The art of conversation offers you a balm and some optimism for the months ahead. Authentic conversation will ready you with a genuine interest in our shared humanity to encounter others. You will be able to face the issues that divide us instead of adopting the pretense of togetherness. I don’t expect you will find agreement, but I hope that you will discern the insight and understanding necessary to begin building bridges between each other.
The following three resources may help you bridge the gulfs between us and recommit to our common good.
1 – My art of conversation guide here provides a conceptual framing for your practice of the art of conversation, including the personal fortitude, mental tools and emotional mindsets needed to step into conversational relationship with others, exhibiting curiosity, openness and empathy.
2 – Essential Partners has produced this step-by-step instruction manual for talking with others about politics, using an approach called Reflective Structured Dialogue.
3 – StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. Listening is an act of love and the tools to manifest that are here at StoryCorps’ website.
In the coming months, I intend to collaborate with others in bringing constructive civic dialog opportunities to our communities, in our homes, neighborhoods and workplaces. How are you cultivating civic and civil conversation?