Liz Fedor’s article “Are CEOs Walking Away from Civic Leadership?” in the February/March issue of TCB is a timely piece, and I have to say I’m not surprised to see it.

While the article raises important points about the hesitancy of CEOs to engage in civic life, I know this caution extends beyond just CEOs. Many Minnesotans in the business community, regardless of their place on the org chart, are becoming increasingly reluctant to take part due to politically adjacent undertones in all kinds of civic spaces and efforts.

Situations like these are precisely why organizations like Majority in the Middle are working to address pain points that keep people from coming together. Here are things that businesses, nonprofits, and local governments can consider to improve their relationships with each other:

Nonprofits benefit from being nonpartisan

Sometimes it feels like Minnesota is the nonprofit capital of the world, and that’s really only been historically possible because of the headquarters economy and the charitable work of business leaders. But the polarization of advocacy efforts, including othering and vilification of different points of view, is partly to blame for the exodus of talent from civic efforts.

Nonprofits might not have started these trends, but they absolutely can push back against them, and they should. As my high school economics teacher used to say, “Not-for-profit is a tax status, not a business plan.” These organizations actually have a business imperative to moderate their activities and affiliations to truly represent their own status as nonpartisan organizations.

Pushing back against polarization and being welcoming to involvement—from donors, supporters, and funders—from across the political spectrum is their responsibility.

Businesses should support nonpartisan local officeholders

When community members with business experience opt out of running for office and being public servants, they leave a void where their voices could be heard. Every local elected office in Minnesota (county, city council, school board, and township boards) is legally nonpartisan—even if candidates choose to pursue a party endorsement. Organizations like Majority in the Middle encourage local elected officials to uphold that nonpartisan status and remind voters to help reinforce those efforts. But the best way to get behavior you want to see is to model it and reward it.

The business community has room to improve in supporting people who are interested in running for office and being public servants. People elected to nonpartisan part-time roles often struggle to get hired in the private sector because businesses are wary of their perceived “political” affiliation.

Changing that attitude would be beneficial. After all, advocacy organizations have been very successful in getting their supporters elected to office and using that affiliation and shared values to make change. The business community could learn from this strategy. Perhaps we’d have less vilification of business if we had more public servants who understand how important business is to the health of the community, and work to enhance those connections.

Equip your employees

In the last few years Majority in the Middle has collaborated with several companies and organizations, providing training to managers experiencing political disagreements among employees, helping them navigate these challenges constructively. Through our TEDx talk, “Why we’re divided and what you can do about it” we offer valuable insights into the roots of division and offer practical solutions for addressing it in various settings, including workplaces, schools, and civic organizations—without focusing on politics. When co-workers are equipped to build connections, those relationships can supersede political disagreements.

The concerns raised in the article are valid, and it is crucial to recognize that the issue of civic disengagement is widespread. There’s more than plenty of work to go around to create a more civil civic space. CEOs and the entire employer community have a lot of options to lead or follow. But they do need to get in the game.