It’s election season in the U.S., and the tone of many campaigns feels divisive, blame-and-shame oriented and caustic. But the words we choose matter far beyond politics. In this popular episode, first released in 2025, host Leigh Morgan explores how all-or-nothing phrases, black-and-white thinking, emotional reactivity and leadership choices are interdependent -- and what we can all do to use language that expands possibility, strengthens relationships, and allows us to hold firm convictions without fueling division.

It turns out that our words don’t simply communicate what we think. They can actually 'physiologically' shape how we feel, respond, and whether a conversation promotes connection or, shuts it down. Leigh shares research, a personal story about confronting her own binary thinking, and practical ways to create more room for curiosity, innovation, and agency - the belief that our choices and actions matter even in polarized times.

What the Research Tells Us

• All-or-nothing thinking is a cognitive distortion that reduces complex situations to stark categories: good or bad, success or failure, right or wrong.
• Rigid language can amplify emotional reactivity. Words like always, never, completely, and hopeless can intensify the emotions we are already experiencing.
• Certainty can feel reassuring when we are anxious or unsettled, which helps explain why simplistic narratives and sweeping claims can be so compelling.
• Political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt describe binary rhetoric, scapegoating, and negative stereotypes as tactics used by authoritarian leaders to turn complex problems into simplistic stories about who is to blame.
• Naming emotions as precisely as possible - a practice known as affect labeling - can reduce emotional reactivity. “I feel overwhelmed” creates a different internal response than “I’m freaking out.”

Two Simple Practices

1. Notice and Pause: Listen for words such as always, never, everyone, no one, completely, and hopeless—in your own language and in what you hear from others.

2. Use Fit-for-Purpose Words: Experiment with language that leaves more room for the nuance of most situations: often, sometimes, I wonder if, from my perspective, or here’s what I’m seeing.

The words we choose can become a bridge or a barrier. Especially when trust is low and uncertainty feels overwhelming -- choosing language with greater intention is a small and meaningful way to cultivate better conversations, stronger teams, and healthier communities.

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Watch Leigh's YouTube video about the practices: https://youtu.be/3ImQ7e6ep5s

Detailed episode notes: http://spaceinbetweenpodcast.com/watch-your-language-lessons/

Check out Leigh's leadership insights on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigh-morgan-speaks

Learn about her advisory services: www.imaginal-leadership.com

Get her newsletter here: https://imaginal-leadership-strategies.beehiiv.com/