Recently I’ve had cause to reflect on The Lord’s Prayer. As a former Catholic, I prayed it often, and recently I was struck by the…
Social Diplomacy, Part 8: Vulnerability and Venting
Find places to be vulnerable and vent safely When we’re really trying to step up and be our brightest and most powerful, we’re going to…
Social Diplomacy, Part 7: Find a Position of Strength
Find a position of strength Without strength, diplomacy is not much different than being a doormat. We end up placating people for the sake of…
Social Diplomacy, Part 6: Curiosity, Dignity, and Respect
Treating people with curiosity, dignity, and respect On the Internet, some folks behave as though acting tough, forceful, snarky, and condescending is an effective tactic…
Social Diplomacy, Part 5: Difference and Commonality
Respecting differences, and identifying underlying shared values One interesting way to examine polarization—people defining themselves as enemies to each other—is to look at the underlying…
Social Diplomacy, Part 4: Identifying What Matters
Identifying what matters Diplomacy requires we know what we value, what I am trying to bring about in the world: deep values like Justice, Equality,…
Social Diplomacy, Part 3: Inviting Us into Our Best Selves
Recognizing that we want to be seen as our best selves My approach to diplomacy draws upon the concept of self-evaluation motives, the premise of…
Social Diplomacy, Part 2: Depersonalizing Problems
Talking about problems rather than people To be clear: when discussing political, group, or interpersonal problems, we are always talking about people. What helps is…
Social Diplomacy, Part 1: Conflict with Connection
A while back, I wrote a post about how much we need the art of civil discourse. Since then, I’ve heard more about the need…