Civility, empathy, authenticity go long way during seasonal discussions

Did you know that a recent 2025 poll by the American Psychological Association found that many Americans are grappling with the stress from societal division, which has led to increased loneliness and emotional disconnection? The poll discovered that 54% of Americans feel isolated, 50% feel left out, and more than 7 in 10 report needing additional emotional support, more than they received in the past year.

In today’s knowledge economy, we cannot avoid conversations that include misinformation or conflict. The APA poll illustrates a nation in need of resources on emotional health, and on addressing societal division through effective communication.

As a communication professor and PR consultant in Northwest Indiana, I teach how to navigate misinformation and conflict through authenticity, empathy, logic and collaboration.

Recently, in my workplace communication course, we discussed the negative impact of misinformation on organizational projects. One student shared a scenario where he overheard incorrect information from a colleague about the steps to run a machine. Unsure how to navigate the misinformation, he declined to intervene. The hesitation stemmed from not knowing how to present accurate information and fear of conflict.

The student discussed his experience in a similar situation at a previous job, where he offered observational data to colleagues, and the responses were rude. The situation left him feeling diminished and discouraged him from speaking in the later situation. This example highlights a real and often overlooked factor in our personal and organizational spaces — incivility has a high cost.

According to Dr. Christine Porath, management professor and author of “Mastering Civility,” incivility negatively impacts emotions, motivation, performance and how we treat others (Porath, 2018). Despite its high cost, incivility persists due to stress, overwhel, and the misconceptions associated with leadership. Porath’s research found that individuals who acted civilly were twice as likely to be viewed as leaders and performed better overall. When civility is executed, people are perceived as warm, confident, smart and friendly.

My student’s experience was not an outlier. It reflects a broader pattern in which incivility becomes normalized, causing people to accept poor communication and deal with the consequences of poor mental health and wellness.

The following strategies are especially timely during the holiday season, when social interactions increase and emotions can become tense.

As you navigate misinformation or manage conflict, consider applying the following:

Provide a Source Trail

In situations of misinformation, offer credible resources that allow individuals to independently verify information. In the workplace, this may include a standard operating procedure document, an email or a policy document. Providing a source trail shifts the conversation from  emotion to logic, reduces emotional defensiveness and supports constructive communication. In situations of correcting misinformation, avoid relying on personal authority for validation, which can potentially create conflict.

Be Mindful of Your Paralanguage

How your message is conveyed often matters more than the message itself. Paralanguage includes your pitch, tone, rate, inflection and vocal fillers. According to the American Association for Physician Leadership, effective physicians build credibility and trust through different vocal dimensions during message delivery. If a message is delivered with a tone of anger, it increases the likelihood it will be received negatively. Practice the art of delivering messages with empathy, sincerity and authenticity.

Manage Your “you”

Effective conflict management promotes collaboration and active listening. In tense situations, listen to understand rather than to respond. Ask sincere questions and paraphrase points to ensure clarity. Avoid accusatory “you” statements, which can disrupt collaborative dialogue. Instead of saying, “You are wrong”, opt for “I “ statements that promote collaboration.

For example:

“I know there’s a lot of information on this topic, and it can be tough to figure out what’s trustworthy. I find myself stressed with the false claims, which only makes it harder to stay informed. I’d love to share some reliable resources with you, and you can review and draw your own conclusions.”

These tips allow you to show up authentically and sincerely while reducing emotional tensions that derail constructive dialogue. Most importantly, they strengthen relationships across professional and personal contexts. Combating misinformation is not winning an argument, it’s about opportunities of learning and civility to build social capital through trust.