Tag / Compassionate Curiosity

by Champions for Change

Navigating the Waters of Difficult Dialogues. How Do You Dive Into Difficult Conversations?

This blog is a follow up to The Heart of a Champion 🌟Giving Young People the Confidence to Have Courageous Conversations. It will provide you with the tools to have courageous conversations

By embracing these conversations, not only do we learn more about others, but we also discover our own resilience and capacity for empathy. So, next time you’re facing a tough talk, remember: Acknowledge, Get Curious, Solve Together.

In life, especially as students, we’re bound to encounter conversations that challenge us, push us out of our comfort zones, and sometimes even stir up a whirlpool of emotions. Whether it’s a disagreement with a friend, a concern about schoolwork, or a personal dilemma, tackling these talks head-on is crucial. By applying Kwame Christian’s compassionate curiosity framework, we can steer these challenging discussions toward constructive outcomes. Here’s a closer guide for young Aussies to manage these moments with grace.

1. Acknowledge Emotions 🤔

The first step is to recognize and accept your feelings and those of others involved. It’s okay to admit, “I’m feeling worried about this,” instead of pushing those emotions aside. Understanding our emotions lays the groundwork for a more empathetic and genuine conversation.

2. Get Curious with Compassion ❤️

Curiosity leads to better understanding. Ask yourself and others, “What’s really behind these feelings?” This approach not only helps in gathering insights but also in showing that you care about the underlying issues, not just the surface-level conflict.

3. Joint Problem Solving 🤝

Once you’ve opened up the dialogue and explored the emotions and facts at play, it’s time to collaborate on finding solutions. This could mean brainstorming ways to address the issue, compromising, or even agreeing to disagree respectfully.

Kwame Christian suggests that in moments of worry or disagreement, we should lean into our concerns, not shy away from them. By understanding what worries us, we’re better positioned to address it constructively. This strategy is as useful in personal reflection as it is in conversation with others.

For students navigating the complexities of growing up, remembering that engaging with difficult topics is a sign of strength and maturity can be empowering. 🎓💪

Check out these resources for more support:

By embracing these conversations, not only do we learn more about others, but we also discover our own resilience and capacity for empathy. So, next time you’re facing a tough talk, remember: Acknowledge, Get Curious, Solve Together.

#difficultconversations, #empathy, #problemsolving, #studentadvice, #compassionatecuriosity, #emotionalintelligence

by Action4Agriculture

How to deal with difficult people

This post comes to you from Action4Agriculture’s program manager

I have just signed up for a workshop with Amy Gallo,  an international expert in dealing with difficult people

Lets be honest with ourselves we can all be difficult to deal with if some-one touches the wrong buttons at the wrong time.

I manage a capability building program for young people who are “doers” and changemakers

I often find myself fielding calls asking for advice on how to handle people who are resistant to change

The first thing I say is “This is not my area of expertise”

Whilst I have done multiple workshops across the world with world class experts like Amy. Its one thing to learn the theory, its another to put into into practice, another to find safe spaces to practice it and the mega important one finding the role models in the Compassion Curiosity Framework space  that you can surround yourself with, learn from and channel when you need to

What my years of training has allowed me to do is identify the people who do it well and they make my heart sing

I saw an extraordinary example when I watched Series 12 Episode 2 of Call the Midwife recently

This 4 min video collates the scenes that I am referring to. Watch how Sister Julienne role models the Compassionate Curiosity Framework ( hear Kwame Christian talk about the framework here )

1. Acknowledging emotion

2. Getting curious with compassion

3. Engaging in joint problem solving