— Second, whether formally codified or not, abide by a set of ‘ground rules.’ These can include: no personal attacks; be thoughtful in the language you use and non-verbal cues you send; describe your views while avoiding assumptions about others; and do not interrupt – only one person should speak at a time.
— Third, and perhaps most importantly, practice a set of techniques often called ‘active listening.’ As the name implies, this is not a passive process of simply waiting your turn, paying little attention to what others have to say while you prepare your arguments in your head, and then delivering a monologue when you have the chance. Instead, this approach calls on us to really listen, asking probing questions to dig deeper into our counterparts’ perspectives and confirm that we understand what they are saying. Active listening does not inherently ask us to change our minds, but rather to remain open and willing to be empathetic and understanding.
— Fourth, particularly around science-intensive issues like climate change, you might engage in a mini ‘joint fact-finding’ process of sorts. What do you learn, and where do your opinions converge and diverge as you look at information from a variety of sources? Can you agree on the credibility and saliency of different data? This might help you to move the conversation along, or at least appreciate that you are valuing different facts for different reasons. Schenk’s last piece of advice, which he says is often the most difficult: “Think before you speak. We all say things we regret from time to time, but those situations are best avoided if we can.” “And if all else fails, there is always eggnog.” About Schenk:
Schenk is an assistant professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech. He has extensive research and consulting experience working on collaborative governance and environmental policy and planning issues, including involving climate change adaptation. View Schenk's full bio here. Schedule an interview
Schenk is available for phone interviews. To secure an interview, email Jordan Fifer in the Media Relations office or call 540-231-6997.