Seeking Higher Ground in Divisive Times in the Workplace

If you are feeling a bit stressed with the tone and tenor of political discourse in America today, you are not alone. The American Psychological Association’s most recent annual Stress in America™ survey reports that 62% of survey respondents say societal division is a major stressor, and about half report loneliness — 54% feel isolated, 50% feel left out, and 50% lack companionship. The sense of isolation was also reported to run deeper for those stressed by an experience of political or societal division: 61% of those surveyed reported feeling isolated at least sometimes, compared with 43% who aren’t stressed by division. 

While many of us may avoid conversations on political topics at work, with societal stressors running high, and the mid-term elections and November 3rd right around the corner, such topics are bound to show up in informal conversations with our coworkers.

In fact, a 2024 Gallup Workplace reported that nearly half of U.S. workers said they had discussed political issues with coworkers in the previous month. Whether at work or in your neighborhood, it’s natural for people to want to talk about major events and news, including politics and elections. Such discussions can be interesting and informative; we can learn new things, hear different perspectives and become more discerning voters. However, when these conversations turn divisive and emotionally charged viewpoints pit coworkers against one another, it becomes problematic. 

In their book, Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems, authors and experienced mediators, Robert Fersh and Mariah Levison, point to five essential mindsets that can help build bridges with others, despite our differences and the perceived distances between us. Their first mindset, “Conflict can be Constructive,” has its roots in mindfulness and the capacity to care for and temper our naturally reactive central nervous systems. Although most of us find conflict stressful, Fersh, Levison, and others contend that conflict is normal and necessary among human beings, and it often represents crucial opportunities for learning and growth. Using mindfulness to help navigate the stress associated with conflict is not about suppressing strong emotions, but rather allowing our beliefs and regulated emotions to serve as constructive forces for problem-solving. We learn to mindfully pause, to care for our reactive body, mind and heart. In doing so, we learn to respond to ourselves and others with increased understanding, empathy and dignity. 

Fersh and Levison contend that with this first mindful mindset in place, we can then begin to seek “Higher Ground” - a mindset and belief that mutual gains are possible, and a wise solution is more important than winning. In the workplace and elsewhere, when dealing with polarized issues, seeking “Higher Ground” may also mean choosing to acknowledge our differences, to agree to disagree on an issue, and then allowing the focus to rest on the relationship and a future free of debating politics.

Mindful Tips for Seeking Higher Ground in Divisive Times

1. Don’t just listen, express goodwill. According to Columbia University’s Difficult Conversation Laboratory, when people build up even a small amount of goodwill, their difficult conversations go much better. Specifically, their 3:1 goodwill ratio states that when people have about three moments of positive feelings for every one moment of negativity, they experience the emotional balance that is required for deep listening and problem-solving to take place. Expressing goodwill doesn’t necessarily mean that we agree with what a coworker has said, but rather that we hold their perspective with interest and curiosity and view them as a fellow human being worthy of respect. Authentic expressions of goodwill can be as simple as telling someone a point they just made was a good one or their perspective was interesting, and/or when they are done speaking, looping back with them to make sure you heard what mattered most to them. 
2. Pay attention to what you give your attention to. Monitor doom scrolling and stressful political content that can activate negative emotions. In the best of times, the constant volume of digital information and its 24/7 dissemination far outpaces our ability to keep up, let alone check the source or discern the accuracy of what we are reading. While it may be important to stay connected to news and information during an election, it’s also essential that we learn to manage the time we spend online and to monitor its impact on our physical and mental health. 
3. Take care of the basics. Watch for possible symptoms of political stress and fatigue including anxiety, difficulty sleeping, irritability, high blood pressure, changes in thinking (e.g. concentration, recall) and/or changes in mood. Do your best to eat nutritious foods, meditate, exercise when you can, and get regular sleep and periods of rest. Spend time in nature and with people you can easily connect with and receive emotional support from. Focus on what you can control and take meaningful and mindful actions whenever you can, including placing your vote on November 3rd. 
4. Take good care of others. Allison Briscoe-Smith of the Greater Good Science Center suggests aiming to move “from self-care to community care.” During this politically charged and divisive time, once you’ve cared for yourself and are feeling more resilient, you may wish to reach out to a coworker who you think may be in need of support. Briscoe-Smith suggests asking yourself, “What is one small, tangible thing you can do to help someone feel better today?”
5. Establish boundaries and free zones. Be conscious of when, where and how you share and discuss your political opinions, especially in the workplace. If you find that you can’t discuss something with a colleague without you or them getting emotionally charged and defensive, make political talk off-limits. Remember, you always have a choice as to when and how you engage with others. 
6.  Practice Mindful Communication.
   1. Start with a Pause. Take a few nourishing, fuller breaths. Care for yourself and any reactivity. Prepare to practice full presence listening. Remember your intention to connect to another human being.  
   2. Observe with curiosity. Take time to notice what’s happening in your body, mind, and heart, and as best you can, without judgment. Throughout the conversation when you feel reactive, remember to pause, to breathe, and to offer yourself some understanding and caring. 
   3. Listen deeply. We listen with our ears and our hearts. We demonstrate empathy and caring through our listening. We listen to learn. Watch any tendencies to harshly judge the other person, to interrupt them, or want to ‘interrogate’ them with questions before the person has finished speaking. Allow the speaker to be the object of your mindful awareness and your presence.
   4. Trust Emergence. With practice and patience, we learn to trust that we don’t need to rehearse, prepare for a rebuttal, or have all the answers. We develop confidence in our ability to respond to others authentically, with a focus on convergence and building bridges.

You are welcome to link to our Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing or You Do Matter websites and/or repurpose articles on a wide variety of wellbeing topics, with attribution to the Bakken Center. This is a great resource to help populate a wellbeing section in your employee newsletter, for example.