Americans everywhere seem to be struggling to find ways to express deeply personal -- perhaps conflicting -- feelings about very important issues, such as race relations, culture, spirituality and politics. We could do as our parents taught us and attempt to avoid all conversation that has to do with politics, religion and sex, or we can apply some simple communication strategies to help us through these difficult conversations with our heads, hearts and relationships intact. 

There’s a long-running joke around the Shift•ology office we don’t do math. Correction. None of us like to do math; but we do it nearly every day in the practice of public relations.

Listening: the most undervalued, yet crucial communication skill. I think most Americans would agree that listening is a lost art and that perhaps our country could be more unified if we would all spend more time practicing this skill.