Episode 17: Moving Past Conflict after the Election

November 9, 2020

About the Podcast

Viewpoint diversity expert and founder of Positive-Ed Consulting Erin McLaughlin and Clancy discuss how to cope with the 2020 Presidential election results. We all can work to reconnect with family and friends we lost during the polarization of political sides and differing values.

About Erin McLaughlin

Erin is the founder of Positive-Ed Consulting and has spent her career focused on the best methods of unlocking potential. Beginning in the advertising industry and then moving on into the realm of education, Erin has worked tirelessly with individuals, groups, and teams to help them recognize, develop, and apply their strengths to reach their goals. Her particular area of expertise is in viewpoint diversity, a subject she created a construct for and was mentored in by Dr. Jonathan Haidt of New York University.

Erin has been a strong advocate of strengths-based approaches for years. Following her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania, Erin went straight to work with her master’s in applied positive psychology. She soon became a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and founded Positive-Ed Consulting in an effort to make a bigger and better difference in the world.

Discussion Takeaways

Learning about other people’s opinions does not mean you agree with them.
When you think who you are is what you believe, people may confront you about a belief of yours, and you’ll feel like they are attacking the core of who you are.
Very rarely does putting someone else down make us feel better. If you issue that kind of judgement, you are often the one who has to pay for it.
Put inquiry before advocacy, so you can learn more about yourself and the person on the other side of the aisle.
Imagine that your emotions are an elephant, and your reason is the rider. Being aware of your emotions, gives your reason the space to control them.
Viewpoint diversity has nothing to do with empathy, intolerance, or consensus. It’s about understanding other people’s opinion to better understand what you believe. It’s about collecting all the facts to strengthen an opinion.
Our empathy can be biased. We often chose to feel the pain of the people who are similar to us.
We judge people where we are vulnerable to shame.
We can bond with the shared value. If you can understand the universal values of humans, then you can understand where most arguments come from. Different people prioritize their values in a different order.
When you understand someone’s value, you understand where their argument comes from.
Your relationships are the most important part of your wellbeing. It’s not the time to allow political views to divide you.
Families and friends can step away from highly charged situations. They can cherish their past experiences and all that has been built between them.
Focus on broadening relationships that matter to you. Then, everyone stands a chance of being a positive change in the world, even if you don’t necessarily agree on how to get there.
Most people want to be accepted.
There is too much at stake to close the door on others. We just need to allow a little room for differing opinions. Just because your Aunt voted differently than you, doesn’t mean she can’t be a really good influence on your kids.
Someone may have their values prioritized differently than you, but they still have values.

Name

Erin McLaughlin

#1 tip to improve access to healthy food

Put inquiry over advocacy. Seek other opinions. Look for the best solutions versus trying to convert people to your side. Look to the people close to you as people you can collaborate with, instead of being your competition.

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Each week on the Food Dignity® Podcast, the Food Dignity® Movement’s Clancy Harrison hosts a wide variety of hunger experts and other people making changes on the frontlines. Join us as we dive deep into conversations that will change the way you think about food insecurity.