DOC: Depolarizing Organizational Cultures

09/18/2024

I'm so excited about our event on October 9th! It's a unique opportunity to hear from professors running polarization labs and programs at universities in the DC area, including:
- George Mason University
- Georgetown University
- American University
- The George Washington University
- Johns Hopkins University

Join us at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center (formerly the Newseum) for panel discussions and Q&A, on topics like preventing political violence, media's role in polarization, and how students can chart a career path towards addressing this issue.

It's moderated by Isaac Saul, editor-in-chief of the independent media outlet Tangle.

Get your free tickets here: https://lnkd.in/eQHhFtNA

And please share this event far and wide!

09/09/2024

We're thrilled to be part of Peace Week at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Full schedule in comments.

08/27/2024

Humor is such a vital path back together…we should take it *very* seriously.

We’ve been using applied improv in workshops, and been eager to add to our improv toolkit. Randy will be doing a program with Nikki Frias next month for the Carter School at George Mason University Peace Week that will include some improv exercises (reg link in the comments).

Please shout out any comedians or anyone else (like Jessica Beckendorf) using comedy to build bridges!

Compare coverage and stay informed on breaking news by subscribing through my link https://ground.news/wisecrack for 40% off the Vantage Subscription which i...

08/12/2024

We're excited to be working with a group of student-facing faculty and staff at Butte College this week to talk about polarization on college campuses and how they can help their students have better conversations. Want to know how you can bring a custom-tailored program to your campus? Let's talk!

Book a call to discuss your organization and how DOC can help with your challenges.

07/30/2024

The story of VICE is the story of what happens when we cut off viewpoint diversity.

It was hubris. It was the mismanagement of huge amounts of money. Most of all, it was a betrayal of everything that readers loved, writes ex-staffer Michael Moynihan.

07/23/2024

What do you think their conversations have been like over the past week? Conversations about transition are some of the hardest to have, even when the fate of the country isn't at stake. Learning how to talk and listen to each other is one of the greatest skills you can give your team.

07/17/2024

Randy got to speak at the National Review Institute's William F. Buckley Jr. Communicators Workshop in conjunction with Braver Angels. The topic was having better conversations across political lines, but it wasn't just a room full of conservatives. NRI brings together a diverse set of students and young professionals in journalism, marketing, communications, public relations, and advertising.

This is exactly the type of shared space we need to foster in order for the next generation to develop the skills to communicate and work together with folks with different worldviews.

07/15/2024

My heart is heavy with the thought of what the recent assassination attempt of the former president means for our country. As many have already said, there's no place for political violence in our country, no matter how existential you believe the stakes of our politics are.

If you're feeling like you need support in this moment, regardless of your beliefs, please feel free to reach out to me to talk.

07/03/2024

In the wake of that "debate" I wanted to repost something I wrote in March that I think has aged well. While I was dead wrong when I said, "I can't even imagine a debate happening this year between Biden and Trump," I think I nailed the issue of our country's vulnerability because of cloistered leaders:

"For the first time that I can remember, we now have two presidential candidates for whom the more they say, the less likely it is they'll be elected."

On Tuesday, China started its National People’s Congress, the annual legislative session that pretends to put the "People" in People's Republic of China. In reality, the event is just a rubber stamp on the agenda of one man, President Xi Jinping. China in recent years has sped back to the time of ...

07/02/2024

We're still buzzing from our time at the Asheville Ideas Fest! Shout out to Celene Ibrahim and her daughter, Rahma, who gave our founder Randy Lioz a ride, and some excellent conversation.

Rahma is still in high school, but she seems to have gained a wider perspective on the world than you'd expect. She asked the panel featuring her mom about the generational divide, which sparked a conversation about the anxiety young people are feeling due to this disconnect. Older folks may often be playing catchup when it comes to emerging cultural standards, but their experience and perspective can still be highly valuable to the youngsters who care to listen!

06/27/2024

The first debate is tonight. Having leaders involved in public conversation is essential to a functioning democracy. We are in a unique position in this country where our two presidential candidates each do worse in public opinion the more they talk. A few months ago I looked at how a lack of public conversation was hurting China. Could the same thing happen here?

Mar 76 minDepolarizationChina's Lack of Transparency: Could we be next?On Tuesday, China started its National People’s Congress, the annual legislative session that pretends to put the "People" in People's...