Our friends at Essential Partners have put out an excellent guide, one that has helped inform some of the questions we are asking in our Beverly Living Room Conversations series on “How do we deal with our political differences.” You can access and download it here.
A couple of tips as we enter this fraught political season. First, know you’re not alone! Most people have some anxiety and worry when it comes to engaging with someone across the political spectrum. Evolution has wired us to fear “the other.” The good news is, following some guidelines, like the ones we use, can help address fear and allow us to be more open. Second, it takes practice and you should start small. If you feel things getting too heated, ask to take a break or ask if you can return to this discussion another time. Third, try to focus on understanding and connecting with the person and put aside the urge to attack or argue about the position they hold. That’s why we ask questions that invite people to talk about their own experiences, rather than focusing on what they think the other is like. At the end of the day, we all want to feel heard and seen—if you can help the other person feel listened to, then consider it a win! There are many great resources to help you along your path. I’d encourage you to check out some through Essential Partners and Living Room Conversations, and reach out to us if you’d like help bringing dialogue to your community and/or if you’d like to discuss facilitation training.
