Introduction to Dialogue
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This document discusses the concept of dialogue and its importance for collaboration and innovation in the workplace. It provides definitions of dialogue, distinguishing it from discussion. Dialogue is described as thinking and working together to make sense of ideas, requiring full participation and the development of trust and understanding between people. Several exercises and activities are presented to practice key components of dialogue, such as listening without judgment, asking questions, and sharing stories to connect on a personal level. The document emphasizes that dialogue is a process of discovery that allows new understanding to emerge from respectfully holding differing perspectives.
Introduction to Dialogue
- 1. Logos Noesis Transformative Conversations for Innovative Change for Innovative Change The Art of Dialogue: Collaboration and Innovation in the Workplace Ada Gonzalez, Ph.D
- 2. - Introductions. - Listening without interruptions or commentary. - Sharing from the heart. ★How do you feel about being here? ★ What concerns do you have? ★One quality or strength you want to bring to the conversation today to deepen and increase its value. ★What has happened in the past few days that inspires you to work in this organization?
- 3. Turn to the person besides you and share: What comes to your mind when you hear the word: DIALOGUE?
- 4. about Making Meaning Together. Requires: Full Participation Full Participation Full Participation -Dia = through. in the flow (like a stream) of meaning -Logos = word, thought, idea. Meaningful and “alive” Dialogue is thinking and working together to make sense of the unknown.
- 5. “What really matters in our lives is measured through conversations.” — Peter Block
- 6. Relationships and Dialogue Dialogue develops trust and understanding between people
- 7. Dialogue and Relationships ‘ Dialogue is fundamental to how relationships are created and nurtured….’ —PH Preparedness Bureau Chief
- 8. Dialogue is. . . • the glue that holds organizations and processes together. • thinking together in relationship. • talking with, not talking to others. • An open-ended, dynamic process.
- 9. Dialogue vs. Discussion Discussion -Starts with talking -Is about talking to… -Focuses on differences -Is adversarial -Generates conflicts -Encourages quick thinking -Encourages lock in Dialogue -Starts with listening-Is about speaking with... -Focuses on insights -Is collaborative -Generates ideas -Encourages reflection- Encourages emergence -Encourages emergence -Encourages emergence
- 10. Essential Components of Dialogue • Connect (people and ideas) • Suspend assumptions • Spirit of Inquiry and Openness • Listen • Share freely thoughts and feelings • Observe • Slow down • Discover
- 11. Dr. Ada adds: • Strive to understand each other • Build trust and respect • Be open minded, curious, and flexible • Befriend Polarity • Respect and encourage silence to reflect.
- 12. Understanding ‘…For instance, at meetings involving people from different disciplines, you will notice that each discipline uses words in a different way, which can lead to different understandings of subject matter….’ Ask Questions! Find and create meaning together.
- 13. Activity: Practice art of questions • One person shares a problem, dilemma or challenge they are facing now and want to solve. • Others listen and respond with questions ONLY. No advice. No declarative statements.
- 14. Activity: Practice listening without defending • Share a problem or dilemma you are experiencing right now (different from last) • Ask for input and suggestions. • Listen without interrupting • Respond with: “Thank you for your input”
- 15. Activity: Practice listening without defending (follow up) • Write answers to the following questions: What is the most potent step I can take to begin to resolve this issue? What exactly am I committed to do? When are you going to do this?
- 17. Three Kinds of Trust • the trust of competence • the trust of integrity • the trust of vulnerability
- 18. Activity • Share a story of a difficult situation you resolved successfully. • Others LISTEN for strengths and share findings at end. • How do you see the strengths used at work?
- 19. ‘We’ Thinking • Understanding each other • Learning how to listen • Building shared agreements
- 20. Social Networks (Relationships) = the most effective way to knowledge sharing
- 21. People tend to learn from other people more than from books.
- 23. “Homework” - Judgement and Assumptions. • On next meeting, NOTICE each time your judgement or assumptions stop you from listening to another person. • Mark it down (keep track) • Re-focus your attention on the person • Do this as many times as needed. • After meeting reflect what were the assumptions and judgements and write them down. • Notice if it diminishes or increases over time.
- 24. The Personal • The personal connects us. • Share stories. • Here we create trust. • This is where dialogue begins.
- 25. Connect The power of story • Always begin by connecting through personal story. • Show up and invite others to show up by sharing a story/memory. • When we connect at this level, creativity already begins to happen. ‘If you don't know the kind of person I am and I don't know the kind of person you are, a pattern that others made may prevail in the world and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.’ —Wm. Stafford
- 26. Activity • Share a story of a strong memory from your childhood which explains in part who you are. • Others LISTEN for strengths and share findings at end. • How do you see the strengths used at work?
- 27. Personal Work • Honing intention • Cultivating attitudes • Practicing skills
- 28. Listen -Listening is multi-faceted and multi-leveled -Listening is at the heart of an interactive dialogue -Listening conveys a sense of appreciation, acceptance, and understanding
- 29. Listening Means Creating a Container • Where different perspectives can be held together • Where they can be owned by everyone A container is made up of safety, skills, commitment, experience. In a good container, different ideas can cross-pollinate and create new ideas.
- 30. The Rules of the Container • Go in sequence • No cross-talk • No rehearsing In the container, every voice can be heard; every perspective is valid.
- 31. Conversations with “extra strength” • When container is strong, conversations are different. Can go through stages: Politeness and Pretending Chaos Discarding/Redefining Resolution/ Collective Thinking Closure
- 32. Politeness and Pretending • No one admits anything is wrong • blame others or • pretends the problem does not exists or is unsolvable • sees the world only from their perspective • all pretend and are polite until they either think it is safe to speak or can’t stand keeping quiet any longer.
- 33. Pretending= There is NO White Elephant in the Room
- 36. There is NOTHING wrong with an Elephant »The problem is to IGNORE it!
- 43. Elephants. . . can become angry!
- 47. The Elephant Syndrome • The IS guys think you need more hardware, • Production thinks you need better blueprints, • Marketing thinks you need better design engineers, and • Sales just wants those “idiots in production to do their job!”
- 48. Elephants. . . • So, how long has the elephant been here?
- 49. Elephants. . . • What should we do about the elephant?
- 50. Elephants. . . • What needs to be done to be able to see the elephant you are blind to?
- 51. Elephants. . . • How do you eat an elephant?
- 52. Discover Allowing new life to happen • Hold the differences. • Listen for what is emerging out of the differences as shared understanding. • Harvest shared agreements/decisions for action from this shared understanding.
- 53. Creativity When differences are held together like musical notes until the song emerges
- 54. An Experiment in Discovery Simple Steps for Discovering 1. Distill your point using the three container rules. 2. Pause and listen for what is emerging. 3. Give voice to it…however clumsily. 4. Continue to listen for what is emerging. Build together. Dialogue is working with the unknown. What is the essence of collaboration?
- 55. Healthy Dialogue Brings together all the stakeholders for constant, creative exchange.
- 56. Dialogue and Collaboration Dialogue is the glue that holds the process together.
- 57. Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field of connection. I’ll meet you there. —Rumi Dialogue is a collective response to life