Likewise, people entering from the emotional axis will tune out the statistics-a statistic does not account for their lost loved one. However, this is a futile attempt for the intellectual if trying to persuade or counter a person’s emotional viewpoint. Therefore, the person who enters from an intellectual standpoint may try to use statistics, data, or trends to argue that guns do more to protect or defend people than to hurt them. These feelings will conflict with or push back against a person who enters the conversation on the intellectual axis because it is hard to separate logic and emotion objectively. The reason that a controversial conversation like this would escalate quickly is because participants are entering the conversation from several different points on the compass.įor instance, a family member of a victim of gun violence would likely enter the conversation from an emotional standpoint-the topic resonates with their feelings because of their personal experiences. For example, on the very relevant topic of violence in schools, the discussion can quickly morph into a debate, which can then digress into an all-out argument. The axis from which we enter a conversation depends on our experiences, values, beliefs, and opinions.Īdditionally, we may enter a conversation from a combination of two or more points on the compass it all depends on our thought processes pertaining to the specific topic of discussion. When we speak to others, especially about controversial or deeply personal topics, we typically go into the conversation with a certain mindset. The four points of the compass, which help to identify from which perspective a participant is entering the conversation, are moral, intellectual, emotional, and relational. The compass, pictured below, is a visual, symbolic reference point that participants use to assist in communicating when conversations and viewpoints are not only difficult, but divergent. For struggling parents, an understanding of the compass and the philosophy behind its methods could certainly help facilitate communication with their teens. What began as a tool for the education realm has evolved into a helpful resource for several different types of conversations requiring courage, honesty, and perspective-taking.
GLEN SINGLETON COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS PROFESSIONAL
I personally have encountered instruction or reference to the compass on several instances during professional development classes and trainings, staff meetings, and parent conferences.
Public school personnel, especially Montgomery County Public School teachers, are probably familiar with both Courageous Conversations and Singleton and Linton’s compass. The “Courageous Conversations Compass, ” a tool for ensuring that conversations around race and culture are productive in the workplace, was designed and shared by Glenn Singleton and Curtis Linton to promote courageous yet respectful dialogue.
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