Part 1: Essential Partners /// Our Differences don't have to be our Divisions /// Season5:E128

Our daily lives revolve around communication.   When communication is ineffective, or lacking, the goals of companies and teams are on the line. Conversations take place numerous times throughout a day, and we can’t escape them.   Therefore, we must find a way to embrace them.   Our guests, Essential Partners, immerse us in the world of conversation and discuss how they create mission driven spaces structured on communication. They encourage our audience to lean into curiosity in hopes that engaging in conversations that help you learn a lot, not only about another person, but also yourself. “Taking time to focus on relationships creates better results” - Essential Partners   Today we are with Katie Hyten and John Sarrouf of Essential Partners.  They are Co-Executive Directors And John is the Director of Program development.   Founded in 1989, Essential Partners equips people to live and work better together in community by building trust and understanding across differences.   Katie joined the organization after completing her graduate studies at Tufts University's Fletcher School, where her research in religious conflicts focused on the need for effective communication in complex political issues.   Katie helped develop the first university-wide inter-religious institute at Pepperdine University. She has worked with Search for Common Ground in Lebanon, RESULTS Educational Fund in Washington, DC, and as a mediator in the Massachusetts District Courts.   John was first exposed to EP's work while studying in the master's program in dispute resolution at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Since then, John has facilitated dialogues on issues such as sustainability, gender, Israel-Palestine, religious pluralism, and technology and sexuality.   John served as the Assistant Director of Difficult Dialogues at Clark University, where he taught dialogue to faculty and students. His private consulting work has focused on mediation and transforming conflict in small workgroups and non-profit boards.   Topics we discuss: Embracing your own curiosity Picking up on something someone said. How jobs intersect beliefs. Level of curiosity of self Why do we stay in conversations? “I” statements. Understanding that you know can step away. Relationships People feel justified that “I don't have to like you”. Build relationships through conversations. How people see things. Hope Hope more powerful than fear. It is the thing that brings you life. Tough conversions They are worth having. How do you have them? How do you view conflict? References: Their Website - Essential Partners Sophie Beren's Episode Synagaug shooting in Pittsburgh Shootings in GA spa Behave - Robert Sapolsky   Credits:   Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes