Are You Using Labels to Talk Politics?

I ended last week’s message by saying we need to get away from discussing political topics by using labels such as conservative, liberal, libertarian and the like. Instead we need to focus on clarifying and agreeing on our principles and outcomes. That’s how we will solve our problems.

If labels don’t work, then why do we use them? One reason is labels create a shorthand busy people can use in their political lives. I relate these labels to many of the popular personality profiles used in the workplace today.

In an attempt to help us relate to one another, many organizations today use personality assessments like the Myers-Briggs or the DISC profile. Managers and salespeople, in particular, are taught how to discern other people’s personalities. This skill enables those managers and salespeople to adjust their own personality and be more effective in relating to the people they encounter in the workplace.

Unfortunately, this skill can be abused. Instead of using the skill empathically, the skill can be used mechanically, even manipulatively. The user can take the approach that the knowledge of personality relieves the user of the need to actually get to know the other person as an individual. Instead, the user looks at the personal interaction in the same way a mechanic might select a wrench for a different size nut or bolt. In other words, people who take the mechanical approach look at people as things.

This mechanical approach becomes another reason people rely on labels to talk politics.

When people rely on labels like Liberal and Conservative, what they are trying to do is compartmentalize people. I’ve found that those who are most committed to using labels are the most uncomfortable in trying to have a discussion of a political topic based on principles and outcomes.

Why? Because if you allow yourself to appreciate other people and their point of view, then you must begin to question your own.

This is scary for some people. They like categorizing people because then they don’t have to think of people as people, but rather as things--things such as liberal, conservative, illegal immigrants, etc. Having to think of people as people is therefore a threat to their ego. They’ve built their self esteem based on what they feel is the superiority of their point of view over a category. That may be why voters who oppose Hillary Clinton are hoping she gets the Democratic nomination. It makes their choice easy and reinforces their self esteem.

What’s more, when you find someone with an extreme case of this orientation, you may find this. Such people have what they perceive to be as enemies. If their enemies are not your enemies, as well, then you become an enemy to those people yourself. You can often see this manifested in this example. You express a position on a certain issue. The position you take is strongly identified with being a “liberal” or “conservative” position. The conclusion is that because you have this one belief on this one topic, then you must be a total “liberal” or “conservative”. Is it any wonder 43% of the population of voters refuse to identify themselves as Democrats or Republicans and call themselves Independents instead?

In his landmark book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey offered two habits our political process has yet to embrace. One was to Begin with the end in mind. Another was to Seek first to understand, then be understood. The knowledge of those Habits and the contrast with how we do our politics was one of my motivations for writing my book and doing what I do today. I say to you that if you want to see those habits applied to our political process, then train yourself and others to talk about politics by using principles and outcomes instead of labels.

See you next week.

Regards,

Larry

Listen to Me on the Radio

Lately I have had a flurry of radio appearances. A highlight this week is an appearance on the nationally syndicated Leslie Marshall Show on WWKB AM 1520 from Buffalo, NY on Thursday, Feb 28, 2008 at 8:20 EST (7:20 Central). My Blog has links to Leslie’s website, which has further links to radio stations with internet connections if you want to listen.

I also recorded an interview with Russ Morley of WFTL in Fort Lauderdale/Miami, FL which Russ told me would be broadcast on Wednesday morning, February 27, 2008 during his morning show.

Other appearances are noted on my Blog and on the calendar page of my web site.

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