Effects on Individuals If you are a faculty or staff member working in a department where a colleague has been recently diagnosed with a serious illness or has died, you might be experiencing a number of feelings over the days and weeks. Strong personal bonds are often formed within work groups, and the experience of[…]
Here are some core insights from the GGSC’s virtual summit on dialogue and understanding across our differences. We were supposed to meet face to face to talk about how Americans could bridge their differences. But we couldn’t. COVID-19 prevented us from physically coming together. And so the staff of the Greater Good Science[…]
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to sweeping changes and disruptions in nearly every aspect of daily life. With mandates and guidelines changing all the time, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by our own anxieties. It is important to practice empathy during this time, not only for others but for yourself as well. There[…]
I often hear people point out someone else’s behavior as “toxic,” but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say, “My behavior is toxic.” In reality, though, most all of us exhibit some toxic behaviors at some point in our lives. What Makes Behavior “Toxic” Not all behaviors that upset another person are equally harmful.[…]
Our experience shows that people with widely different viewpoints on big issues can have discussions, find agreement, and collaborate. Never in recent memory has our country experienced such deep divides in our politics and discourse. People of good will and spirit are unable to understand each other or bridge their differences across not just political[…]
Can we bridge differences without suppressing what makes us different in the first place? Yes, say social scientists and civic organizations. The 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding resonated with millions of people around the world—it retains the title of the highest-grossing romantic comedy in history. Why? Perhaps because its central conflict is one that countless[…]
A new book explains how we can learn empathy and have better social interactions. It’s hard to watch someone who is suffering. We may feel their pain or absorb their sorrow; we may worry that we won’t know what to do or say. Those uncomfortable moments might make us turn away from their distress—to[…]
Many people mistakenly believe that grief is a single emotion, but normal grief is actually a powerful, multifaceted and often uncontrollable response that human beings experience following a personally painful or traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one. In other words, grief can affect us not only emotionally but also physically, mentally, and even[…]
Brené Brown explains how to overcome our sense of disconnection and find our common humanity. Today, our culture is in crisis. Many people have retreated to their ideological bunkers to hate from afar, dehumanizing others rather than risk having real, meaningful conversations across their differences. How will we find our way back to[…]
Learning how to apologize more effectively can strengthen bonds and help you resolve conflicts and let go of pain more easily. How To Apologize More Sincerely Relationships can be wonderful buffers against stress, but relationship conflicts can cause considerable emotional pain and stress. Knowing how to apologize–and when–can repair damage in a relationship, but[…]