Consider a scenario where a conversation is taking place and one person speaks up and says, “I don’t see it that way.”
As a listener, this becomes an opportunity to respond with a genuine desire to understand. Skilled listeners learn to maneuver around the brain’s natural reaction to identify confrontation as a threat. A skilled listener recognizes the impulse to react and learns to respond with a question.
The practice of speaking up is a valuable civility practice. Respect emerges when differences are discussed and explored.
The Seeds of Civility is a blog that is created by The Wallace Centers of Iowa. Here we gather tips for leading (and developing emerging leaders) with civility.