There is so much divisiveness and hate in the world today. Sometimes it seems overwhelming. I recently watched a TED Talk that discusses the power of empathy to reduce the polarization that runs rampant in just about every issue in the public sphere and perhaps increasingly seeping into private life. There are a lot of angry people out there!
Digital creator Dylan Marron has racked up millions of views for projects like "Every Single Word" and "Sitting in Bathrooms With Trans People" -- but he has found that the flip side of success online is internet hate. Over time, he has developed an unexpected coping mechanism: calling the people who leave him insensitive comments and asking a simple question: "Why did you write that?" In a thoughtful talk about how we interact online, Marron explains how sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is actually speak with people you disagree with, not simply at them.
While his focus is on the things that have caused him pain in his life such has the reaction to his being gay and his strongly liberal views, it occurs to me that the advice he presents can be useful in the workplace when disagreemnets turn personal.
I urge you to invest the 10 minutes to watch this TED Talk and reflect on the lesson it is offering all of us. https://www.ted.com/talks/dylan_marron_empathy_is_not_endorsement#t-326360
Herb