The stamina to sit with discomfort: resources for faculty and staff
Post-election resources curated by the Division of Institutional Engagement:
How to Navigate Difficult Classroom Conversations (opinion)
Excerpts:
“…It was soon clear that many students were not OK. One student broke into sobbing tears about world events and her personal attachments to them, then pivoted to profusely apologizing about her emotional release. Classmates beside her reached out with supportive hands on her shoulder while others provided Kleenex, and we collectively reassured her that there was nothing wrong with her tears—they were fully welcome in our classroom space. As we progressed through check-ins, additional students shared how they were struggling. Notably, those struggles spanned numerous sides of the conflict…”
“…Whether implicitly or explicitly, we believe in some fundamental principles of learning theory holding that intellectual growth often occurs because of discomfort—in other words, that the kind of discomfort that arises in the midst of cognitive dissonance or “wobble” is a productive condition for learning, especially when students can engage in supportive dialogue with others. Emotional discomfort, however, is a different thing, and I’ve watched many college educators become profoundly uncomfortable, resistant or even paralyzed in its midst. When that happens, we can falter in our capacity to see both the educational and human benefits of staying in that place of emotional discomfort and creating space for our students’ deep-felt expressions. In what follows, I share some strategies for educators to foster learning environments that can hold both cognitive and emotional discomfort in productive ways…”
How to Address Post-Traumatic Stress After the Election
Excerpt:
“…Past studies have linked political polarization with poorer health, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep issues, and problem drinking. But this is the first research to correlate this election polarization with PTSD. Perhaps this is because we believe others hold similar views as ours—and are shocked, scared, and traumatized to learn that’s not true…There are some simple ways to bridge this divide, combat affective polarization, and feel better, post-election…”
How to Talk to Your Team the Day After the Election
Summary:
The day and week (and weeks) following the U.S. election are going to be trying for all of us. While some of your colleagues may feel relieved or happy about the results, others might be feeling angry or anxious. What do you say, if anything, to your team about it? You might wish to avoid the topic, but recognizing the emotional atmosphere within your team and the broader mood of the country is important. In this article, three experts offer advice for what to actually say to your team after Election Day — even if the results are unknown.
Guidance for Post-Election Conversations
Adapted from Princeton University Office of Human Resources
Tips for Building Self-Awareness
The following tips can help employees navigate conversations with thoughtfulness, inclusion, respect, and self-awareness and recognize the boundaries of others within their workplaces.
- Consider one’s own personal comfort to engage or not to engage in discussions with colleagues about the election and/or civic interests
- Actively manage one’s own emotions and how to react to different viewpoints
- Acknowledge that some individuals welcome such discussions and are more comfortable sharing their views while others do not welcome such conversations and may consider political views private; respect, without judgment, the decision of others to refrain from or engage in conversation
- Consider one’s own University role and professional responsibilities; be aware of the potential impact of discussing the election given that role; if managing others, be particularly aware not to assert influence over or alienate the viewpoints of team members
- Remain open to hearing other viewpoints; prior to engaging in conversation, reflect on how to interact with colleagues who hold different perspectives
- Refrain from making or taking action on assumptions about the values and motivations of others · Practice effective listening skills(Link is external) that allow all parties to feel heard
- Be mindful of how to express personal viewpoints in a non-judgmental way and seek to engage versus alienate or “shut-down” other perspectives
- Respect confidentiality; refrain from sharing conversations with others without having obtained permission to do so; an easy reminder of this in practice is to talk with others, not about them
Examples for Declining Discussions
The following examples can help employees use respectful language when declining to have conversations with others:
- “I value how important this topic is in our daily lives. While our views may or may not align, I would like to refrain from having these discussions at work.”
- “I find these conversations difficult to talk about at work and would rather not engage in this type of discussion.”
8 Ways to Manage Post Election Anxiety and Stress
Source: Office of Wellbeing Cecil College
Resources for Support
Contact: B. Afeni McNeely Cobham
Nov. 18, 2024