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Heated Political Talk Won't End Today. How to Survive After the Results Are In. It starts with setting boundaries.

By Gael O'Brien

This story appears in the September 2016 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

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This article originally published Sept. 22, 2016.

Q: Election season has polarized my company. Several employees argue over politics, and work relationships are getting strained. How do I keep things civil?

A: You don't have to become a dictator to fix your office's cold political climate, but you will need to be a strong leader. And you're right to be concerned: Political commentary is often bad in the workplace, and colleagues who don't respect others' beliefs can create a hostile work environment for everyone. So it falls to you to define boundaries and help your employees get back to a place of tolerance and respect for each other -- no matter whom they're voting for.