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Devin: What is your superpower?
Chip: My challenge, and it’s become my superpower, was to work with…to start where people are.
The divide in the United States today is often described as being at its worst since the Civil War. The tensions are palpable, with political, social, and cultural divisions creating an atmosphere of discord. Charles (Chip) Hauss, Senior Fellow for Innovation at the Alliance for Peacebuilding and author of Peacebuilding Starts at Home, believes the solution lies in starting small—right in our own communities.
In today’s episode, Chip shared a critical insight: peacebuilding doesn’t happen in a distant, abstract sense—it’s something we actively build in our daily lives. “Peace is a verb,” Chip explained. “It is something I do. I build it. And more importantly, it starts at home.”
For Chip, the importance of local peacebuilding became clear during a conversation with colleagues after the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The Alliance for Peacebuilding, at the time, focused almost exclusively on international conflicts. But Chip posed a poignant question: “How can we tell people in Burundi that we can solve their problems if we can’t do it in Baltimore?”
This realization sparked a shift in focus. Chip emphasized that addressing the microcosm of our lives—our families, neighborhoods, and local communities—has the power to ripple outward. By fostering understanding and collaboration in these spaces, we can create broader societal change.
What makes this approach even more compelling is its inclusivity. Chip encourages finding common ground even with those we disagree with. “Our first instinct should be to find the things that we share, find the things that we are for,” he said. This mindset, he believes, is the foundation for building meaningful relationships and, ultimately, peace.
Chip’s work is now evolving into a larger movement to equip individuals with the tools to build peace in their own lives. By focusing on what unites us instead of what divides us, he hopes to inspire millions to take small, tangible steps toward a more peaceful society.
It’s a powerful reminder that while global challenges may seem insurmountable, the solutions often begin with simple, human connections close to home.
tl;dr:
Charles Hauss explains why peacebuilding must start at home to inspire broader societal change.
The Alliance for Peacebuilding shifted focus to U.S. communities after Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
Chip emphasizes finding shared values, even with those we strongly disagree with.
He shares a practical example of applying peacebuilding to resolve local condo tensions.
Chip’s new book and movement aim to empower individuals to build peace in daily life.
How to Develop Building Meaningful Relationships As a Superpower
Chip’s superpower is his ability to build meaningful relationships, especially with people he disagrees with. He explained, “My challenge, and it’s become my superpower, was to work with…to start where people are.” For Chip, peacebuilding isn’t about tolerating differences but about celebrating them. He shared, “Peacebuilding is not a burden or a chore. It’s actually something you can do for fun.” His unique gift lies in creating connections that foster understanding and collaboration, even in contentious or divided spaces.
Chip shared a story about moving into a new condo complex where management issues caused tension among residents. Many neighbors were frustrated and confrontational, but Chip encouraged a different approach. He suggested getting to know the new building manager, understanding her perspective, and working together constructively. Within weeks, the community made progress, replacing the manager and starting to build a stronger, more collaborative environment. This story exemplifies Chip’s ability to transform conflict into connection through relationship-building.
Tips for Developing the Superpower:
Start where people are—understand their values, perspectives, and interests.
Focus on what you share rather than what divides you.
Embrace disagreements as opportunities for learning and growth.
Approach peacebuilding as something enjoyable rather than a chore.
Encourage collaboration by guiding conversations toward constructive solutions.
By following Chip’s example and advice, you can make building meaningful relationships a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Charles (Chip) Hauss (he/him):
Senior Fellow for Innovation and Emeritus member of the board o directors, Alliance for Peacebuilding
About Alliance for Peacebuilding: AfP is the largest network of peacebuilding organizations in the world with over 250 organizational members. After having done the bulk of its work around the world, its leaders and members have decided that peacebuilding has to start at home and that if we want to help people in Botswana create a more peaceful society, we have to do so in Baltimore as well. Chip Hauss will be part of the team that makes that happen starting--but not ending with--the publication of his book, not surprisingly, called Peacebuilding Starts at Home.
Website: peacebuildingstartsathome.us and allianceforpeacebuilding.org
Other URL: amzn.to/3KPaWBa
Biographical Information: Charles “Chip” Hauss has been exploring ways of producing large scale social and political change through nonviolent and cooperative means since his undergraduate days in the late 1960s. In all of this work, Hauss has tried to be a political bridge builder who brings “strange political bedfellows” together to help solve problems that can only be effectively addressed if they work together.
Hauss is currently Senior Fellow for Innovation at the Alliance for Peacebuilding where he helps lead its Peacebuilding Starts at Home initiative which focuses on what the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation refers to as “America’s neglected needs.
Hauss is the author of nineteen books on peacebuilding and comparative politics. His newest book Peacebuilding Starts at Home was published in November.
Hauss holds a BA from Oberlin and a PhD from the University of Michigan.
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/chip-hauss-03a64744/
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