Cultivating Civility

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Latest Episodes:

Civility Summit 2026: Leading Through Uncivil Times Oct 10, 2025

This is a special dispatch episode of the Cultivating Civility podcast series.

Hello, I’m Diane Kalen-Sukra, founder of Kalen Academy, author of Save Your City and the upcoming book Lead with Civility—a practical guide for uncivil times.

One year ago today, nearly 500 civic leaders from 350 cities and 10 countries came together for the inaugural Global Civility Summit—a gathering that reminded the world that even in divided times, civility still has champions.

That conversation didn’t end when the summit closed; it continues to grow in communities everywhere.

And today, I’m thrilled to announce that registration for Civility Summit 2026 is officially open!

💻 Join us online April 16 2026 for Leading Through Uncivil Times—
a 3-hour global summit offering practical tools to help you lead boldly and foster a culture of civility.

We’ll open with Mayor David Holt, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, whose principled leadership sets the tone for this year’s event.

Then, hear from leading thinkers Mark Kingwell, Donna Hicks, Kim Scott, Josiah Ober, and Seth Kaplan,
followed by a Q&A with pioneering mayors, city managers and other officials sharing real-world strategies you can apply right away.

You’ll leave with a Civility Toolkit, a Personalized Roadmap to Renewing Civic Culture, a certificate and connection to a global network of leaders committed to turning the cultural tide—together.

🗓️ Early-bird registration (20% off) ends December 10, 2025.

➡️Seats are limited—register today at KalenAcademy.com/CivilitySummit.

Let’s lead with civility in uncivil times—and rebuild the culture that makes democracy possible.

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Civility Summit 2026 is brought to you by Kalen Academy and supported by the Municipal Association of South Carolina, Victorian Local Governance Association and the Australia’s number 1 local government podcast Local Government News Roundup.

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🌟If you have an inspiring story to share of how civility was cultivated in your community or would like support in cultivating civility, please message KalenAcademy.com/contact.🌟
🏛️Support the Cultivating Civility podcast & help the civility movement thrive! Subscribers receive exclusive access to special episodes & subscriber-only content. Subscribe today. (Only $5/month.)

What Is Civility—Really? Aug 07, 2025

Civility is not about being polite. It’s about having the moral courage to protect human dignity, uphold respect, and build communities where democracy can thrive.

In this powerful keynote from the 2025 Compassionate Action Conference, your host Diane Kalen-Sukra—author of Save Your City and founder of Kalen Academy—explores what civility really means and why it’s the key to healing toxic public life.

Addressing thousands of changemakers gathered for the Charter for Compassion’s global summit, Diane connects the ancient wisdom of Socrates and the Athenian Oath with modern civic challenges and examples.

She issues a rallying call for courageous civility: a compassionate practice that goes beyond surface niceness to embody principled action, respect for others, and the strength to lead without dehumanizing our opponents.

Through stories of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Robert F. Kennedy, this episode shows how restraint and moral clarity can interrupt cycles of violence and restore public trust.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of civility as a cultural force, a leadership practice, and a survival skill for democratic societies.

🌱 Learn more or access free resources at KalenAcademy.com
📘 Get the book: Save Your City

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Make Civility Win At the Ballot Box | Elect Respect Jul 16, 2025

In this Civility Dispatch episode, your host Diane Kalen-Sukra reminds us that If incivility can trickle down, so can respect. And right now, one of the most powerful culture-shaping acts we have is at the ballot box.

This isn’t just about politics—it’s about the kind of world we’re creating together. Diane shares timely insights and invites you to be part of a global conversation at the upcoming Democracy & Tyranny symposium, hosted by Plato’s Academy Centre. Together, we’ll explore what’s really at stake when contempt becomes the norm—and what it takes to turn the culture around.

From the Elect Respect pledge to the ancient wisdom behind democratic decay, this episode makes the case for choosing leaders who live out the values our communities need to survive and thrive.

It’s not just about who we elect.
It’s about the culture we’re voting for.

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If Tocqueville Saw Our Press Today Mar 19, 2025

What if Alexis de Tocqueville, the 19th-century thinker who warned about the fragility of democracy, could see our media landscape today?

Tocqueville believed a free press was both vital and dangerous—a powerful force that could protect liberty or manipulate public opinion. He saw that when the press fails to inform, democracy starts to unravel.

Fast forward to today: Corporate media consolidates narratives. Local journalism is vanishing. Outrage and misinformation flood our feeds. Would Tocqueville recognize the press he once admired, or would he see something far more insidious?

In this special Civility Dispatch with Diane Kalen-Sukra, we explore Tocqueville’s insights on the press, what they reveal about our current crisis, and three simple actions you can take today to ensure truth and accountability in your local community.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: If Tocqueville warned us, why didn’t we listen?

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The Courage to Hold Your Own Accountable Mar 12, 2025

In today’s polarized climate, where division is currency and conflict is stoked for power, what does real leadership look like? How do we, as civic leaders and engaged citizens, resist the pull of tribalism, stand firm in our principles, and rebuild trust in our communities?

In this compelling episode of Cultivating Civility, we explore these urgent questions with Ron Holifield, servant leadership provocateur and CEO of Strategic Government Resources (SGR). Together, we unpack the leadership crisis of our time and challenge the conventional wisdom that winning at all costs is leadership. Instead, we examine what it takes to lead with courage, character, and sacrifice—especially when it comes at a personal cost.

We take on one of the toughest and most necessary challenges of our era: holding our own side accountable. In a world where political loyalty often trumps integrity, we discuss why real leadership demands the moral courage to challenge bad actors within our own ranks—not just those across the aisle. The price of leadership, Ron reminds us, is not popularity but service to the greater good.

Together, we dig into:
🔍 Why trust is the currency of leadership—and how we can rebuild it
🔍 How to break the cycle of a conflict-driven culture and lead with integrity
🔍 What it takes to resist tribalism and refocus leadership on the common good

We don’t just talk about the problems—we explore solutions. If you’ve ever wondered how to engage in the public square without losing yourself in the noise, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Tune in now and join us as we chart a path forward for a more civil, courageous, and servant-hearted leadership.

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The World is Chaotic—Stay Calm Anyway | Marcus Aurelius Mar 05, 2025

Everywhere you turn there's chaos—politics thrives on outrage, social media fuels division, and fear is the currency of the day. But this isn’t new.

Imagine being Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor facing war, political betrayal, and a devastating plague. His world was crumbling, yet he remained steady. How? By mastering the art of resilience, choosing wisdom over outrage, and cultivating inner peace in the midst of external chaos.

In this episode of the Cultivating Civility podcast, I break down five powerful lessons from Book IX of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations—lessons that can help you stay calm and focused, no matter how turbulent the world becomes.

Why injustice harms the doer more than the victim
When to teach, when to tolerate, and when to walk away
How to protect your peace—even when everything feels out of control
The power of gratitude, even in difficult times
How to avoid distractions and stay committed to your purpose

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by negativity, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn how to cultivate clarity, resilience, and unshakable calm—because the world is chaotic, but you don’t have to be.

📖 Want more? Listen to Meditations for free in my Civic Wisdom audio library on the YouTube @kalenacademy.

🎓 Ready to lead with civility? Enroll in the Cultivating Civility Masterclass for real-world strategies to tackle toxicity and restore trust in your community. Join today at KalenAcademy.com/civilitymasterclass.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and share! Let’s build a culture of respect, one conversation at a time.

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Civility is Strength (Not Weakness) Mar 02, 2025

In an era of rising incivility, public leaders face an uphill battle. Governing has never been more difficult, with polarization, harassment, and institutional paralysis becoming the norm. The temptation to meet hostility with hostility is stronger than ever—but what if that approach only deepens the chaos?

On this special Civility Dispatch episode of the Cultivating Civility Podcast, I, Diane Kalen-Sukra, explore a vital truth: civility is not niceness—it’s leadership. True civility isn’t about being agreeable or avoiding conflict. It’s about engaging with strength, integrity, and accountability, even in the face of hostility.

This episode builds on my recent conversation with Larry Platt, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on the How to Really Run a City podcast. Together, we tackled the real consequences of rising incivility, the growing allure of ruthless power-seeking, and what it takes to lead effectively in these turbulent times.

I challenge the misguided idea that civility is weakness, drawing on history’s great leaders—Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, and Mayor Nutter’s powerful response to youth flash mobs in Philadelphia—to illustrate that true leadership requires moral courage and strategic wisdom.

Is civility obsolete? Or is it the only way to sustain governance in a divided world? Join me for this critical discussion on why winning at any cost leads to collapse, while true civility creates the conditions where democracy can thrive.

🎧 Tune in now on your favorite podcast platform and be part of the movement to restore civic culture.

🚀 Ready to take action? Enroll in the Cultivating Civility Masterclass for a step-by-step roadmap to renewing civic culture. Learn more at KalenAcademy.com/civilitymasterclass.

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Cultivating Compassion in the City with Mayor Nirenberg Feb 26, 2025

Can compassion truly shape public policy? Can civic leadership be both bold and empathetic? In this compelling episode of Cultivating Civility, your host Diane Kalen-Sukra sits down with Mayor Ron Nirenberg, a leader who has made compassion the bedrock of his governance in San Antonio, Texas.

From his very first act in office—signing a resolution affirming San Antonio as a Compassionate City—to groundbreaking policies on equity-based budgeting and community-wide compassion training, Mayor Nirenberg has demonstrated how civic leaders can operationalize compassion to create tangible change.

At a time when incivility and division dominate public discourse, this conversation is a breath of fresh air. Mayor Nirenberg shares his personal and political journey, revealing why compassion isn’t just a virtue—it’s a leadership imperative. You’ll hear about:

✔️ How San Antonio became a model for compassionate governance
✔️ The power of actionable compassion versus passive empathy
✔️ The Ready to Work initiative, which breaks cycles of generational poverty
✔️ How to build a culture of shared understanding and mutual respect in civic life
✔️ Why long-term cultural transformation matters more than short-term political wins

If you're a civic leader, engaged citizen, or simply someone who believes in the power of people-first leadership, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

🎧 Listen now and be inspired to cultivate civility in your own community!

For more practical strategies on renewing civic culture, explore the Cultivating Civility Masterclass: https://KalenAcademy.com/civilitymasterclass.

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A Civic Love Letter to Canada🍁💓 Feb 14, 2025

On this Valentine’s Day, consider this a different kind of love letter—not to a person, but to a country.

In this special Civility Dispatch, Diane Kalen-Sukra, your host of the Cultivating Civility Podcast, shares Beyond Beer & Booing: Loving Canada Means Living Our Values.

Too often, national pride gets reduced to clichés and grievances, but love of country—real civic love—is about more than slogans. It’s about how we engage, how we govern, and whether we truly live out the values we claim to hold dear.

Because if we love this country, we need to act like it.

🎧 Tune in now.

To read a transcript, click here.

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Welcome to the Cultivating Civility podcast series! Jan 01, 2025

Welcome to the Cultivating Civility podcast series!

I’m your host and Save Your City author, speaker & Kalen Academy founder Diane Kalen-Sukra, and together we’ll be exploring ways to tackle toxic behaviour in public spaces & shape a culture of respect and civility in our communities.

Each episode of this series features insightful conversations with civic leaders and sages who are leading the charge in bridging divides, enhancing civil discourse and renewing civic culture.

Inspired by the Global Civility Summit 2024 hosted by Kalen Academy, where hundreds of civic leaders worldwide gathered to share insights on 'Tackling Toxicity & Cultivating Civility,' this podcast is rooted in the core principles of good governance and thriving communities—trust, respect, and social cohesion.

If you are ready to move beyond empty rhetoric and legislative band-aids to transforming the cultural core of our local governments, city halls, and communities, this podcast is for you.

“Cultivating Civility” isn’t just a conversation—it’s a movement sowing a culture of respect, one episode at a time.

Thank you for joining us!

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