Hi Diane: I read your message about dialogue [and will respond with a
private message later today with the documents we discussed]...for people
who are learning to facilitate dialogue discussions by themselves,
especially the "strategic" type, what are some of the typical
interventions you use?
I have used the guidelines distinguishing discussion from skillful
discussion and dialogue in the Field Manual, and know how to set the stage
by getting group approval to follow the appropriate guidelines.
What I am not clear about is how to intervene in the discussion when "the
spirit is willing but the flesh is weak". Of course, group process
reflections after the session can do this, but I am most interested in the
types of "real-time" comments that would be made [assuming that they are
desirable].
I have been in 7 or 8 dialogue sessions with facilitators...and I noticed
a wide variety of styles for "commenting" on group process. My background
is in group discussion and facilitation, and I am comfortable making
process observations, but I want to calibrate my style with the "intent"
of dialogue facilitators. I have a sense that this intent is different
from everyday process facilitation from the comments Boehm made...however,
the dialogue sessions I anticipate arranging in business are more like the
ones described by Juanita Brown. I don't know what facilitation style she
suggests.
What I have noticed is a number of specific types of actions which
violate the intent of dialogue, but often are not even consciously under
people's control during the initial sessions. And that seems to be a good
time to guide people toward the new habits. My assumption is that the
facilitator needs to play a "somewhat" active role in guiding the
discussion to promote more awareness of patterns in the discussion. [that
may not be the case]
Here is what I see happen most often:
* someone holding a monologue...talking frequently...dominating the
discussion
* people timing their comments to within microseconds of the last person's
speech, so that they can get into the conversation...as a result there is
little silent time for reflection
* people having a difficult time moving out of advocacy into reflection
These are all symptoms of people accustomed to advocacy and
discussion...so it's not surprising [or particularly reprehensible] that
the behaviors would linger. I am interested in how to balance the
guidance process by the facilitator against the natural process of group
gaining awareness. I notice that my intent here is to "reduce some of the
frustration" which group members feel at the discrepancy between ideal and
actual behavior...perhaps that impulse is premature on my part... Should I
wait until the members of the group notice or comment on the patterns and
then make a comment? This is part of my own learning process...hmmm.
Any other group members...if you have suggestions or experiences to share,
I would welcome them.
Are there any writeups of the exercises created by Dialogos that you can
share without "giving away the store"? If so, I'd be interested in
reading...although it's no substitute for action.
thanks...
-- "Mulligan, Margie" <MMulligan@OS.Varian.COM>