Civility is about listening as much as it is about speaking. The perspectives that can sharpen our understanding of a problem often come from people who think we are wrong. Yet, if we shut down communication with those people, we might miss hearing the hard truths we need to hear. Use this activity to talk about “staying present” even when we’re tempted to shut down these tough conversations.
Toolkit Library/
Civil presence
Civility: does it matter?
Article
8 minutes
By: National Conference of State Legislatures
Civility: a core component of professionalism?
Article
10 minutes
By: American Psychological Association, Nadine J. Kaslow and Natalie N. Watson
Is civility a sham?
Video
13 minutes
By: TED, Teresa Bejan
You don’t have to be nice to political opponents. But you do need to talk to them.
Article
12 minutes
By: Teresa Bejan, Washington Post
How to talk politics when you disagree
Video
12 minutes
By: Ciaran O'Connor, TEDx