Helpful Hints for Online Dialogue

Our goal must be to increase the quality of conversation. We must be careful not to overwhelm ourselves with the quantity of conversation, or worse still to fall victim to "debate"or "discussion" when our intent is to engage in dialogue.

   We need to seek true dialogue by:

       -- Seeing the whole among the parts
       -- Seeing the connections between the parts
       -- Inquiring into assumptions
       -- Learning through inquiry and disclosure
       -- Creating shared meaning among many

    We need to avoid discussion/debate that emerges from:

       -- Breaking issues/problems into parts
       -- Seeing distinctions between the parts
       -- Justifing/defending assumptions
       -- Persuading/selling/telling
       -- Gaining agreement on one meaning

Note: Dialogue principles adapted from "Dialogue: Rediscover the Transforming Power of Conversation", by Linda Ellinor and Glenna Gerard

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to the: "Dialogue About Dialogue as a Management Tool"