Dignity at the Dinner Table
One of the biggest things that gets in the way of dignity—in workplaces and families—is avoidance.
Not because people don’t care, but because they’re afraid of the discomfort that might come with honesty.
With Thanksgiving this week, I’ve been thinking about how often we brace ourselves before certain conversations. We go in armored, rehearsing responses, preparing to defend or retreat. This shows up in the workplace just as much as it does at home.
But what if we reframed it?
Avoidance often shows up simply because we’re unsure how to step into the conversation without things getting messy. So we hold back, tiptoe, or pretend it doesn’t matter.
But what if entering the conversation looked different?
What if we led with:
an intention to understand rather than to be understood,
curiosity instead of self-protection,
connection instead of proving a point?
It’s a completely different posture. And it changes everything.
Clarity softens people. Curiosity disarms defensiveness. And connection—the real kind—doesn’t happen when we’re protecting ourselves.
This week, if something tricky comes up at the table, you might try entering the conversation a little differently:
“Tell me more about why you see it that way.”
“Can you walk me through what you mean?”
“Help me understand so I’m not assuming.”
“I’m trying to understand your perspective more clearly.”
No big speech. No performance. Just an invitation.
And here’s the bridge back to the workplace:
The dignity muscles we practice at home are the same ones we need at work.
Clarity. Curiosity. Connection.
They all start with one choice: I’m willing to enter this conversation differently—and set down any armor I walked in with.
Wishing you a Thanksgiving with a little more ease, a little more spaciousness, and maybe one or two moments of unexpected clarity.
With gratitude,
Carson
