How to Be Tolerant of Other Viewpoints

Co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS

Last Updated: May 25, 2021 References

Tolerating the viewpoints of others is an essential skill in the workplace, the classroom, at home, and in public spaces. Being tolerant does not mean you must agree with every viewpoint or keep silent about your own viewpoints. Instead, being tolerant means fostering open communication and discussion with others, especially people with viewpoints you do not agree with. You should also take the time to educate yourself on different viewpoints and learn how to express your tolerance is positive ways.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Fostering Open Communication and Discussion

1
Acknowledge your own viewpoint. Before you can be tolerant towards others, you need to first acknowledge your own viewpoint. Acknowledging that you have your own personal viewpoint and perspective on issues will ensure you are being honest during the discussions and conversations you have with others. You may acknowledge your viewpoint during a conversation you have with someone else or to yourself on a daily basis as a way to check yourself so you know where you stand.^{[1]
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- You should also consider how your viewpoint affects your actions and decisions. You may align yourself on a certain side of an issue because of your viewpoint. For example, if you were raised Catholic by traditional parents, you may not approve of sex before marriage. Alternatively, if you were raised in a non-traditional household and are in a relationship yourself, you may have no issue with sex before marriage nor feel it is necessary to marry your romantic partner.
2
Be an active listener. Once you have acknowledged your own viewpoint, you should also focus on being an active listener when you are discussing an issue with someone who has a different viewpoint from you. Listening to the person's perspective does not mean you have to shift from your own viewpoint or change your mind. But it does show that you are willing to tolerate different perspectives than your own.^{[2]
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- When the person is speaking, listen respectfully and do not interrupt them, though you may not agree with what they are saying. Once they have finished speaking, you should acknowledge that you appreciate their position and understand what they have said. Only then should you respond to them by expressing your own viewpoint.
- Do not use conversations with others as a way to show you are right or to prove your viewpoint is better. Rather than view the conversation as a competition, think of it as a way to listen to others and have a healthy, respectful dialogue with others.
3
Demonstrate open body language. During the conversations with others, you should maintain a positive demeanor and demonstrate open body language so the person feels comfortable speaking to you. This means maintaining eye contact with the person and turning your body towards them. You should also keep your arms relaxed at your sides and nod as they speak to indicate you are listening. This will show the person that you are engaged and willing to listen, even if you do not agree with what they are saying.^{[3]
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- Modeling open body language could also encourage the person to be more engaged when it is your turn to speak or share. Showing the person the courtesy of an interested audience is a big step towards tolerance.
4
Respond with engagement and interest. Avoid shooting the person down or disregarding what they have to say. Focus on how you can better understand the person's viewpoint by asking interesting questions and responding with interest. Tolerance does not mean you have to accept everyone's viewpoint or perspective on an issue. But it does mean you should strive to be inclusive towards all viewpoints and stay open to ideas that are different than your own.^{[4]
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- For example, maybe you are discussing marriage with a co-worker and she tells you that her viewpoint is no couple should have sex before they are married. You may be shocked at this viewpoint, but rather than shut her down or disregard her viewpoint, you may engaged with her by asking her questions. You may say, “That's an interesting perspective. Why do you feel this way?” or “Can you tell me more about why you feel this way?”
- You should then listen when she responds to your questions and answer any questions if she asks you about your perspective. This will foster open discussion and a productive conversation that demonstrates tolerance.
5
Accept you may not agree with the person's viewpoint. Rather than try to “win” the discussion or convince the person your perspective is right, be prepared to accept that you may not see eye to eye with the person. It's okay if you both agree to disagree, as this means you have both listened to each other's perspectives and have realized that you are not in agreement. But you can still both respect each other and support each other's right to have a certain viewpoint.^{[5]
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- Agreeing to disagree also means that you have both engaged with an issue and expressed your thoughts honestly. Often tolerance is mistaken for neutrality or simply accepting that every viewpoint is valid. In fact, tolerance is more about engaging with someone else and being willing to entertain viewpoints that are different or contrary to your own.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Educating Yourself on Different Viewpoints

1
Read about different cultures and values than your own. One way to become more tolerant of others is to educate yourself about different cultures and values. You often react with fear if you do not understand something or have the knowledge to comprehend someone's point of view. Take the time to do some research on different cultures and values that you do not understand. Look up information online and read news articles from a variety of publications on an issue or subject. This will show that your tolerance is coming from an informed place.^{[6]
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- Try to search for articles and texts written from first hand experience. For example, if you are trying to understand why some Muslim women wear the hijab, you may look for articles written by Muslim women explaining why they choose to do this, based on their religion. Finding information through the experiences of someone dealing with the issue themselves will ensure you get a well rounded perspective on the issue.
2
Ask thoughtful questions if you are confused or unsure. Avoid making assumptions or generalizations about someone who might hold a certain perspective or viewpoint. Instead, be willing to ask thoughtful questions and engage with the person if you are confused about their perspective. Asking questions will show that you are willing to learn and get informed. This will demonstrate that you are able to be tolerant and open, even if you are uncomfortable or unsure.^{[7]
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- For example, maybe you are unclear why certain Muslim women feel the need to wear the hijab, especially young women in the workplace. Rather than make assumptions about this issue or reacting with intolerance, approach a co-worker who is Muslim and wears the hijab. Politely ask her, “I'm curious why you wear the hijab. I don't know much about it and would like to better understand this practice. Could you tell me why you decide to wear the hijab?”
3
Spend a day inhabiting a viewpoint opposite to yours. As an interesting thought experiment, you may try taking on a viewpoint that you disagree with and debating others as if you believe in this viewpoint. Though this may be difficult at first, it is a useful way to learn how to empathize with a different point of view.
- You may do this for one day and do research beforehand so you can convincingly inhabit the viewpoint. Even doing this for one hour could be a good way to put your tolerance into action and better understand a certain viewpoint.
- For example, you may find it difficult to connect with someone who believes that abortion should be legal in the United States. You may then decide to take on this viewpoint for a day and do research around why women decide to get abortions. You may also engage with others about the issue and discuss a perspective on abortion contrary to your own.
4
Do an identity wheel activity with your peers. An identity wheel is a good team-building exercise you can do with your coworkers or your peers to better understand where everyone is coming from. Examining the identities in the room can also help to build tolerance and mutual respect among the group. It can also allow you to get better educated about how different identities may hold different viewpoints and perspectives.^{[8]
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- Start by writing your name in the center of a piece of paper. Then, draw five bubbles around your name. Fill in the bubbles with one aspect of yourself that defines who you are. For example, you may choose “student” “woman” “athlete” “Mexican-American” and “painter”.
- If you are doing this exercise with a group, have everyone in the group make their own identity wheels. Then, take turns around the room discussing why you each choose these descriptors and why they are important to you.
- You may also all reflect on how these five aspects might affect your perspective or viewpoint on certain issues. You may consider how your identity influences how you see the world, and notice the differences between your perspective and someone else's perspective based on your identities.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Expressing Tolerance in Positive Ways

When you are trying to be tolerant of someone else's viewpoint, it may help to think about supporting the person's ability to hold an opposing perspective, rather than the perspective itself. This means that you view tolerance as someone's right to their own opinion. Though you may not agree with their perspective, you can still support their ability to express themselves and hold their own individual beliefs. Supporting this is one way you can be tolerate in an open and inclusive way, rather than simply grinning and bearing an opposing perspective.^{[9]
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#*Tolerance should be based on respect and dignity for all, even for those you disagree with. This means you can still be tolerate by respecting someone's right to their own perspective, without having to agree with what they believe in. Viewing tolerance this way can allow you to be more supportive and respectful towards others.

1
Show a willingness to engage with other viewpoints. You can be tolerant in a positive, active way by demonstrating you are willing to discuss other viewpoints with someone. Being open to the discussion is the first step towards true tolerance, where you are putting yourself in a position to listen to others without judgement.^{[10]
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- One way to do this is to always try to ask open ended questions during a discussion. Rather than make statements or judgments, ask questions like “Why?” “How?” and “In what ways?” Though you may not agree with the person's perspective, asking these kinds of questions will show the person that you are willing to listen and engage.
2
Respect the preferences of someone with a different viewpoint. Another way you can demonstrate tolerance towards others is to respect the preferences of others. Rather than impose your own ideas and beliefs on someone, consider their needs and respond to them with respect.^{[11]
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- For example, you may demonstrate tolerance in the workplace by asking employees if they have a preferred pronoun they use in daily conversation. This creates a safe, tolerant space for individuals who are transgender and want to identify with a specific gender pronoun.
- Another way you can respect the preferences of others is by avoiding generic labels and terms when referring to someone. Maybe a peer who is gay prefers to be referred to as “queer.” Respect this preference by adopting the term “queer” and accepting the terms your peer has chosen to identify herself.
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