Hosting Conversations about Questions that Matter
Pedagogical approach to dialog
how to "teach" dialog? i.e. How to develop competencies and posture necessary for deepest dialogue
Many of us have given or are giving some kind of formal or informal training on dialogue
(Please consider dialogue in the largest meaning of the word.- as one the roots out of which world café is an expression - as I see it, a form of human interaction – beyond polite exchange, debate or discussion- in which individuals engage in a shared exploration from which new relationships, meanings and possibilities can emerge.
what discoveries have we made?
what questions live with us?
what are our current frontiers?
it is my hope that by exploring together the subject of teaching dialogue
we will boost our capacity to create a vibrant culture of dialog around us.
Pierre Goirand
how to "teach" dialog? i.e. How to develop competencies and posture necessary for deepest dialogue
Many of us have given or are giving some kind of formal or informal training on dialogue
(Please consider dialogue in the largest meaning of the word.- as one the roots out of which world café is an expression - as I see it, a form of human interaction – beyond polite exchange, debate or discussion- in which individuals engage in a shared exploration from which new relationships, meanings and possibilities can emerge.
what discoveries have we made?
what questions live with us?
what are our current frontiers?
it is my hope that by exploring together the subject of teaching dialogue
we will boost our capacity to create a vibrant culture of dialog around us.
Pierre Goirand
Replies to This Conversation
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Permalink Reply by John Inman on -
Pierre, I believe that this is a good question. I am an embedded consultant and coach in an operating unit of a large corporation here in the US. Over the last two and one half years I have been working to teach my leadership team of 100 that to lead one needs to be in conversation. I teach how to create conversation, how to listen and question, and how to see beyond the production problems to the human sitting before the leader.
This is no easy process I must say and I learn every day from my leaders what works and what does not work. We are told by others in the company that our site excels at conversation and I believe that is because of the intense focus. But we have such a long way to go. Thank you for the question.
John
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John,
it is a unique opportunity to be able to work with both continuity and focus with the same team of a 100. As you have made conversation the central piece of your work, I'd like to learn what you have tried and observed in the field.
Could you breakdown for me what in your view are the experience that your managers went through in your training that were most influential in their evolution.
Also, you wrote, "our site excels at conversation" can you tell more?
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Hello, Pierre,
My company measures human values priorities in individuals and groups. ” Dr. Brian Hall, Founder of Values Technology, Inc and author of Values Shift (1994) defines values as, “the ideals that give significance to our lives, that are reflected through the priorities that we choose, and that we act on consistently and repeatedly” (p. 21).
One assumption we work from is that most people are only conscious of 20% of their values. The Hall-Tonna Values Management Inventory makes the tacit, explicit allowing for deeper dialogue. We say that "values are energy words connected by grammar". The H-T measures emotional intelligence competencies which may be helpful in deep sharing. Some samples of values coded to E.Q. are Sharing/Listening/Trust,
Goals Values (Ideals)
Equality/Liberation
Integration/Wholeness
Self Actualization
Service/Vocation
Means (Competencies)
Adaptability/Flexibility
Authority/Honesty
Congruence
Decision/Initiation
Empathy
Equity/Rights
Expressiveness/Joy
Generosity/Compassion
Health/Healing
Independence
Law/Guide
Limitation/Acceptance
Mutual Obedience
Quality/Evaluation
Relaxation
Search/Meaning/Hope
Self Assertion
Sharing/Listening/Trust
We also strongly believe that to the degree a person is conscious of his/her values the greater the capacity to learn. I joined this community to explore ways The World Cafe can be used to create the perfect space online for values-based conversation. My inquiry is how we can connect people in a more complimentary way and/or with the greatest degree of affinity in a time where we are flooded with information in the social networks.
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Elva,
Thank you for this meaty and detailed message.
When you wrote "the degree a person is conscious of his/her values the greater the capacity to learn"
We can apply that to our subject of learning/teaching dialogue : in order to truly learn dialogue the connection with the values it serves need to be affirmed.
Conversation on values need to precede conversation on dialogue.
What would be a simple way to help reveal those values that are consistently held by participants that could anchor their learning dialogue ( in French we say "point d'appui" punto de appoyo in spanish?)
How could we also help surface and strengthen those yearnings that are not yet values?
- as you pointedly said "values are reflected through the priorities that we choose, and that we act on consistently and repeatedly")?
In every day life inconsistency is what I also observe in my life already and definitely in large organizations... Often values are not lived when individuals think it is not possible to live them?
Yet those yearnings if comforted, are the seed of change -
I am particularly interested in working ion context where participants do not believe dialogue is possible, when they operate from a world of fragmetation, limits and impossibilities, (that possibly also reflect in their values - )
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Hello, Pierre,
Where to begin: the back or front end or a little of both?
I am challenged to present a complex idea simply. That skill lies behind the value of "Minessence" (Ability to miniaturize and simplify complex ideas into concrete and practical objectification’s such as, practical theory, art or technology, in a way that creatively alters the consciousness of the user, and impacts the natural environment and the quality of human life positively at a global level.) I am laughing out loud at the obtuseness of the definition itself.
At the front end of this idea is Paulo Freire, the most influential thinker about education in the late twentieth century. He recognized that certain words in the language carried more energy.
Our work has the most exhaustive collective of these "energy" words or values.
Over thirty years of research by an interdisciplinary team, resulted in among other things a lengthy list of assumptions - what I call the back end. We "know" what we know after thousands of conversations using the person's list of values priorities. I believe we agree when you write: " Conversation on values need to precede conversation on dialogue".
We have not found a simple or quick way "to help reveal those values that are consistently held by participants that could anchor their learning dialogue". There is a 125-item multiple choice questionnaire that takes 45 minutes.
How could we also help surface and strengthen those yearnings that are not yet values?
I believe we have latent values wanting to be manifested - motivating us "from the future". Teillard de Chardin, a visionary French Jesuit, paleontologist, biologist, and philosopher, calls this force the Omega Point.
In every day life inconsistency is what I also observe in my life already and definitely in large organizations... Often values are not lived when individuals think it is not possible to live them?
"It is not hypocrisy but simple gaps in skills and competencies", says Brian P. Hall, author of the Hall-Tonna Values Management Inventory.
I am particularly interested in working in context where participants do not believe dialogue is possible, when they operate from a world of fragmentation, limits and impossibilities, (that possibly also reflect in their values - )
And your interest reflects your values. ; > )
I have stories where values were used in situations of dire conflict but there was motivation to dialogue - even if was coming from the "outside" of the person. The case you describe above is one where persons or group of people are operating from a completely different worldview. We can measure when that. All we can do is offer an invitation to the person to "Know Thyself", following St Augustine's dictum. We invite the person into an inquiry into their tacit values.
Please, let me know what I can clarify or expand on. I also want to learn how to communicate/dialogue more effectively. I hope others join in. Thank you, Pierre, for these juicy questions.
▶ Reply to This
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I love the definition of Minessence ( and I laughed as well)
THE VALUE FOUNDATIONS OF DIALOGUE
is the theme that I get from reading you.
From the values that you study in your work and that you hav listed, which ones do you observe serve as base for people being attracted to the art of dialogue?
From the list you have provided earlier, ( and based on my limited subjective experience) I have highlighted the following values as directly connected to dialogue :
Equality/Equity/
Sharing/Listening/Trust/Empathy
Generosity/Compassion
Search/Meaning/
Integration/Wholeness
Hope/Liberation
Adaptability/Flexibility
Honesty
What is your a take on it - and everyone else's in this conversation
Could we build something useful together ?
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Thank you, Pierre, for your question.
My take is that Dialogue is underpinned by a set of values that contain certain competencies. I propose this list and attach the complete list of possibilities for discussion.
The consciousness map arranges the values from simple to complex.
Less is more. The challenge is for a group to decide on the minimal values across the map. Stage 5 contains values behind Emotional intelligence and Imaginal skills.
I will look for comments and questions with eagerness.
Stage 8 - Word -Communicating objective and personal truths so effectively that the hearer becomes conscious of his/her limitations and experiences personal empowerment.
Stage 7 - Truth/Wisdom Pursuing and discovering ultimate truth above all other activities. This results in intimate knowledge of objective and subjective global business realities and trends particular to our profession, which converge into the capacity to comprehend persons and systems and their interrelationship clearly. The consequence, particularly in a team framework, is gaining understanding and insight into solutions to complex global and ethical problems.
Synergy -Experiencing the relationships of persons within a group to be harmonious and energized so that the achievements of the group far surpass the predicted outcome based on the total abilities of its individual members.
Stage 6 - Presence -Spending quality time with other persons that comes from inner self-knowledge, which is so compelling that teams, persons, or clients understand themselves with more clarity. They are energized into a quality exchange that leads to higher and more effective levels of creativity, respect, and complex problem solving.
Learning/Insight -Pursuing truth, understanding, and meaning to better solve problems, increase shareholder value, and respond sensitively in a rapidly changing global environment. This creates a learning organization by implementing structures and procedures that empower and reward people for learning and improve their capabilities and knowledge
Collaboration
Mutual Accountability
Stage 5 - Integration/Wholeness
Adaptability/Flexibility
Limitation/Acceptance
Quality/Evaluation
Sharing/Listening/Trust
Stage 4 - Competence/Confidence
Communication/Information
Technology/Science
Stage 3 - Self-Worth
Fantasy/Play
Rights/Respect
Courtesy/Hospitality
Stage 2 - Security
Wonder/Curiosity - Attachments:
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MAP 2004 aqua.DOC, 99 KB
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I have a different idea/approach to my initial answer to your question, Pierre:
If our colleagues can contribute their definition of Dialogue and examples of qualities or competencies embedded in "excellent" or deep dialogue, I will highlight the values underpinning these statements in hope of generating even more dialogue.
Starting with Pierre's description of "deepest dialogue ... in which individuals engage in a shared exploration from which new relationships, meanings and possibilities can emerge" , can others kindly add their thoughts, ideas, questions? Perhaps there is another way to approach this conversation. I am open.
.
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I'm back from vacation ( it's France after all),
Elva, you are putting some light on the fact that the way one engages in dialogue is connected to one's world view.
This statement has important consequences on learning. It is by evolving one's worldview that one will deepen one's way to be in dialogue.
In other words, one's way to be in the world is directly connected to one's way to be in dialogue.
We assume that we share common representations of what dialogue is. On the contrary I see this word as pointing to many different experiences.
Some forms of dialogue must exist at each stageof evolution , and not only at the interdependent stage,- although it perhaps takes its highest form then- is that correct?)
I would like to refine my perception of those differences.
What is dialogue at each of those stages of evolution?
I love aour discussion and I realize that I should perhaps reframe the question.
Before working on the pedagogy/andragogy don't we need to get a better sense of what there is to learn?
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The Existential Man has awaken!
"I'm back from vacation ( it's France after all)"
RE "... the way one engages in dialogue is connected to one's world view".
In the first phase of development in the Hall-Tonna map, one's worldview permits an exchange of Data. in the second phase, Information. In the third, Knowledge. And, the forth, Wisdom. (yes, a higher form at this point in our evolution. Could telepathy be next?)
We are saying the same thing:
1. that by evolving one's worldview, "one will deepen one's way to be in dialogue."
2. " one's way to be in the world is directly connected to one's way to be in dialogue."
3." We assume that we share common representations of what dialogue is.
I would like to explore with you and our mates here how to refine our perception of the differences in representations of what dialogue is.
I can also tell you that our research show that more than three steps of development between two persons reduces the communication by 80%!!!
You ask, "What is dialogue at each of those stages of evolution?"
I propose (for discussion's sake), again, dialogue is an exchange of Data, Info, Knowledge and Wisdom respectively. Where are we with this conversation, Pierre? How far down the rabbit hole do you want to go?
: > )
"What is there to learn?", you ask.
Wait, let me light my cigarette . . .
I really do not smoke cigarettes, but if I did, this would be the moment.
Do unpack THAT question, s’il vous plaît.
Smiling and having lots of fun, e
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Where are we in this conversation?
We started with an invitation to explore " how to develop dialogue competencies ("teach" dialogue) with practical application in mind to workshop , seminars and all possible forms of "education".
I
at this stage we are discovering that we need to back up and collectively explore" what is dialogue and what does one need to learn to engage in dialogue in the deepest (or highest) possible way"
I propose to start a different thread of conversation " to explore with our mates here how to refine our perception of the differences in representations of what dialogue is."
what do you think?
Also I'd like to understand better when you said : "I can also tell you that our research show that more than three steps of development between two persons reduces the communication by 80%!!!" what observations have been made? what is meant by "reduce communication by 80% "?
My reflexion on developing dialogue competencies partly came from the frustration I sometimes feel listening to or sitting at some world café tables depending on who is sitting around - I suddenly sense the limits of TWC process, intention and field when confronted to the reality of individuals in the room and their different dialogue habits and stages of development.
If "more than three steps of development between two persons reduces the communication by 80%!" How can we work with that 1) as participants in dialogue and 2) as hosts?
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Permalink Reply by John Inman on
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Pierre, yes a regroup and narrowing of questions would be in order. I would recommend that you pose a specific question that for you is burning to be answered and yes let's talk. I am not sure which question here is one that you want to run with. Limitations? Readiness to be in dialogue?
John -
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