Stick With It Stories: Utah Governor Spencer Cox Learns to Disagree Better

Published: Oct. 9, 2023, noon

Our \u201cStick With It\u201d series on the Top of Mind podcast continues with several stories from Utah Governor Spencer Cox about staying open and curious during intense political disagreements. As the new chair of the National Governors Association, Cox has made \u201cDisagree Better\u201d his signature initiative for the year. In this podcast episode, the Republican Governor of Utah explains how engaging with political opponents (including President Joe Biden) in a civil manner has led to better outcomes for his state. He also shares the story of a time when he fell short and went viral for calling members of Congress \u201cimbeciles.\u201d It got him a lot of praise supporters, but Cox quickly apologized and committed to do better. The \u201cDisagree Better\u201d initiative aims to use the unique influence of state governors to encourage healthier approaches to conflict in American politics and public life. \n\nTop of Mind would love to hear your Stick With It story. Can you think of a time when you felt your perspective or worldview challenged and, instead of getting defensive, you chose to lean into the discomfort \u2013 and you\u2019re glad you did? Email your story to topofmind@byu.edu.