Difficult Conversations: The Art and Science of Working Together

Part I: Thursday, February 8
Part II: Thursday, February 15
1:30 – 4:30 pm PT / 4:30 – 7:30 pm ET

In every organization, every family, every community, and every country, a viable future depends on people trusting each other and working well together. That’s why this moment in our country is so critical. Our viable future is at risk. Which means that now more than ever, we need people with the skills to heal our divide — people who know how to build bridges and strengthen relationships so that a new era of trust and collaboration can begin.

The Building Bridges project is sponsoring a free two-part workshop by Kern Beare, originator of the Difficult Conversations Project.  During this fascinating and interactive workshop:

• You’ll learn why difficult conversations can trigger our fight/flight survival drive, and how that shuts down our brain’s ability to listen, be present, and take in new information.
• You’ll learn why trust is essential when navigating a difficult conversation, and how you can quickly establish trust even with someone you don’t know well.
• You’ll learn how your personal story can get in the way of clear communication, and how to look “beyond” your story to access your innate capacity for connection, creativity and collaboration.
• You’ll learn how even in a highly polarized situation, you can find common ground when you learn to listen to the “story behind the story.”

Registration is for BOTH sessions—this is a two-part workshop.