DialogueWORKS®
Collaborating for Results®

What is Dialogue?

Despite all our technological advances, the competitive edge for organizations still resides in human performance. Organizations that thrive in the future will not just communicate; they will engage in dialogue.

DialogueWORKS® explores the value of one-on-one and team communication by helping participants develop the skills it takes to work through tough issues in ways that bring shared understanding and commitment and to strengthen relationships at the same time.

Contact Us. Get results.

Could your team use a competitive edge? DialogueWORKS® Collaborating for Results® can help improve the quality of your team’s communication and maximize your team's effectiveness.

Please contact us to learn more about the course, or download a course description.

Related Items:

• Download our free DialogueWORKS® Self Assessment in order to understand your communication's style in a given situation.  Your assessment results also includes a brief explanation of the dialogue skills necessary for effective communication.

• Enjoy real-life examples of various principles and topics taught in the DialogueWorks course by visiting our Story Library.  These stories have been contributed by our facilitators and class participants.

• If you have already registered for the course through your organization, download the Prework Assignment to make the course more applicable to your everyday interactions.

More about the course:

Opening effective lines of communication requires listening and developing relationships of trust with others, challenging team members to think productively together, and working cross-functionally to deliver real value to clients and business partners.

This collaborative communication process requires a form of conversation called dialogue. Effective dialogue expands the capacity for collective thinking and learning and makes it possible to achieve goals with increasing levels of success and satisfaction.

Dialogue: Expanding the Flow of Shared Meaning

The word dialogue stems from the Greek roots dia and logos and means “through meaning.” Shared meaning forms the basis of culture in organizations, and dialogue helps us shape and focus that culture toward achieving the results we seek. The cornerstones of dialogue are advocacy, inquiry, suspension and attention. These are the tools that allow us to become aware of the thoughts, feelings, and formulated conclusions that underlie our culture and ultimately assist us to improve the way we interact with each other.

DialogueWORKS® provides a framework in which people of diverse backgrounds and differing opinions can share their strategically essential perspectives.

When team members use and reinforce dialogue skills, the team's performance improves considerably. Why? Because there is less holding back among team members, and less of the rework that is caused by that holding back. People are free to focus on business rather than concentrate on politics or avoiding confrontations, freeing up time and energy that can be directed to creativity and innovation.

It is no surprise that individuals are more willing to put all the information they possess on the table—in other words, make a maximum contribution to the team’s success—when they know how to do it with a minimum of risk. DialogueWORKS® teaches these skills to participants, fueling creativity and problem-solving and setting the stage for revitalization and growth.

Course Objectives

The program will show you how to:

• Contribute instead of control
• Share in ways that do not offend
• Identify and air out “undiscussables”
• Defuse explosive situations
• Identify mental models
• Uncover hidden barriers
• Inquire in ways that build respect
• Build satisfying solutions
• Invite opposing views
• Reestablish positive relationships
• Listen for new insights
• Increase capacity and improve productivity

In addition, DialogueWORKS® will help you recognize and correct common communication challenges such as jumping to conclusions, spiraling into negative interactions, acting on unsubstantiated conclusions, and defaulting to fight or flight behaviors.

Learning Process

The learning process mixes theory, practice, and personal awareness, using video, personal exercises, self-assessment, and structured rehearsals. In short, the training encompasses multiple modes of learning, which allows the concepts and skills to be transferred into practical application.

Who Should Attend?

Leaders at all levels of the organization will benefit. Any individual contributor who is interested in enhancing his or her leadership skills within the realm of given work and responsibility will benefit from the course.

Course Length:

Two days.