Before anything else, it's important to reinforce your relationship with the person you're speaking to. Begin with something like: “I want you to know that I care about you,” OR “I respect you and appreciate your perspective.”

This helps diffuse tension and shifts the tone away from conflict. Go in with the mindset: “It’s me, and I care.”

Why do people even try to engage with “the other side”? There are a few common reasons: 1. To maintain a valued relationship that’s being strained by political or ideological conflict. Protecting a relationship and trying to be understood is much harder than walking away or exploding — but it’s worth the effort. 2. To find common ground or help heal divisions. 3. To seek understanding, especially when we find it hard to believe how others think, vote, or act the way they do.

Listen to this national debate champion speak to the need to connect in order to have a good debate.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMvgAMyO1ld/?_kx=t29s1a8DZlBzDXGAAiTWoqm52QMScX20k_jbVuFXAvg.TAzfUF