Lauren, Great post on two levels. First, as someone who was there with you and a long time fan of hers, Amanda Ripley's work is remarkable. Something we peacebuilders have done in one form or another for ages. Second is more you. I'm really thinking through a "theory of change" that suggests that the best way to get lasting, meaningful change is to start in mainstream America and build outward. You've helped spark me to think in those terms. My blog post next Monday. Thanks a bunch.
Thanks, Chip! I have a bunch of disconnected thoughts about what elites owe the rest of us, but I'm also more and more convinced that we really need to do this work at the grassroots level and build up. We can hope for top-down change, but the incentives just aren't there for political leaders and the media to engage in this kind of way. Though Ripley's work is one really hopeful area for journalism, at least.
Nice summary! I think of listening as the inhale and talking as the exhale. You need both to survive. I also appreciate very much the idea of listening to learn, rather than listening to fix, or listening to disagree, or even listening to find common ground (which can devolve into simply waiting to share something similar you’ve seen or experienced). All kinds of listening are helpful, but listening to learn something you didn’t think of might be the one from which all of the other forms flow. Would be curious to hear what others think!
I love that! That's a great way to think about it. I've been working a lot on listening to learn lately. Faculty are trained primarily to convey information, so it's REALLY hard for us to switch into listening/learning mode. But I've found that the more I work on listening, the better my research and teaching gets, so it really is an unsung skill that we need to more intentionally cultivate.
Great piece, Lauren! It seems so obvious that listening is as powerful as it is, yet this skill is in short supply. Thanks for providing practical steps on how to Loop!
You're welcome, Lory! Definitely check out the additional resources that Amanda Ripley has at Good Conflict if you haven't already (linked in the post). Thanks for reading and commenting!
Lauren, Great post on two levels. First, as someone who was there with you and a long time fan of hers, Amanda Ripley's work is remarkable. Something we peacebuilders have done in one form or another for ages. Second is more you. I'm really thinking through a "theory of change" that suggests that the best way to get lasting, meaningful change is to start in mainstream America and build outward. You've helped spark me to think in those terms. My blog post next Monday. Thanks a bunch.
Thanks, Chip! I have a bunch of disconnected thoughts about what elites owe the rest of us, but I'm also more and more convinced that we really need to do this work at the grassroots level and build up. We can hope for top-down change, but the incentives just aren't there for political leaders and the media to engage in this kind of way. Though Ripley's work is one really hopeful area for journalism, at least.
Nice summary! I think of listening as the inhale and talking as the exhale. You need both to survive. I also appreciate very much the idea of listening to learn, rather than listening to fix, or listening to disagree, or even listening to find common ground (which can devolve into simply waiting to share something similar you’ve seen or experienced). All kinds of listening are helpful, but listening to learn something you didn’t think of might be the one from which all of the other forms flow. Would be curious to hear what others think!
I love that! That's a great way to think about it. I've been working a lot on listening to learn lately. Faculty are trained primarily to convey information, so it's REALLY hard for us to switch into listening/learning mode. But I've found that the more I work on listening, the better my research and teaching gets, so it really is an unsung skill that we need to more intentionally cultivate.
Great piece, Lauren! It seems so obvious that listening is as powerful as it is, yet this skill is in short supply. Thanks for providing practical steps on how to Loop!
You're welcome, Lory! Definitely check out the additional resources that Amanda Ripley has at Good Conflict if you haven't already (linked in the post). Thanks for reading and commenting!