We live in a world that has become polarized on many societal issues. Within the work of the lift-project, our team has also experienced polarization in our dialogues and explorations. It has indeed become essential to learn how to deal with these polarized conflicts in order to create a new politics.Polarized conflicts require a new initial step before two opposed parties are able to sit together. This step is about creating a human connection as a foundation to rise above the different realities the polarized parties inhabit.
Solving polarized conflicts requires moving from the transactional thinking that is used to resolve classic conflicts to a transformational thinking. Instead of settling for a win-win solution that suits the parties involved, overcoming polarized issues and solving our global, complex challenges require the involved parties to embrace a shared, higher purpose. This requires a transformation in thinking. And this requires a certain degree of introspection regarding our own mindset.
In the context of this project, Katrin Muff has focused on exploring this new positive impact mindset. Her book provides leading-edge research insights on mindset transformation. She differentiates between the individual mindset of leaders and change makers and the organizational mindset of the institutions they represent.
The transformation is about overcoming the traditional egocentric, competitive worldview to embrace a higher-purpose vision that is developed in a co-creative approach. In her book, she has outlined the transformation journey in all available detail and enriched it with stories. It builds on ground-breaking scientific work and is complemented with research insights from other fields.
Access chapters of the book on the LiFT Politics project website here
The full book will be made available in English here.