Welcome to the thirty-eighth issue of CEE News!

For those of you who have been reading CEE News lately to hear about my summer travel exploits, I’ll save you the anticipation: no family feud broke out on the Alaskan cruise. (If you have no idea what I am talking about, you can catch up here).

We did not discuss the subject of global warming. My brothers (all from Texas) did not tease me about the ban on plastic straws in my state (California). No one called ‘fake news’ on anyone else.

Instead of feeding ourselves a constant diet of bespoke media, we spent the week letting go of what divides us. We laughed over childhood stories at the breakfast buffet, posed for family snaps while rediscovering things like the Klondike gold rush of the 1890s, and sang Irish drinking songs together in the pub after dinner.

Of course, I didn’t have to tap into my leadership toolkit to make the week go so smoothly. It happened naturally. We instinctively withdrew into our past, while avoiding the tough subject of our collective present.

Was the week a success because we avoided the tension of political debates?  I guess that’s the question I’ve been asking myself this year. From 10 Ways to Talk to Someone You Disagree With, to 3 Ways Successful Leaders Embrace Tension, I’ve been processing this issue. I don’t want to feel good about getting through the day without conflict. I want to learn to master the art of participating in healthy dialogue especially with those who have another worldview.

Is that too idealistic? Maybe. But, if I’m going to get there, I’ll have to find opportunities to practice.

After all, Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

Sheri Nasim | President & CEO