Timely Tips for Having a Civil Political Conversation

An interesting article on “Timely Tips for Having a Civil Political Conversation” provides some useful tips on having a successful political conversation, the tips include:

• Manners are the lubricating oil of good political discussions. “When you shoot an arrow of truth, dip its point in honey.” — Arab proverb
• Show empathy and tolerance for differences.
• Do your homework to build depth behind your convictions. The journey to wisdom takes you from simple truths to a deeper understanding and then back to an informed simplicity that communicates depth.
• When caught off guard, take time to think before engaging in speech, sending e-mails or leaving phone messages. The real art of political dialogue is not just saying the right thing at the right moment; it is the ability to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
• Avoid name-calling, “you” statements and “should” talk! Instead of putting down others or their positions, share your opinions in the form of “I” statements—”I find…; I feel…; I think…”
• Seek first to understand by mastering the art of listening and the use of engaging questions. Master some timely questions: What are the most important issues to you? Help me understand your position? What would you do differently? What evidence do you have of that? Do you see any unintended consequences?
• Use the power of a positive pause to surface more understanding and deeper insights.
• When it is your turn to speak, be focused more on what you are for rather than what you are against. Let people save face and learn from mistakes by focusing on working to invent a better future.
• Be able to admit your own mistakes and the mistakes of your own party.
• Use humor to diffuse the tension conflict creates and to keep issues in perspective. Making fun of others seldom wins point in political conversations. The safest target for your humor is always yourself. “I do not seek applause…nor to amuse the people. I want to convince them. I often avoid a long and useless discussion by others or a laborious explanation on my own part by using a short story that illustrates my point of view.” — Abraham Lincoln
• Instead of hammering your position home, be ready to take distance from a difficult conversation and give others time to think.
• Know when to end a fruitless conversation.

Technorati Tags: Communication, Conversation, Debate, Politics, Discussion, Conflict

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