The coronavirus
pandemic and the
resulting economic recession makes this a uniquely challenging time in our
country’s history. Unfortunately, while we face these great challenges, our
country seems to be as polarized as ever — not just politically, but also
culturally, socio-economically and around issues such as public health, the
economy and the fate of our planet.
In our new book, How to Talk to the
Other Side – Finding Common Ground in a Time of Coronavirus, Recession, and
Climate Change, my co-author, Natalie Hoffman, and I sought out the keys to
more constructive dialogue between opposing sides — through research, focus
groups and hundreds of interviews with individuals across the politic,
socioeconomic and cultural spectrums.
Our work revealed numerous ways to build bridges and win-win strategies between:
In her interview for this book, KoAnn Skrzyniarz, founder and CEO of
Sustainable Brands™, said it well:
“We need to move beyond this divisiveness and our own bubbles, because the
stakes are too high. We will all sink or swim together.”
This is both true in how we handle our response to the current pandemic and in
how we respond to so many of the issues that continue to divide us while
threatening our well-being and our very existence.
Skrzyniarz has a unique perspective, as she and her colleagues at Sustainable
Brands have been setting up conferences across the globe with people from across
the political spectrum — with the goal of finding common ground to create a more
sustainable world. When I interviewed Skrzyniarz, she reiterated that if you are
going to have people with opposing political views on the same stage, you have
to set it up fairly so that both sides will be able to participate without
feeling attacked. Her advice (and this applies to conversations on the stage, in
social media, or in the grocery store line):
1. Set the rules of the game/conversation and live by them
2. Acknowledge the other person’s reality. Everyone has a right to their point of view
3. Be respectful
4. Celebrate progress wherever it is found
5. Talk about shared ambition and things you have in common
6. If you want them to be open, you need to demonstrate being open-minded first
7. Instead of “either/or” thinking, focus on the power of "both/and”
A common thread in Skrzyniarz’s interview, and throughout the book, is that it’s
both possible and important to disagree without being disrespectful. Dismissing
somebody because of who they voted for is not productive; and while it may be
tough to allow them space to express their viewpoint, at the very least give
them a chance.
In that vein, the book is about coming together, hope and practical solutions.
It is not about finding ways to “convince” the other side that you are right and
that they are wrong; nor is it about trying to get someone to switch political
parties or point blame on how any crisis, including COVID-19, should have been
handled. Instead, it is about finding common ground — through small actions and
through the foundation of our shared aspirations and humanity.
The timing of our book’s publication is serendipitous, to say the least. As we
collectively grapple with issues that threaten our very existence, the book
reminds us that name-calling or letting someone’s political party define them in
our minds won’t help us move forward. Instead, we need to temper how we engage
by showing patience, kindness and empathy — regardless of political affiliation.
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Senior Principal
Sodexo
Kevin Wilhelm is the author of "How to Talk to the Other Side" and CEO of Sustainable Business Consulting. He is one of the world’s pre-eminent business consultants and teachers in the field of sustainability.
Published May 13, 2020 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST