PPP 452 | How to Build Bridges Across Divides at Work and Beyond, with Juliana Tafur

In this episode, Andy interviews Juliana Tafur, the inaugural director of the Bridging Differences Program at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. The conversation explores practical strategies for bridging divides in a polarized world, both in personal and professional contexts.

Juliana shares insights from her experiences growing up in a divided Colombia, her work in the U.S. post-9/11, and research on bridging differences. The episode also covers the psychological roots of 'othering' and offers practical advice for fostering connections despite differences. Additionally, resources like the seven-day Campaign for Connection Challenge and the Bridging Differences Playbook are highlighted to help you apply these concepts in your daily life.

What if you could get better at bridging divides in these polarized times? This episode will help you do that!

• "Disconnection is one of the evils of our time."
• "Our brains will always go to labeling. That is just how our brains function."
• "No one is a single label… we are so multi-dimensional."
• "Listening is truly like a hidden superpower."
• "Just by us listening, we are perceived as more trustworthy."
• "You can affirm their feelings while still disagreeing."
• "The value of humility, openness, curiosity, empathy—are not really front and center in our society."

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:11 Start of Interview
• 02:24 Juliana's Background and Influences
• 04:29 Understanding 'Othering' and Tribalism
• 08:42 The Power of Listening with Compassion
• 10:33 Practical Steps for Deep Listening
• 16:40 Real-Life Examples of Bridging Divides
• 24:54 The Problem with Labels
• 27:10 The Seven Day Campaign for Connection Challenge
• 29:54 Resources for Bridging Differences
• 31:47 Teaching Kids to Bridge Differences
• 35:29 End of Interview
• 35:55 Andy's Comments After the Interview
• 39:23 Outtakes

You can learn more about Juliana and her Bridging Differences program at GGSC.Berkeley.edu/What_we_do/Major_Initiatives/Bridging_Differences. You can download the Bridging Differences Playbook and access the Bridging Differences Videos from that page.

For more learning on this topic, check out:

• Episode 380 with Monica Guzman about her book on a similar topic.
• Episode 371 with Amanda Ripley about her book High Conflict.
• Episode 276 with Buster Benson about his book
• Episode 284 with Peter Boghossian about having what seem like impossible conversations.

Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: Listening, Empathy, Connection, Polarization, Leadership, Communication, Conflict, Project Management

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Ignotus by Agnese Valmaggia License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Tropical Vibe by WinnieTheMoog License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license