Sailor Perspectives and Recommendations for Communication About Divisive Events and Inclusion within the Fleet

Abstract

Recent events, such as the death of George Floyd and the resulting Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, the post elections attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the COVID-19pandemic, have brought to light the challenges leaders in both private and public/governmental organizations face when communicating with employees about sensitive events. At both the national and global levels, these issues are often tied to deep and long-held societal divisions. The U.S. Navy has frequently taken a progressive stance in supporting diversity and inclusion, and the Navy’s recent steps to encourage inclusion and engage in necessary conversations are consistent with these actions. However, recent events and efforts to converse about these events have highlighted the challenges inherent in such communication. This study builds upon previous research focused on the tensions between participation and organizational control in online workplace communities (Aten & Salem, 2020). This research explored Sailors’ experiences of sensitive conversations on various topics and of necessary conversations directed by Navy leadership following the attacks on the U.S.Capitol. This current research describes Sailors’ perceptions of drivers and outcomes of sensitive conversations. It identifies four needed individual and organizational capacities to support successful conversations about sensitive subjects: metacognition, emotional regulation, cultural curiosity, and communication competence. Participants’ responses andrelated literature highlight two key conclusions. First, Sailors disagree on how the Navy should manage sensitive conversations: majority and minority groups’ perceptions differ on what topics require conversation, and fail to recognize that the inability to engage effectively in sensitive conversations is a military vulnerability. Second, Navy communication often demonstrates an inadequate capacity for managing these conversations: leaders lack self-awareness, emotional regulation is challenging, cultural curiosity is not developed, and the tensions generated by communication hierarchies limit communication effectiveness. These capability gaps constrain Sailors' positive perceptions of sensitive conversations which contribute to continued divisive conversations, reduced perceptions of inclusion, and increased risk from information warfare.