Systems Leadership
Food systems leadership is realized when a group of people harmonize their vision for the future they... View more
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Facilitating Dialogue
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Facilitating Dialogue
I’ve been thinking a lot about dialogue lately, and after reading (most of) the book in the article below, I’m noticing how conversations do move through different phases. It’s so difficult to get out of the ‘polite’ and then ‘breakdown’ phases where people are either following a strict set of rules, or taking sides and focused on their own perspective. Its interesting how he points out that someone reflecting on or naming what’s happening in a group can help get through to the next phase, where the conversation becomes more inquisitive and then generative. What have others noticed about patterns in dialogue? How do you help conversations get un-stuck? Is anyone else reading the book referenced? Here’s the article that mentions the phases:
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Thanks for sharing this Andrew. I’m not reading the book but I did skim the article. Is my impatience showing? Yes it is. I often myself impatient with small talk in meetings and it’s hard for me to accept it as a part of the work. I think we could all use training in Active Listening with an annual refresher. When I think about dialogue, I think of different types of dialogue in my everyday. Personal family conversations, work dialogue and (in a non-COVID world) dialogue with friends over a meal or while sharing a walk. I too have lately been thinking about dialogue — related to work. I’ve flipped back through “The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making”. I keep returning to the same idea: that it is incumbent upon us as leaders to facilitate clear crafting of the group’s desired outcomes. It is around those outcomes that we can really focus together and subsequently achieve our collective vision.
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