7/30/2019 Dialogue Communication Process

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MindSights Team Thinking

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Dialogue Communication Process

Why Use ItDialogue is collaborative conversation and often a very unfamiliar way of communicating. The purpose

of dialogue is not to win an argument or seek agreement but to seek everyones thoughts to arrive at ashared understanding that no single person had by themselves. The inter-action of differing viewpoints

synthesizes a new, higher truth.

The first objective of the dialogue process is to create openness in communication. Openness emerges

when individuals become willing to suspend their own certainty (biases and fixed beliefs) in each others

presence. They become willing to share their thinking and make themselves susceptible to having their

thinking influenced by one another. In a state of such openness, they gain access to depths of

understanding not accessible otherwise. It is only when we share our perceptions and understandings that

we begin to gain a greater, more accurate knowledge of the reality we seek to understand. Armed with

this greater understanding, we can then begin to collaboratively participate together in problem solving.

How to Use It

Steps Action Guidelines

1 Agree that all or part of the

meeting will use the dialogue

communication process.

Stop the meeting every time dialoging gets off track.

2 Define what dialogue is and

establish the ground rules.

In dialogue, there is no disagreement with orchallenging of what other people say. The goal

is to listen to everyones individualunderstanding and create a collectiveunderstanding.

Practice active listening in which participantsrepeat what they think they heard in their own

words. If necessary, ask for further clarification

until accurate under-

standing is confirmed.

3 Get agreement to work on

determining what is rightnot who is right.

This lessens peoples preoccupation with

defending ego and encourages participants tomore readily venture different points of view.

4 Ask what each person wants

from the meeting and their

purpose for being there.

Encourage getting all personal (hidden) agendas on

the table.

2003 Nth Degree Software, Inc. www.nthdegreesoft.com

7/30/2019 Dialogue Communication Process

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MindSights Team Thinking

eBook

5 Ask everyone not to impose

their opinions, biases or fixed

assumptions on others.

Remember, the purpose is that people realize what is

on each others mind without coming to any

conclusions or judgments.

6 Make sure opinions, biases and

beliefs come out and no one is

suppressing them.

Shared understanding can not be reached if people

are unwilling to express their beliefs. True dialogue

begins when opinions can be shared without

competitive judgment or hostility.

7 After every 15-20 minutes have

2-3 minutes of silence.

These pauses let people reflect on what was said.

Understanding and shared meaning begins when

you stop to examine and think about what has beensaid. Continuously wanting to speak and makepoints does not facilitate shared meaning.

8 Become sensitive to your own

fixed opinions and biases.

Whenever strong emotions are raised by something

said, it is a sign that fixed opinions or biases havebeen triggered. This is exactly the time that

participants should suspend personal opinions and

simply observe how their own opinions compare to

what was said. This can help everyone learn about

biases that often impede personal development and

growth.

9 Be open and speak from the

heart about your own

experiences.

Spending time defending personal experiences or

positions closes off opportunities for gaining new

thoughts and ideas.

10 Listen deeply and resist the

urge to fix, counter or argue

the perceptions of others

Do not waste time disagreeing. Accept all

perceptions as simply another persons perspective.

Move away from drawing conclusions and toward

making observations. Remember that differences ofopinion can sharpen understandings.

2003 Nth Degree Software, Inc. www.nthdegreesoft.com