So, you avoided the conversational landmines at the Thanksgiving gathering, refusing to take the bait from Uncle Larry. Congratulations! Now comes another test – thorny topics and awkward moments at this month’s work and personal holiday parties. This season, it seems there are so many potential pitfalls: politics, tiny food plates, climate change, ugly sweaters, Taylor Swift.

Ready to stay home? Nonsense! With a few key considerations, you can successfully navigate potentially unpleasant holiday interactions and perhaps begin to build bridges of understanding with those with whom you disagree.

Be Prepared

Going into your events aware of the potential volatility of certain subjects and the diversity of opinions will prepare you for better conversations. Few people are neutral on today’s cultural topics, from politics to entertainment to sports. Even the idea of diversity – the natural differences between individual and groups of humans – is fraught with very strong opinions. Start with the basics. “What do you do?” and “What are your travel plans this season?” are classic party icebreakers but they often lead to commonalities we might not have considered.

Know Your Audience

Company holiday gatherings are probably quite different from your neighbor’s New Year’s Day drop-in Consider the setting and those who may be attending. Work events may very well be the most diverse events you attend this season. Think about the full spectrum of experience, income, background, education and political persuasion that your colleagues represent. Closer to home, you and your neighbors probably don’t differ that much socioeconomically, but your perspectives on cultural topics most likely do. Be aware of these differences and approach each experience with the expectation that you likely will disagree with someone at some point. With that expectation, remind yourself that differing perspectives do not require engaging in an argument, let alone winning it.

Listen Better

Mandatory fun can be made bearable when we approach it with a sense of adventure and an open mind. At worst, we learn something new. At best, we make a connection or a start a new friendship that benefits us going forward. Key parts of this kind of discovery are an open mind and the ability to listen effectively. By really hearing what your conversation mate is saying, you can ask better questions in response and begin to understand the person and their journey. Casting aside preconceptions about the person opens our minds to truly getting to know them. Listening is crucial to understanding another person’s viewpoint – and freeing that person to hear your thoughts.

Seek Out the Different

Holiday parties are notoriously awkward. The expectations for merriment and festivity can be crushing. Loud music, buffet lines and crowded spaces make them physically awkward as well. In these situations, we tend to group ourselves with those we know. You may find, though, that the topics for conversation quickly run dry. This is a good time to introduce yourself to someone new or a person you think might be interesting to speak with. There are few places where a cold intro is more welcome than a corporate Christmas party! In doing this, you’ll find that you expand your network, meet interesting people and perhaps are challenged in your thinking – and you are definitely sharpening your personal brand and elevator pitch. Opening yourself up like this is an important part of leveling the social playing field and creating an environment of interest and acceptance.

By changing our perception of holiday gatherings from the same ol’ boring cocktail party into an opportunity for personal growth and learning, we begin to reinforce the benefits of diversity and differing opinions. Awareness and appreciation of diverse thought and backgrounds are invaluable tools as we successfully navigate holiday events, creating less stressful, interesting – even enjoyable – interactions. 

John Brown is a Vice President, Content at Poston Communications. He is an ENFJ on the Myers-Briggs framework and does not own an ugly holiday sweater.