The United States is more politically and culturally divided than it has been since the 1960s and Americans are fatigued. They are demanding solutions. Tom Fishman believes if curiosity, compassion, and courage can be cultivated into daily habits, we can overcome the polarization, blind tribalism, and dehumanization threatening the social fabric of our communities.

Not only does Tom believe teaching others to be curious, compassionate, and courageous will heal the differences in our communities, he makes the case for bringing these skills into our organizations to make them run more effectively.

In this episode, Tom discusses the extend to which division exists in the United States, how we got here, and how we can bridge this divide. The key is not to demand people come to the middle. Rather, a willingness to understand others without judgment is critical to erasing the notion that people with different ideas than our own are our enemies. Tom talks about how Starts With Us is using social media and technology to teach people the skills needed to communicate and understand others who may see the world differently. Tom also talks about how leaders who teach these skills to their teams can elevate performance in their organizations.

Tom Fishman is CEO of Starts With Us. With an education in physics, Tom has spent his career solving complex problems for media companies like Facebook, Viacom, and Condé Nast. Now, Tom is using his experience with media and technology to habituate the daily practice of curiosity, compassion and courage in order to foster independent thinking and constructive communication across lines of difference. Starts With Us is a movement working to overcome extreme political and cultural division in America.