Facilitating Difficult Conversations About Race

In this episode, we welcome guest Kwame Christian, the founder and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute. Together, we dive into the challenging topic of having difficult conversations about race, with a focus on Kwame's most recent book. Offering practical tips and strategies for developing conversation skills, Kwame's expertise in negotiation makes him the perfect guest for this episode. We discuss the fear and exhaustion that can surround these conversations, but emphasize the importance of tackling them to foster progress. Kwame's three-step framework for internal and external negotiation provides stability and guidance in these conversations, while the power of empathy and understanding is also explored. Listen now to gain valuable insights and strategies for navigating difficult conversations about race with empathy and understanding.Timestamps(00:00:09) - Kwami Christian, founder of the American Negotiation Institute, is introduced.(00:07:03) - Using humor correctly to get your point across.(00:12:09) - Kobe Bryant believed in transforming the world into a library, finding lessons in jujitsu, chess, and beyond.(00:19:10) - Engaging in difficult conversations about race and how a particular conversation inspired the author to write the book.(00:24:51) - Fear of causing offense, being canceled, or not being heard in challenging conversations about race. (00:32:41) - Complex conversations often require multiple sessions to reach resolution, as expecting a person to change their worldview in a single conversation is unrealistic. (00:35:26) - Passion alone is insufficient for winning arguments; persuasion requires skill and understanding.(00:40:58) - The key to success lies in recognizing and managing emotions, relying on trusted skills and frameworks.(00:45:54) - The negative impact of losing one's composure.(00:54:17) - Empathy is a skill that necessitates comprehension and introspection.Links and ResourcesHome - American Negotiation InstituteNegotiate Anything on Apple PodcastsAmazon.com: How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race: Practical Tools for Necessary Change in the Workplace and Beyond (Audible Audio Edition): Kwame Christian, Kwame Christian, Ascent Audio: Audible Books & Originals