Hosting Conversations about Questions that Matter
The Framing of Questions
People are quick to jump to how they feel and telling everyone why before considering what it is they know about an issue or topic. People are also quick to challenge another point of view before challenging their own.
I like that the focus is on the “what” of conversations, believing that the qualities of the “how and why” of conversations emerges with a better understanding of the “what” ... creating conditions that promote the discovery of the sense and sensibilities of those participating in the conversations. I’ve used the construction of word clouds as a way to promote a sense of associations, connections … of the “what” of everyone’s thinking, words that reveal how everyone perceives the topic and gets them questioning why they feel the way they do.
There are many components to any issue ... the many “whats”; the more of these that are revealed the better.
Replies to This Conversation
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Permalink Reply by Franis Engel on -
Have you ever used Edward de Bono's Six Hat Thinking? It encourages parallel thinking, meaning people on the same side of a question rather than at odds with each other.
Very observant you are to note that most people make their decisions based on what de Bono calls the "red hat" - emotions. "Why" is often an emotional motive, which is really nice to know because it makes people understand why you are bringing up the question at all.
The other favorite and much over-used is the "Black hat" - which are the arguments and cautions of why a proposed idea will not work.
The "what" that you are talking about is the "white hat" (facts.)
How (of course, process, sequence and procedure shapes results) is the "blue hat."
Then there is the Yellow hat - Benefits.
And my favorite hat - Creative - Green.
That said, there's also an activity in thinking skills education where people list as many factors they can about something before they begin to think about it. This is called "Consider All Factors."
Anyway, thought you would enjoy these thinking tools. You left a very interesting description of yourself when you originally joined on the introduction thread that led me here. Thanks! -
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Permalink Reply by carlos lemoine on -
Very nice hint to use the hats as way to understand the world cafe talk. Thanks
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