Hubert H. Humphrey once said, “Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.” As the School that bears his name, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs aims to live by that sentiment.
In fact, the School's strategic plan states it plainly: “We value inclusion and dialogue across differences: Nurturing a culture and environment where everyone feels welcome and heard.”
It’s becoming more difficult to nurture an environment that welcomes different perspectives, however, as political discourse in the United States has become more divided and more contentious.
As a result, leaders at the Humphrey School are putting extra effort this year into encouraging discussion and debate that is constructive and collaborative, not only in the classroom but in the larger community.
One concrete step in that effort is the School’s recent launch of a new initiative called Constructive Dialogue, which is designed to train students to bridge divides and work collaboratively across differences. It comes after the recognition that conflict and tension have become more apparent in recent months.
“Our students have been struggling with how to have constructive dialogue with each other, in the classroom and outside of it,” said Assistant Dean Diana Beck, who is leading implementation of the program along with Rachel Leatham, director of the School’s Office of Career and Student Success. “This is happening everywhere. Not just at our school, and not just in higher education—but in the workplace as well, where it’s harder for people with different perspectives to collaborate and work together constructively.”
Training begins with incoming students
Incoming Humphrey School students participated in a Constructive Dialogue workshop during their orientation week activities in late August. Before that day, they were asked to complete an online curriculum that served as an introduction to the concept.
“We are placing a renewed focus on this practice, which is more crucial than ever,” Dean Nisha Botchwey told the incoming students. “We embrace the power of conversation and collaboration. We practice understanding, empathy, and respect for differing perspectives. Our goal is to create leaders that can foster understanding. As you graduate, you’ll take this with you as you go into your careers and into society.”
The Constructive Dialogue Initiative was developed by the Volcker Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering the public sector workforce by strengthening public service education, in partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI).
The Alliance pulled together 14 public policy schools from across the country, including the Humphrey School, to pilot the initiative over the next 18 months.
The goal for the schools is to integrate the bridge building and constructive dialogue practices that have been developed by the CDI into their programming, with hopes of making them permanent elements of their curricula in the future.
Improving communication through improv
So, how to translate that lofty goal into practical steps for 150-plus incoming graduate students? Through improv, of course.
The Humphrey School partnered with alumnus Tane Danger (MPP ‘16)—whose company, Danger Boat Productions, facilitates events and training sessions with a healthy dose of improv and comedy—to lead the orientation workshop.
Danger began by giving the large student group an overview of the day’s activities.
“The goal is to figure out ways to bring people together to have all kinds of conversations, where we can understand each other and see each other as human beings, and we can be OK saying we don’t always agree,” Danger told the students. “I fundamentally believe that we can find an area of agreement with just about everybody. Improv teaches you that you have everything within you to succeed at this. It doesn’t mean it's easy or you won’t struggle, but you can do it.”
After the large group presentation, the students broke into several small groups led by Danger and his colleagues. They guided the students through a series of activities designed to demonstrate how to have better conversations, how to become an active listener, and how to get used to being in uncomfortable situations.
Think icebreaker games. But in this one, the sillier and more uncomfortable you are, the louder everyone cheers for you.
The lesson, according to Danger, is “to recognize that you aren’t going to be perfect when trying to talk about an uncomfortable topic. You’ll feel awkward or vulnerable. But the more you do it, the easier it gets.” And you should support others when they’re in the same situation.
Other exercises included “mirroring,” with two people trying to follow each other’s physical movements; conversations that started with the word "no," then switched to "yes, and"; as well as group discussions focused on seeking to understand each individual’s feelings on an issue.
Students surveyed afterward described the workshop as insightful, highlighting its practical value in helping them build essential skills for effective communication, active listening, and meaningful collaboration. Many noted that the experience equipped them with tools to confidently navigate challenging conversations, both in and out of the classroom.
Next steps
Beck said the School has ambitious plans for expanding the program beyond introducing it to incoming students. Some of these next steps are already in the planning stages, including instituting training for faculty, staff, and second-year students; hosting public events to model difficult conversations; and planning for next year's new student orientation.
A bit further down the road, she said the School plans to develop Constructive Dialogue training opportunities for the larger community, and equip students to become trainers themselves.
Fostering essential skills for future leaders
“Schools of public service have a unique role to play in preparing university students to discuss topics and policies that reach across society’s divides,” the Volcker Alliance said in announcing the Constructive Dialogue Initiative. Leaders here agree the Humphrey School should be at the forefront of these efforts.
“This is where democracy survives and thrives. Who else is going to do it?” said Beck. “We are struggling with these skills in a lot of spaces. This is a skill set that everyone needs for our society to function—to meet across differences.”
Leatham added, “We have students at the Humphrey School who are committed to changing the world, and we have an obligation to equip them with the skills they need to navigate really challenging social issues that we face. It’s an essential skill that all future leaders need to have.”
