The World Ahead In 2007, I had a unique opportunity to sit in a small group for two days and observe one of the world’s leading futurists paint a picture of the year 2025. We are more than halfway there and I see the wisdom of his vision of the trends and emerging realities of our world from local to global. He described a much more crowded world (1.5 billion new people) and the certainty of accelerating technological, social, and environmental changes that will present all of us with “hyperpromise and hyperperil.”
He highlighted the magnitude and velocity of the changes that would increase a sense of anxiety, fear, and polarization that could divide people (old-young, urban-rural, citizen-immigrant, affluent-poor, left-right, black-white, Christian-Muslim etc.). He envisioned opportunities and solutions that would require leaders, at all levels (local, national, international), to grow the capacity to counter polarization and division by finding new ways to build structures and alliances that bring organizations, communities, and people together.
Think Globally, Act Locally The wisdom of this bumper sticker becomes clear because awareness of challenges in the big picture (the USA as a country or the world) could paralyze the will to creatively act. “What can I do about ALL this?” It is important to refocus realistic awareness of the big picture to the level of a work team, an organization, a neighborhood, or a community where each one of us can connect, engage, and influence others. The essence of leadership is influence. Some of the most powerful acts of local leadership I have witnessed were by “ordinary” people without formal authority or titles who, by the force of their courage, creativity, and moral example, showed others the way forward. In these times, we can’t wait for the leaders with titles and formal authority who are unable or unwilling to lead. We need people who show us the way by example.
The Power of the Third Side The “leaders” of a work team, department, organization, nonprofit, or coalition need to learn how to build the “THIRD SIDE.” This term comes from a book with the same name by William Ury. He describes ten key roles that people can assume, like a mantle, to establish a constructive presence in the midst of a polarized situation. Instead of being against others, speak and act for the common good, address unmet needs, and affirm principles that unite rather than divide. Before I describe one of these powerful roles, let’s look at the challenge: the dynamics of POLARIZATION that separate and divide individuals and groups.
Polarization Defined This is a state of hostility, antagonism, antipathy, conflict, and repugnance that can easily fester and infect an entire social structure. As each side takes action to promote or defend its interests, territory, and priorities against the other, the consequences of their actions can hurt non-aligned stakeholders and weaken the whole. In four decades as a professional mediator, I have seen polarization dynamics damage and, at times, tear apart work teams, families, family businesses, churches, university academic departments, nonprofit organizations, companies, neighborhoods, and communities.
How Polarization Works The ‘fog of war’ that confuses or blinds in violent, escalating military conflict also can develop in social and group conflict waged with different forms of power. In a polarized climate (the “war”), perception is often distorted by the weight of powerful emotions (anger and fear), moral righteousness, arrogance, lack of humility, and diminished capacity for reflection and deliberation. In this perceptual “fog”, each side tends to strongly identify with the sense of being wronged or mistreated by the other. Each side tends to develop a story about being victimized by the other and their own rightness. This narrative releases them from accountability to the other side and excludes any merit to the other side’s concerns. The struggle continues fueled by moral justification without any willingness to listen and understand.
It is important to respect the negative power of polarization.The three primary behavioral characteristics of polarization can be dangerous because they have a disease-like capacity to multiply and spread unless addressed.
Volatility Common interactions without any controversy can unpredictably and rapidly deteriorate into acrimony and aggression, with either side, or both, intensely reacting to a real or perceived provocation as “disrespect” or “a personal attack.” For this reason, adversaries often choose to avoid each other. However, the absence of effective, direct communication channels often increases the level of mistrust, intensifying the polarization dynamic.
Suspicion Motives are always suspect. Adversaries tend to perceive actions, words, and events in a way that is consistent with the existing story about “who they are and how they treat us.” For example, a neutral gesture or an honest inquiry can be misinterpreted as “a trick to manipulate us to their advantage.”
Oversimplification Complex issues are reduced to us vs. them, either you are with us or against us, right vs. wrong, and win-lose. Human beings become stereotypes with labels (‘jerk’, ‘bully’, ‘egomaniac’, ‘slacker’, ‘freeloader’, ‘ingrate’, ‘racist’, ‘tyrant’, ‘victim’).
Strategies Leaders can model and teach others proven, proactive strategies to counter these powerful patterns. The strategies are not complicated, but they require courage, perseverance ,and discipline to implement, overcome likely resistance, and recover from any setbacks.
- Improve communication channels and create forums for dialogue.
- Use guidelines for acceptable behavior and ‘neutral’ facilitation to establish and sustain respectful interactions.
- Seize small opportunities to build a working level of trust.
- Strengthen the non-polarized middle (the ‘third side’). Enlist others to act as bridge- builders, voices of moderation, and advocates for the common good.
There are no quick fixes for polarization. It is a journey that requires patience and endurance.
Practice Tip
Build Forums to Develop Understanding One of the primary roles to establish a ‘Third Side’ presence to address polarization is to build bridges of understanding by bringing people to a carefully constructed time and space where they have an opportunity to begin a different kind of constructive conversation.Habits of argument, accusation, and attack must give way to simple, ‘no frills’ respect, listening, and the pursuit of understanding (not agreement). Within a forum where the third side is present and active, it may become possible to develop a dialogue. If the issue is within an organization, it is likely to be a team or staff meeting to clear the air. If it is within a community, an existing organization such as a neighborhood association, church, or civic group may offer to convene people and provide a “neutral” forum to explore a difficult situation and begin to talk about their needs, concerns, and hopes. True stories that will inspire you and clear guidelines to show you the way are available online.
Two excellent sources: www.thethirdside.com and www.theworldcafe.org
Words of Wisdom
When elephants fight, the grass suffers. Kikuyu proverb
One of the main tasks….. is to find words that do not divide but unite, that do not create conflict but unity, that do not hurt but heal. Henri Nouwen
Hatred, anger, and violence can destroy us. The politics of polarization is dangerous. Rahul Gandhi