Panel urges leaders to build personal ties, focus on policy and resist social-media toxicity

At a recorded session titled “How to Disagree Better,” governors and legislative leaders said civil disagreement starts with humanizing opponents and keeping the focus on policy rather than personalities. Moderator introduced a lightning round and asked each panelist for a short answer on what separates destructive disagreement from productive debate.

“Having a personal relationship with the person that you're talking to leads to a better conversation even if you vehemently disagree,” said Governor Pritzker. Governor Stitt added that a useful starting point is to “focus on policy, not personalities,” while Speaker Hoffman recommended acknowledging disagreement and occasionally conceding points to ease negotiations: “If you seed things to the other side that you know are theirs… it facilitates agreement.”

Panelists used practical examples to stress the point. Speaker McClintock urged elected officials to “change lenses” and hear the other person's perspective, framing such efforts as necessary to move from debate to problem solving. Multiple speakers said governors and legislators should model restraint online: “The weapons of disagreement are much greater now because of social media,” Speaker Hoffman warned.

The session concluded with a charge to act: attendees were urged to return to their state capitols and lead by example — convening bipartisan breakfasts, prioritizing constituent needs over partisan scoring, and avoiding inflammatory social-media behavior. The moderator closed by thanking the panel for demonstrating that disagreement can produce progress when handled productively.