, such as restorative dialogue. And there is now a discussion guide, making this an even more valuable tool for organizational training and book clubs.

Even with the best of intentions, you can’t just start talking about taboo topics--that’s wandering into a minefield. This book offers thoughtful guidance in conducting conversations that decrease potential conflict and increase compassion and understanding.

Mary-Frances Winters is the founder of the Winters Group Inc. She was named a top ten diversity trailblazer by Forbes and a diversity pioneer by Profiles in Diversity Journal, and she is the recipient of the prestigious ATHENA Award as well as the Winds of Change Award conferred by the Forum on Workplace Inclusion. Winters is also the author of Inclusive Conversations, Black Fatigue, and Racial Justice at Work.

Mareisha N. Reese is president and chief operating officer of The Winters Group and is a co-author with Mary-Frances of Racial Justice at Work.