“How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times”
Do you dread uncomfortable conversations with the people in your life because you have different opinions about politics and social issues? Has the Thanksgiving table become a war zone, or do you now avoid such awkward family gatherings altogether?
Help is on the way!
Leadership Greater Hartford’s annual Lessons in Leadership series introduces author Mónica Guzmán and her book I Never Thought of it That Way in four virtual sessions, March 7, 14, 30, and April 11.
Guzmán, a journalist, grew up as the liberal daughter of conservative Mexican parents who immigrated to America and voted twice for a conservative republican president. She writes, “how long can we hold it together while our differences threaten to wreck our relationships, our country, and our ability to share our lives, really, at all?”
Her book is the foundation of the Lessons in Leadership series that will provide the tools and life lessons to help us overcome the fear and uncertainty to engage with and learn from “other people” whose world views are different from and even opposed to our own.
Interactive breakout sessions will give attendees the opportunity to practice what they learn, and perhaps take a new skill back to their homes, offices, or communities.
Lessons in Leadership is free to members of Leadership Greater Hartford and $20 per session for non-members. All sessions will be conducted via ZOOM from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. To register or learn more, visit www.leadershipgh.org/lessons-in-leadership.
- March 7, 2023 – How “Othering” is a Barrier to Productive Conversations
- March 14, 2023 – “What am I Missing?” How Curiosity Can Further Conversations
- March 30, 2023 – Bridging the Gap, Helping People Feel Heard
- April 11, 2023 – Repairing: A Toolkit for Conducting Fearless Conversations
Members of the LGH Third Age Initiative’s “Democracy Caucus” have developed this Lessons in Leadership series to support their mission of reducing polarization and helping people to have more productive conversations. Connecticut Public is a Presenting Sponsor for the series.
Mónica Guzmán was a 2019 fellow at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation studying social and political division and a 2016 fellow at Harvard’s Nieman Foundation for Journalism. She is director of digital and storytelling at Braver Angels, the nation’s largest cross-partisan grass-roots organization working to depolarize America.
Leadership Greater Hartford
Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that supports and strengthens the local community by training and connecting aspiring and established leaders. For more information about how to be a participant or sponsor, or to inquire about customized training with Leadership Greater Hartford, call 860-951-6161, email info@leadershipgh.org, visit http://www.leadershipgh.org, or follow LGH on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.