Ep 139: Rich Harwood | 'You have to decide what you're going to see'
Release Date: 10/28/2024
Ep. 150: Who leads the way into difficult conversations?
Rethinking Communication
In this episode, I explore the nuance and complexity involved in trying to answer the question: Who should lead the way into difficult conversations? What about in the face of moral exclusion? What about if the other party denies your humanity? What if you are the victim? This episode was inspired by a recent LinkedIn post I made on which Brené Brown commented, and the whirwind that followed. You can view the post here:
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Ep 149: Emily Kasriel | How deep listening creates 'a spacious permission to think new thoughts'
Rethinking Communication
In this conversation, Emily Kasriel — author of the book, "Deep Listening: Transform your relationships with family, friends, and foes" — discusses the concept of deep listening, emphasizing its transformative power and the courage it requires. Emily has had a two-decades-long career at the BBC as an award-winning journalist, and she shares her journey from being a transactional listener to embracing deep listening, highlighting its effect on her personal relationships and professional environments. Our discussion covers the importance of creating safe spaces for listening,...
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Ep 148: John Wang | Getting the context of conversation right to solve conflict
Rethinking Communication
So much of conversation is about understanding context. From determining which conversations and relationships are worth engaging in to understanding the alignment in values to solving conflict, if you don't pick up on the context, you might create problems. As you'll hear from my guest in this episode, John Wang, culture also provides context clues, which he discusses in his new book, Big Asian Energy, and on his podcast. Often, John explains, the most important context comes from conversations you have with yourself first before you seek to engage with and understand...
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Ep 147: How to communicate with people you disagree with
Rethinking Communication
This episode's content comes from a webinar I delivered earlier this year titled, "You Want Me To Talk To Them? How To Communicate With People You Disagree With." In this presentation, I walk through what we get wrong about conflict communication and how conversations get stuck. I also cover a new way to approach uncomfortable conversations, my ASK then SEE method, which can help us lower the temperature of heated discussions. Looking for a presenter or keynote speaker at your next event? Learn more about my speaking at .
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Ep 146: How never questioning yourself undermines your ability to fully communicate well
Rethinking Communication
I had the joy of joining Rick Barron on his “” podcast for a conversation about… well... conversation. More specifically, how we can communicate better with each other when conflict arises. Even though I was the guest, Rick told a story about him and his neighbor that is the perfect example of what I mean when I ask that you set aside your certainty and what you think you know about others and instead follow your curiosity.
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Ep 145: Following your curiosity beyond your comfort zone
Rethinking Communication
We've been taught that when faced with disagreement, once you get a chance to speak, go on the offensive and don't back down. However, one conversation I had recently revealed a far better and more productive approach — one that emphasizes asking questions beyond the point of your own comfort.
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Ep 144: Information overwhelm is crushing communication
Rethinking Communication
Humans were not designed to know all that we know, and it’s crushing our ability to communicate well with each other and affect positive change.
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Ep 143: Neil Gordon | Persuasion is about convincing people that change is possible
Rethinking Communication
Speaking coach Neil Gordon joins the podcast to recount how school "educated me out of an interest in reading and communication," and his journey back to a love of both. Neil specializes in persuasion and helping speakers create more compelling narratives in their stories. Out of that work, Neil says, a path to ward off pessimism and skepticism emerges. Check out A Prayer for Owen Meany, the book Neil references in this conversation, at To learn more about Neil's work, visit
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Ep 142: How communicating through conflict makes us uniquely human
Rethinking Communication
I had the opportunity to join Steve Leskovec — a former guest on this podcast — on his radio show in Ohio to discuss effective communication. As you'll hear, Steve and I spent most of our conversation focused on conflict communication and how we can show up better in situations where we disagree with others.
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Ep 141: Mischa Zvegintzov | You are not the center of the universe
Rethinking Communication
In this episode, I speak with Mischa Zvegintzov about his journey to sobriety at 17 years old and how getting in touch with his emotions and his curiosity fueled a new approach to relationships with others. Check out Mischa's work at .
info_outlineRich Harwood, President and Founder of The Harwood Institute, joins me on this episode.
Over the past 35+ years, Rich has used his philosophy and practice of how community leaders can solve shared problems and deepen people’s civic belief worldwide to tackle some of the most deeply divisive issues.
As Rich explains, we need a better way to communicate through change, where we get out of the cul-de-sac of toxicity and step into our shared narratives of being builders, creators, and producers.
Rich's philosophy is grounded in what he views as an important prerequisite for change: finding a way to see more than what you want to see or are willing to see.
Watch the PBS Newshour feature that showcased Rich's work in North Carolina: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-a-north-carolina-community-is-confronting-divisions-talking-through-its-differences
Learn more about the Harwood Institute at https://theharwoodinstitute.org/