Dialogue or Something Else?
Although dialogue and discussion are both forms of conversation, there is a fundamental difference between the two.
- Dialogue expands our perspectives and understanding because it explores a wide range of thinking and options. It helps everyone learn from one another about the nature of a problem,.
- Discussion and debate tend to narrow our thinking. When we believe there is an immediate need for action, we concentrate our energies to reach a conclusion or agreement. Paradoxically, as the flow of opinions and perspectives is reduced, so are the options for action.
Below is "Conversation as a Continuum" as proposed by Linda Ellinor and Glenna Gerard in Dialogue—Creating and Sustaining Collaborative Partnerships at Work (1998, p. 21).
The Conversation Continuum
| Dialogue | Discussion/Debate |
| Seeing the whole among the parts | Breaking issues/problems into parts |
| Seeing the connections between the parts | Seeing the distinctions between the parts |
| Inquiring into assumptions | Justifying/defending assumptions |
| Learning through inquiry and disclosure | Persuading, selling, telling |
| Creating shared meaning among many | Gaining agreement on one meaning |
If you decide to use the Invisible Currents metaphor-building anecdotes as a way of exploring organzational issues with a group, it would be wise to spend the first of these sessions exploring the meaning of dialogue—what it is and isn't. One option for the session is to invite everyone to review the Dialogue information on this website and then have a conversation based on the following questions.
Dialogue Questions
- What word or phrase especially caught your attention while you were reviewing the text about Dialogue?
- Do you remember a time when you engaged in dialgue as described in the Conversation Continuum? What was it like? How did it affect your own thinking and behavior?
- What purpose could be served by using dialogue to explore how an organization works and doesn't work?
- How could we create an environment that supports true dialogue among all of us?
Invitation: We'd like to hear from you. Feel free to offer your comments. Also, check out the Nature of Heart blog.
