The world seems pretty divided and unstable right now. It’s like we’ve become so wedded to our beliefs and opinions, we can no longer have a curious conversation with one another, for fear of upset or worse, retribution.

 

This is never truer than in politics. In both the US and the UK, social and familial relationships have been shattered by political preferences in recent years. 

 

In parallel, we have huge social and environmental challenges ahead. We need to decarbonise at pace, and do so in a way that includes, rather than marginalises. We can’t do this without effective collaboration.

 

Effective collaboration requires effective communication. It requires compassion, empathy and curiosity. It demands that we think not simply about our own worldviews, but that we accept the lived experience of others and how this in turn shapes alternative thinking about the world.

 

Mónica Guzmán is a journalist and Director of Digital and Storytelling at Braver Angels, a US non-profit working to depolarize America. I Never Thought of it That Way offers a clear and cohesive framework for approaching difficult conversations with curiosity and empathy, in a way that builds relationship, connection and community. It’s a balm for our fractured times, and a must-read for anyone whose work involves interpersonal communication.