We can vehemently disagree with someone's ideology and yet still passionately pursue their humanity."

-Justin Jones-Fosu

In this episode, Ana Melikian speaks with the extraordinary Justin Jones-Fosu, a speaker, author, and social entrepreneur, about mastering the art of respectful disagreement in an increasingly divided world. They delve into Justin’s latest book, "I Respectfully Disagree," which offers a timely exploration of maintaining humanity in contentious discussions.

Drawing from personal influences, especially his mother’s teachings, Justin illustrates the importance of seeing beyond ideologies and valuing the humanity in others. He introduces his five pillars framework for respectful disagreement: Challenge Your Perspective, Be the Student, Cultivate Your Curiosity, Seek the Gray, and Agree to Respect. Each pillar is designed to foster growth, understanding, and meaningful engagement, whether in personal relationships or professional settings.

Justin and Ana discuss practical applications of these principles, highlighting real-life examples including how agreeing to disagree respectfully can enhance organizational culture and individual interactions. They emphasize the critical role of listening, the power of curiosity, and the necessity of maintaining respect even amidst profound disagreements.

If you’re curious about how to foster healthier conversations and bridge ideological divides while maintaining mutual respect, this episode provides valuable insights and actionable strategies.

Let's dive in!

This week on The Mindset Zone:

00:07 Introduction and Welcome

00:50 Guest Introduction – Justin Jones-Fosu

01:49 The Premise of Valuing Humanity While Disagreeing

02:21 Influence of Justin’s Mother on His Ideals

03:48 The Start of "I Respectfully Disagree"

04:28 Explanation of the Five Pillars of Respectful Disagreement

05:15 Challenge Your Perspective

08:07 Be the Student

10:07 Cultivate Your Curiosity

13:15 Seek the Gray

15:13 Agree to Respect

17:33 Application in Organizational Culture

22:09 Creating Spaces for Respectful Disagreement

24:36 Personal and Generational Reflections on Courage

27:12 Conclusion and Wrap-Up

Meet Our Guest:

Justin Jones-Fosu is a husband, full-time daddy of 2 high-energy kids, and he also recently summited one of the 7 Summits (the tallest mountain on each continent). He also happens to be a highly sought-after business speaker, social entrepreneur, and meaningful work researcher. He is the founder and CEO of Work. Meaningful. where he speaks 50-60 times per year to companies, organizations, and associations in the US and Internationally on meaningful work and diversity/inclusion.

He is passionate about helping organizations and individuals take ownership of their mindset, purpose, and performance to achieve amazing results. He is the author of Your WHY Matters NOW, The Inclusive Mindset, and his latest book: I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World challenges the reader to spend more time building bridges than erecting barriers. He is passionate about turning events into memorable experiences with his humorous and engaging delivery as well as his research-based content!

He is the Chairman of the Board of Work Meaningful Foundation where they support educational initiatives on the continent of Africa and the country of the United States.

Connect with:

Website: HowToRespectfullyDisagree.com

Company: WorkMeaningful.com

LinkedIn: Justin Jones-Fosu

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Dialogue: Beyond Speaking & Listening with Bhakti Karkare

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