We are living in two realities. At the beginning of 2021, fear, resentment, and entitlement culminated in an insurrection on our nation's Capitol. Rioters marched with Confederate flags, carrying weapons and wearing anti-Semitic shirts. And yet, we have now welcomed Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian American woman, into the White House to take her place as vice president—days after honoring the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Much like America, 2021 is filled with contrasts. Many of us are wondering, where do we go from here?

While organizations can’t control how employees feel or what they choose to believe, they can influence behavior by ensuring their policies and practices promote equity, transparency, and accountability. As leaders, we must find ways to invite all people into conversation, but at the same time, understand that tolerance does not permit hate. 

Karl Popper, an Austrian philosopher, explains in The Open Society, "if we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are tolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them."

To be sure, the line between tolerance and intolerance is thin and many of our deepest conflicts occur because we cannot agree on what is intolerable. It is because of this very paradox that organizations and their leaders are forced to grapple with the complex nature of human behavior. 

Tolerance is passive by nature and fraught with contradictions. Acceptance and love, on the other hand, demand action. They provide a counter to fear, resentment, and entitlement. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Can advocating for changes in policy be an act of love? We think so. Whether in government—or workplaces—systems can change behavior, and behavior can change hearts and minds. Let’s take a moment to celebrate the history we have made this week. Then, let’s get to work together.

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