Multiple Reasonable Positions
I was on a Zoom the other day when my new friend Meg described an all too familiar scenario – a cacophony of opinions: some diametrically in opposition, some fact-based, some laden with emotion, but all infused with conviction. Who and what to believe? Meg captured her frustration with the phrase “multiple reasonable positions.”
Those three words came zinging back to me this morning when I read about a fascinating study focusing on the acute problem of polarization in our society and the related, desperate need to improve civil discourse. Look no further than Facebook, if you dare. These days we just can’t seem to talk to people with differing political views. For many of us, this hits particularly close to home. (To my beloved brother Richard, I’m thinking of you.)
The study, called The Dialogue Project, was conceived and conducted by my former boss, dear friend and career mentor Bob Feldman. Although its findings and content are drawn from the corporate world, The Dialogue Project is revealing, relevant and compelling for all communities. It’s amazing to discover that despite uniform agreement that polarization is a major obstacle to making meaningful progress on a range of critical issues, very little is being done about it. Awareness of the scope of the problem is a start, and so, too is the sharing of what enlightened leaders and their organizations are doing about it.
I encourage you to spend some time on the website, www.dialogueproject.study
Here’s a shortcut to what the study suggests for fostering civil discourse:
- Commitment starts from the top: listen and be accountable
- Listen to understand, not to win
- Encourage and reward/acknowledge compromise
- Value diverse points-of-view and make space for new ideas
- Build and have empathy
- Rely on facts instead of emotion
- Ensure everyone feels heard
- Start at the root of the problem
There are indeed multiple reasonable positions on virtually every topic, but when it comes to civil discourse, there is but one – it’s imperative for a free and vibrant society.
Spread the word!
Jon