Nature of Heart

The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.

 —David Bohm

Dialogue Is . . .

Dialogue is a way of conversing. It's also a way of relating. During a dialogue, ideas and beliefs are openly shared, listened to, and accepted.

There are no right or wrong answers or statements. Ideas and beliefs are, after all, a reflection of the way we see the world and are valid to us as we share them.

It’s not helpful during a dialogue to tell people they are wrong or to try to convince them, by argument, to change their minds. What is helpful is asking questions to help clarify our own and others’ thinking. Questions asked from a place of curiosity and answered non-defensively, help us realize how we arrived at a particular way of believing and being.

Opportunity for Change

When we share what is true for us at any given moment, our truth changes as we hear from others and have time for self-reflection. It is perfectly okay to begin and end a dialogue holding the same belief.

Just the act of freely talking about a topic, without having to defend ourselves or our beliefs, is frequently enough to expand our ability to think and act in a different way. Although beliefs may not be changed by the interaction, we may experience a fundamental shift in the way we relate to the world—listening more; wanting to “fix” less.

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. And when empowered with artful questions, a dialogue can, in turn, be the source of new understanding. To learn more about developing questions that enrich dialogue, see Obserflection and More. Lots of examples of dialogue questions are found in the book Invisible Currents under the "Points to Ponder" sections. These questions are  based on happenings in nature and explore personal and organizational issues.

Invitation: We'd like to hear from you. Feel free to offer your comments. Also, check the Nature of Heart blog.

References

Bohm, David (1996). On Dialogue. Editor Lee Nichol. Routledge: New York, NY.

Ellinor, Linda and Glenna Gerard (1998). Dialogue: Rediscover the Transforming Power of Conversation. John Wiley: New York, NY.

 
   Beginning to Melt
   Cindy Mueller