Have you ever been in your car listening to music when, for some reason, you have to pay extra attention to the road—perhaps your left turn is coming up, or you’re getting ready to parallel park—so you reach over to turn down the volume on the radio? Why do we do that? To clear our heads, to make space for the most important task, to lighten our sensory load. And it works.
Right now, it feels like I’m surrounded by noise. I feel like I’m in a car, and the radio is frantically cycling between channels, there’s a siren off in the distance, and the wind is screaming through the windows. But I’m not. The noise is coming from the news, social media, and my own hope and fear and sadness and excitement that goes along with an important election. There is a cacophony of opinions, accusations, and debates. There are soundbites without context and headlines with clickbait. People on all sides are fighting for attention and resonance.
I’ve come to realize that it’s terribly distracting. That environment makes it hard to think deeply and pay attention to what’s most meaningful, which is what I—and likely most of us—actually need. I have been encouraging myself to step back and turn the metaphorical volume down. But that’s not easy, at least for me. So, I thought I’d share what I’ve been doing to help myself achieve it because I have a hunch that I’m not the only one who feels like I do.
I’ve been trying hard to focus and learn. Whether I’m reading or listening to a perspective about current events, I have started to actively think about the information I’m taking in. If I agree, I ask myself what they/I might be getting wrong, and if I disagree, I ask how it differs from my opinion and what biases I might be bringing to the table. What can I learn from this person? How am I productively adding this to my storage bank of opinions? Doing this has slowed down my emotions and thinking and kept me more attentive to what’s being communicated.
I’ve also stopped getting caught up in personalities and started delving into the issues. When we get caught up in the politicians and talking heads, which absolutely is happening right now, we forget that behind every opinion, every vote, and every campaign slogan is a person who has real concerns and struggles. The issues remind us of what can and may be done to solve the real circumstances we’re in.
For me, one of the greatest sources of frustration comes from that feeling that the government is overstepping its bounds and is more focused on controlling lives than improving them. And I know there’s a danger in me saying that because it might sound like I’m only talking about social issues, but I’m not. My concerns extend beyond being gay (though there are significant threats to me and my family because of that, as I’ve shared before). I am also talking about economic fairness and access to opportunity for people across the political spectrum and social landscape. We all worry about living costs, secure housing, and public safety. I want to hear about improvements to education, the healthcare system, and infrastructure. These are the unsexy, not-hot-button issues that meaningfully impact all of us. I’m trying to recenter people by responding to those issues rather than react to the very loud voices dominating the airwaves with conversations about other things.
I want to encourage all of us to think about redirecting any energy that has become anger or frustration into really deliberating and educating ourselves about policies that lift us all up rather than legislating who we are. What are the facts, the data, and the stories that support my position and the positions I disagree with? What are the actual issues, and what ideas are being put forth to help people thrive? Beyond the personal digs, what will life be like and feel like with the proposed policies that address these longstanding issues?
The final thing I’m doing, and perhaps the most central thing, is recentering on the human experience and the basic human needs I know we all have. It’s easy to demonize, degrade, and distance ourselves from people who, on the surface, are nothing like us. At the heart of everything happening right now, I continue to believe that most people are motivated by a desire to simply be seen, heard, valued, and helped. These fundamental human needs transcend political affiliations, and, in the heat of political discussion, we absolutely lose sight of them.
I often say that it's not our title, what we're paid, or where we work that makes us leaders. It's how we move through the world: it's the choices we make every day, even the tiniest ones, that show us and others who we are. Right now, showing up leaderly really matters. It’s important that we lead with compassion and understanding and with a commitment to making our government work for everyone, not just the wealthy, not just straight people, not just people like us. And I think we need to do some of that minding our business that Tim Walz mentioned.
At the end of the day, democracy isn't like a basketball game with a winner and a loser and game over. The democratic game actually starts after the buzzer when we have to work together to find solutions. It's hard to dig in and find real solutions. And beyond our individual responsibility to vote, it’s also our responsibility to be leaderly in how we’re thinking about working with and for all people, and finding ways that elevate our conversations versus dragging them down.
I just heard the term “summoning our better angels.” And it resonates so profoundly with me. And it’s a universal call that is necessary right now. We can come together (at least some of us) and we can forge paths that unite us around some of our basic human needs. But the noise makes it hard to do that because it taps into our impulsive selves. If we turn down the volume on the chaotic noise and summon our better angels, our higher selves, I absolutely believe we can create a future where the government is a force for good and a force that supports us, lifts us up, and makes our lives better. And that works for everybody.
If you’re headed to the great Minnesota Get Together this year, check out how the Minnesota State Fair is embracing sustainability in a big way. As the second largest state fair (Texas takes first place), this is no small accomplishment.
New initiatives include expanded composting and recycling programs, eco-friendly vendor practices, and a push towards reducing single-use plastics across the fairgrounds. The "Eco Experience" exhibit is also back, showcasing cutting-edge green technologies and sustainable living practices.These efforts showcase how the fair is doing its part to protect the environment and serve up the fun and food we all love.
Explore the Eco Experience on the Minnesota State Fair’s website.
Dyani White Hawk, a Minneapolis-based artist of Sicangu Lakota heritage, is gaining national recognition for her powerful work that blends contemporary art and traditional Native American techniques. Her art, which often addresses themes of cultural preservation, identity, and resilience, has been featured in major exhibitions across the country. Supporting artists like Dyani enriches the local arts scene while amplifying marginalized communities' voices and stories.
Take a look at Dyani’s work and consider ways to support Indigenous artists in your own communities.
Black Tech Talent is a Minneapolis-based organization on a mission to increase the representation of Black professionals in the tech industry. The organization, founded by Michael K. Jackson, connects Black talent with leading companies. Both job seekers and talent seekers can post and join the community. They hope to address the diversity gap in tech and empower a new generation of Black entrepreneurs and professionals in the Midwest.
Find out how you can contribute to their important mission on their website.
And if you live in the Midwest, you know how fleeting summer feels sometimes. But it’s not over yet, my friends. Spend some time outside in the coming weeks and store up the gorgeous energy that can only come from the summer sun. Celebrate your friends and long days. I’m telling you, it’s food for the soul. Grab your pals, and go on an adventure. Lay in a hammock and read a book. Explore a new trail on your bikes. Paddle out into some calm waters and watch a sunset. No matter what anyone tells you about self-care, nothing beats some outside with a group of supportive humans.
Fall gigs are ramping up. If you have an internal summit or a conference coming up, I can speak to nearly every level of audience and my topics are relevant to the myriad experiences people are having at workplaces today. And I bring the energy. Here's a brief note I received about one of my summer keynotes:Thank you! The hour was fantastic and everyone enjoyed it!!!! So inspiring and funny.
Take a look at my topics (and rave reviews).
“Don't worry about accepting or rejecting the other person's story. First work to understand it. The mere act of understanding someone else's story doesn't require you to give up your own.” — Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, & Sheila Heen
