Park City Leadership Class 29 developed the "Let’s Talk" training as its class project. Class member Virginia Solomon said with so much divisiveness in our world, learning to talk to each other, but more importantly listening to each other, might help solve some of our difficult problems.
“The hope is that you have a better understanding, a kind of better self-awareness of what it feels like in your body when you start to get triggered and get in a head space that takes you out of the skill sets that we're working on in the training.” Solomon said. “Learning how to actively listen, learning the importance of finding common ground when you're talking about difficult conversations, and then kind of learning how to put it together and communicate, to connect through storytelling.”
Once the leadership class disbanded, the training program was picked up by Mountain Mediation Center. Program Director Kris Campbell said the training reinforces the center’s mission.
“It was a really natural fit from there to have the project live on past the length of Class 29 to come to Mountain Mediation, where we're focusing on building a more inclusive community by improving communication resolving disputes,” Campbell said. “Being able to listen to each other really helps things keep from escalating in the first place, and helps people get to a spot where they can navigate conflict more effectively.”
The "Let’s Talk" training will be held Tuesday, Mar. 25, at the Jeremy Ranch Elementary School Community Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Four modules, including self-awareness, active listening, finding common ground and communicating to connect will be covered.
Campbell said they continue to train about 300 people every year and coming in April are the new “Let’s Talk Chats” which will help people who have taken the training to come back for more practice.
“As part of the training, we have exercises where people are in conversation with each other, and unfortunately, in the training, we have to cut those conversations short which people are really yearning to have those really deep, rewarding conversations that they start to develop in the training, so we look for more opportunities for them to be able to have those conversations. Coming back to the training is one way to do that.”
“Let’s Talk Chats” will be held on the first Monday of every month in the community room at Park City Library from noon to 1 p.m.
Both the training and the chats are free to attend, however registration is required.
