Social Media Just Got Meaner. Here's Why Your Team Needs the Opposite.

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Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

Your employee checks their social media before joining your morning meeting. They see messages questioning whether people like them deserve basic respect. Ten minutes later, you're expecting them to propose ideas for next quarter's strategy.

This isn’t hypothetical. Meta just announced they will now allow users to, for example, refer to “women as household objects or property” or “transgender or non-binary people as ‘it.’” Their updated policy permits "allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation," claiming it reflects political or religious discourse.

The challenge isn’t just distraction—it’s how external negativity seeps into your team’s ability to think, collaborate, and innovate. When people feel unsafe or dehumanized, their brain shifts into survival mode. Creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration take a back seat to self-protection.

How do you keep people focused on work when the world outside keeps getting harsher?

Some will say, "We need to toughen up." That safe spaces were always unrealistic. But that argument ignores something basic about how humans work.

Your brain can’t do its best thinking when it’s constantly on guard. It’s like trying to solve a complex puzzle while someone keeps poking you. At some point, you stop focusing on the puzzle and start worrying about the next poke.

When people feel under threat, they lose the ability to think creatively, solve problems, and work well with others.

Think about a championship sports team. They don’t run plays on chaotic, obstacle-filled fields. They practice in controlled spaces because focus and clarity are essential to playing on their level. Your team is no different. Great work happens when people feel secure and can channel their energy into solving problems—not dodging outside threats.

Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash

Here’s how to create that clear space day-to-day:

1. Name what’s happening.
   Acknowledge the reality without over explaining. For example:

“There’s a lot of negativity out there, and it affects us in different ways. It’s okay to feel impacted and it’s ok not to feel that way.

2. Set clear boundaries.
   Establish times and spaces for focused work. For instance:

“Let’s use our morning meetings as a reset space to focus on what we can control and create together.”

3. Reconnect to purpose.
   Tie the work to a larger mission. For example:

“The work we’re doing impacts real people—our clients, our communities. Let’s focus on the difference we’re making today.”

4. Stay steady yourself.
   Model resilience by practicing self-regulation. Take a moment before meetings to center yourself or share strategies for managing stress.

As the online world grows harsher, creating focused, supportive workspaces isn’t about being overly sensitive—it’s about being strategic. Leaders who understand this will help their teams thrive through tough times. Those who dismiss it will see their teams struggle more and more.

Tomorrow, (Jan 9th @ 11am EST), I’ll be hosting a webinar exploring strategies for creating clarity and resilience in your workplace in preparation for the upcoming political transition. Let’s get equipped with tools to keep ourselves and our teams steady—and successful—no matter what comes next.