If I’m really honest with myself I feel pretty dismayed by the political debate in the country (USA) today. We have become so polarized and tribal, even in our local communities, that we can’t carry on a sincere conversation without people being offended and either shutting down or attacking those with differing opinions.

How unfortunate since I believe, and the research shows, that a diversity of opinions and even disagreement is not only healthy but essential to the vitality and success of organizations as well as our very democracy.

You probably agree with this statement. We need to express ourselves and we need to allow others to do the same. It needs to be okay to disagree. Underneath our disagreements are differences in perspective that contribute to a more complete understanding of the truth as well as our ability to find solutions to our shared problems.

The question is how we talk to each other. Do we do it in a way that further polarizes or in a way that brings enlightenment and understanding?

I was recently invited by CloutHub, an innovative group committed to restoring trust in social media, to discuss this topic. In this 30-minute webcast, I talk about ways to maintain strong relationships with others who think, feel, and believe differently than you and how not to turn a political or controversial conversation into a fight.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_nVXTtllaU

And, let me encourage you to take a look at cloutHub and consider subscribing to their channel.  I am incredibly impressed by their ethical approach to connecting people through new innovations in social media.

I also wanted to let you know that my recent course on this topic: “Become a Master at Resolving Conflict at Home or Work” is getting rave reviews and has been the featured, highest rated course in the category of leadership on the Udemy learning platform.