12-1-16 Making a connection with someone who has a different viewpoint than you

A group of us met last night to talk about where to use our energies going forward with the results of the election. There were a lot of ideas (if anyone is interested, I can email you a summary of what we listed and prioritized).

One suggestion related to what I’ve written in my Blog previously. If you are sitting down with someone who has a different political view than you, the most important first step is to make eye contact. Actually, making eye contact is the most important first step with anyone with whom you want to have a relationship, whether it’s business or personal.

Once you have made eye contact, it’s also important to listen to someone who has a different perspective on the world than you have. Even if it seems like you and the other person are far apart, making eye contact and listening may help you realize there are some areas where you do have similar views.

We are living in a time where people seem very polarized. Maybe these simple ideas -  making eye contact and listening - can help us find a meeting place with someone who thinks differently from us.