CLARITY METHOD — How to Disagree Better
Disagree better with four tools that turn conflict into connection and help you find common ground—using the 3 Ps Clarity Method: Pause, Pinpoint Truth, Proceed with Purposeful Forethought.
Resources for this Episode
Disagreement doesn’t have to divide us. Too often, debates feel like battles — but the real challenge is not the disagreement itself, it’s how we handle it.
This episode explores practical tools for disagreeing better, so our unique perspectives can strengthen us instead of tearing us apart. Using the 3 Ps Clarity Method — Pause, Pinpoint Truth, Proceed with Purposeful Forethought — we’ll learn how to turn conflict into an opportunity for deeper understanding.
☝️ Here’s the Truth Check: different perspectives don’t weaken us — they act as safety nets, helping us see what we might miss on our own.
🎯 What this episode covers:
Why disagreements often feel so personal
Four practical tools for handling tough conversations with respect
How to find common ground even when we see things differently
When and how to set healthy boundaries
💬 Join the Conversation 💬
- When was the last time you had a disagreement that stayed respectful? What helped it work?
Join the conversation on the American Together YouTube channel under How to Disagree Better | American Together video, or in our upcoming community space (coming soon).
🛠 3 Ps in Action: Comment Edition 🛠
Need a little extra help shaping your reply? This quick guide uses the same 3 Ps process I use myself: Pause, Pinpoint Truth, Proceed with Purposeful Forethought.
🧭 Practice Challenge 🧭
This week, try repeating back someone’s view before you respond. Notice how it changes the tone of the conversation.
🔎 Full Sources & Further Reading 🔎
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Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220. (doi.org)
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Brooks/Cole. (simplypsychology.org)
Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version. (1995). Psalm 139: 13–14 (CEV). American Bible Society. (biblegateway.com)
Scherbarth, A. (n.d.). The 3 Ps Clarity Method: Pause, Pinpoint Truth, Proceed with Purposeful Forethought. American Together. (american-together.com)
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1. News Literacy Project — Free lessons and tools that help people of all ages spot misinformation and verify sources.
2. Media Bias/Fact Check — Outlet database with bias and factual-reporting ratings; use it to compare perspectives, not crown one “right.”
3. Stanford History Education Group – Civic Online Reasoning — Research-based digital-literacy lessons on evaluating online information.
4. American Psychological Association – Psychology topics — Hub of readable articles on cognition, reasoning, misinformation, social media, and more.