Courageous Democracy
Build trust across difference — and turn it into shared civic action.
Courageous Democracy helps leaders, communities, institutions, and young people build the skills to engage across difference, reduce fear-based reactions, and create more inclusive, responsive, and thriving communities.
Like you, we are concerned about divisiveness and rancor in our society. Since 2008, we have brought together organizational leaders, psychologists, conflict transformers, educators, and consultants to help people reconnect across difference and act on shared values and shared goals.
“The program taught me to be open to many interpretations of situations. It had me not assume and instead see how many unique perspectives there are.”
Where we’ve seen impact
500 students
Engaged in the first Junior State of America cohort, with 88% much more likely to engage in courageous conversations across difference.
Over 1000 Rotarians
In partnership with Rotary for over 8 years in rural and urban California communities. 94% of Rotarians want to continue this work.
100% of participants
In one large technology company said they would engage in courageous conversations with people holding different views.
4 cities
Boston, Cambridge, New Bedford, and Providence partnered in local government work to build trust, emotional awareness, and momentum for more participatory and responsive community relationships.
Good News & Great News
The ability of the people to act together with open hearts and minds in the face of fear or discomfort is essential for a sustainable democracy. Courageous Democracy is built on learned skills, built through practice with social support, and honed through collaborative work toward shared goals. We teach these skills, with data-backed results!
“I am grateful to have been told and reinforced that it is OK to have difficult conversations, and that my physical reactions are normal…and the tools provided to help rewire the auto-reactions. I love this and want to learn more.”
The Good News: You and your organization can help build a more Courageous Democracy right where you are, with the people and groups around you. No need to wait for a huge effort organized by people from elsewhere; you can do this, and we can help.
“Not being defensive or feeling like I have to ‘win’ the argument. Maybe it's not even an argument….”
The Great News: More In Common (and other public opinion research) found that a majority of Americans believe we can (re)learn how to work together, despite our differences. 72% of Americans—across all demographic, geographic, and political groupings—agree that we have a responsibility to connect with people who are different from ourselves. What is often missing: the skills and opportunities to meaningfully and productively connect; exactly what we can team with you to offer. One more piece of good news: the more people believe others are connecting across differences, the more willing they are to do the same. So, you will inspire not only your people, you'll be setting the pace for folks across the nation.
"I've already found many opportunities to apply things that I learned. Just today, [I]…spoke to a group about weighing probabilities of our automatic negative thoughts being true, and alignment with our ultimate goals and values.”
Even Greater News: We all have the capacity to help tip the scales toward a sustainable, healthy democracy. And we don’t need permission or action from any politician, lobbyist, or party. Even so, don’t go it alone. Democracy is a participatory sport, so get support. Join one of the many organizations doing bridging and democracy-building, including ours. And then, share the good news.
Our Invitation to You
We feel—and hope you share—a particular urgency to support and scale up these efforts. We are determined to help create a more inclusive and responsive democracy that includes all respectful and responsible points of view. With a proven program and outstanding outcomes, we’re expanding our capacity to partner with people and organizations, that share our concerns, and our belief in a better way, like you and yours. In the corporate, civic, community, or philanthropic sectors, we're expanding the reach of Courageous Democracy, and generating meaningful impact. This program is administered for social good, and funded by individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations.
Our Evidence-Based Programs
All Courageous Leadership programs are built on social science. Over a decade working with partners, colleagues, and advisors, (including Phil Zimbardo, Lynne Henderson, Paul Gilbert, Kim Cameron), we have created highly interactive programs to help leaders and teams. We help people recognize invisible systemic influences and subtle social cues, manage internal reactions under stress, and override unhelpful human reactions (e.g., dehumanizing, avoiding, and lashing out). We train people to act and collaborate with compassion, ethical courage, and ingenuity.
“Yes, it was helpful at work and in political conversations, but the best part was it’s been great with my wife! Learning to really listen has changed my marriage.”
Our programs and evidence-based tools have been used with clients like Google, MIT Sloan, GE, the Omidyar Group, Microsoft, Pfizer, Kaiser Permanente, the Hewlett Foundation, Columbia Medical Center, the Australian Government, Post Carbon Institute, American Leadership Forum, and others.
"Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part that is within our reach. "
—Clarissa Pinkola Estes
