Statewide Iowa (RI) – Many Iowans will be meeting up this week with family members they haven’t seen in a while, and some of us need to mentally prepare ourselves so we’re not sucked into a political squabble that ruins Thanksgiving.
University of Iowa Professor Michele Williams says to plan ahead and give some thought to good conversation starters, things that don’t include inflation, health care, gas prices or the economy.
In order to keep the conversations civil, Williams says the key is to remain cool and patient, and to tread carefully on potential hot-button topics.
She says some families manage conflict by deciding only to talk about football, the kids, or other things they have in common, and not politics.
Williams is a UI professor of management and entrepreneurship in the Tippie College of Business and she’s a psychologist who specializes in management communications and relationships.
KIWA Staff Photo
