Healthy, constructive debates are a vital part of America’s success, beginning with the Founding Fathers and they can be the key to unlocking new ways of working, solving tough problems and pulling our Redmond community together.

But for some, learning how to communicate, debate and concede can be a long and winding road. Differences of opinion, personality clashes and high emotions can provoke regular discussions into escalating aggressions, from which it can be hard to claw back. Bullying, hostility and toxicity in government chambers can quickly create a cultural disaster.

We need to be able to confront one another and pose alternative viewpoints while trusting that our integrity is not damaged. We need to be able to voice opinions and argue without fear that it will permanently alter our community relationships. When we work within a frame of trust and challenge, we can safely have disagreements.

When tensions are heightened, as they are now, there will almost certainly be times when we need to air our emotions, but it’s crucial we can then get back to the matter at hand. If a framework of trust and challenge doesn’t exist, conversations can linger and sow the seeds of toxicity.

Healthy, constructive debates should lead to compromise with both sides agreeing to disagree. Then smile and shake hands. There, wasn’t that easy?

Joe Kosanovic

Redmond