Building Bridges in a Divisive World with Van Jones

CNN Host and Rapport Co-Founder Van Jones recently appeared on SHRM's Tomorrowist podcast. A summary of that conversation appears below.

Not everyone supports bridge building. Just ask Van Jones, CNN political analyst and host of “The Van Jones Show.” As an outspoken Democrat, Jones acknowledges that his previous work as an advisor to President Barack Obama and his affiliation with CNN raise concerns when he speaks to conservative audiences. But imagine his surprise when those who share his political views are the ones attacking him. 

During an appearance by Jones on a daytime talk show, the hosts openly condemned and mocked him for the very bridge building he takes pride in. It’s apparent we have a problem when not only disagreeing about politics is viewed as immoral, but simply communicating with kindness is as well. 

Jones readily acknowledges how legacy media outlets such as CNN and Fox News contribute to “hot culture” by chasing sensationalism. “We're all chasing a smaller and smaller pie of people who even want to look at television,” he explains. But things have come to a head. “Civility is not optional. Civility is key to civilization,” Jones says, highlighting the importance of maintaining a functioning society by addressing the civility crisis. And he’s doing something about it.

The Civility Crisis 

Jones co-founded the workplace technology company Rapport for this very reason. He’s addressing what he believes is technology’s role in societal division, and how it can instead foster better communication and understanding in today’s polarized world. “There’s something going on where technology is being used to distract and divide people,” he notes.

Jones realizes that positive messages receive less engagement compared to outrage-driven content. This trend, according to Jones, is driven by the incentive structures built into social media platforms, and it needs fixing. “People just kind of follow the trend, and right now, it’s just trendy to be crappy,” Jones says. “I think that’s like a sick fad. And I think we need to make a better fad.” He’s convinced there’s a need for leadership, especially within organizations, to reverse this trend. 

Building Bridges Through Understanding

Jones emphasizes the importance of understanding and empathy in bridging divides within not just culture, but organizations. He shares his approach of finding common ground with those he disagrees with. For him, it’s Republicans. He acknowledges and respects them and focuses on their values. “The stuff I care about is so much more important than who you voted for,” Jones says, urging people to start conversations with admiration and respect, rather than condemnation. This approach, he argues, is more persuasive and constructive.

Jones also says it’s vital for leaders and co-workers not to call people out, simply because it doesn’t work. His key principle is “Call up, not call out.” Insulting or shaming someone from a position of moral superiority is pointless because no one changes. Instead, he advocates for recognizing and building on shared values. “The idea is to begin to develop a discipline and look for points of agreement first,” Jones says. “Look for where you can admire someone first, to call someone up, and to call someone in.” This method fosters a more positive and productive dialogue, which is essential for creating a cohesive workplace and society. 

Executives as the Final Champions of Civility 

Everyone needs a job, and Jones sees the workplace as the last remaining space where people from diverse backgrounds interact regularly. This means executives have a monumental role in addressing the civility crisis. “If you have civility at work, the country can work. If you don’t have civility at work, the country won’t work,” he says. His company Rapport can help fill this gap by using technology to enhance emotional intelligence and therefore aiding employees in their effort to understand and support one another better.

This approach makes virtual work environments more human by providing tools for employees to check in with themselves and one another. Jones warns that the current state of work lacks meaningful human interaction, and quick check-ins to assess energy levels, workloads, and significant personal events can foster deeper understanding and empathy among team members. “Technology is more focused on data and less focused on wisdom,” he says. “The next round, I think, of innovation and technology is, how do we now use all this stuff and all these tools for wisdom and not just for data?” 

Why Young People Don’t Need Safe Spaces

As students lash out at college campuses demanding safe spaces, Jones says it’s time to push them a bit. He supports challenging young people to develop psychological and emotional strength, warning that their avoidance of difficult ideas and conversations only leads to weakness. “I don’t want you to be safe psychologically. I want you to be strong psychologically,” he says. “You get strong by being challenged.” 

Just as we don’t remove weights from a gym, we shouldn’t remove the weight of being exposed to challenging topics. Jones says it may hurt and be uncomfortable, but it builds resilience and critical thinking, key components in professional development. “I want you to be offended. I want you to be insulted,” he says. “And then I want you to be able to find your center … find the words, and find the argument that is persuasive.”