How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race: Practical Tools for Necessary Change in the Workplace and Beyond With Kwame Christian

Presented on: Tuesday, November 15th at 11:00 AM CST



Video not loading or do you see a “Video Unavailable” error after the talk is supposed to start? Try reloading the page! We are using YouTube Live to stream this event so if YouTube is blocked on your computer or browser, you may need to try a different device or different browser to watch.






View Upcoming Events View Past Event Recordings

Join us for an enlightening hour with bestselling author Kwame Christian as he chats about his new book "How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race: Practical Tools for Necessary Change in the Workplace and Beyond."

"How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race" helps readers gain the confidence to not only talk about race, but actually make a difference when you do. Negotiation expert Kwame Christian's motto is: "The best things in life are on the other side of difficult conversations." If we want a more equitable workplace, and a more equitable world, we have to talk to each other about race. But, for so many of us, that's easier said than done. Many people avoid conversations about race because of fear: fear of discomfort, damaging important relationships, being misunderstood, "cancelled," or ostracized. "How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race" equips you with the skills you need to make these crucial conversations easier and more productive. Whether you're looking to create change for yourself and other BIPOC or a white ally seeking to support your coworkers or clients, you'll learn how to:

  • Overcome your internal barriers to talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
  • Work around others' barriers to productive discussion.
  • Be strategic about the outcome you want, and guide the conversation accordingly.
  • Use "compassionate curiosity" to connect and persuade.
  • Avoid common mistakes.
  • Communicate more effectively over email, when you can't talk face to face.

If you've ever struggled to turn passion into persuasion, or been too afraid to speak up at work (or outside of it), this talk is for you. The first step toward lasting social change is productive discussion. With Kwame Christian guiding you, you'll never shy away from those important conversations again, instead approaching them with courage and conviction.

About the Author: Kwame Christian is a bestselling author, lawyer, professor and the managing director of the American Negotiation Institute. He has conducted countless specialized trainings worldwide and is a highly sought after keynote speaker. His bestselling book, "Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life" has helped countless individuals overcome the fear, anxiety and emotion associated with difficult conversations using the "Compassionate Curiosity Framework". He’s also host of the "Negotiate Anything" podcast. With over four million downloads and listeners in more than 180 countries, it's the most popular negotiation podcast in the world.

In addition, Kwame is a business lawyer at Carlile, Patchen & Murphy, LLP and serves as a professor for The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law in its top-ranked dispute resolution program and Otterbein University’s MBA program. Kwame’s proudest achievement is his family. He’s married to Dr. Whitney Christian and they have two lovely sons, Kai and Dominic.


The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Daniel Boone Regional Library.