Professional and Employability Development Series
The Seven Skills of Dialogue
Presented by Gary Ryan
Organisations That Matter®
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Conversation continuum
Dialogue
Skilful discussion
Polite discussion
Raw debate
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Debate
Dialogue
Skilful discussion
Polite discussion
Raw debate
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Polite discussion
Dialogue
Skilful discussion
Polite discussion
Raw debate
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Skilful discussion
Dialogue
Skilful discussion
Polite discussion
Raw debate
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Dialogue
Dialogue
Skilful discussion
Polite discussion
Raw debate
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The benefits of dialogue
A new understanding of
challenges, problems and Better decision making
issues can emerge
Individual and team The seven skills of dialogue
communication is enhanced can be practiced at any time
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The seven skills of dialogue
Deep
listening
Respecting
Reflecting
others
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
Suspending
Voicing
assumptions &
openly
judgements
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Deep listening
Conscious choice to listen Deep Quietening the voice in our heads
listening
Respecting
Reflecting
others
Listen to understand Focus on understanding
the whole story the speaker
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
It can occur anywhere, Suspending
Voicing
Listen both for what is said,
anytime assumptions & and what is
openly
judgements
‘between the lines’
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Respecting others
Deep You do not have to
"I disapprove of listening
agree with
what you say,
Reflecting
Respecting different views
but I will defend to others
the death your
right to say it.“ Voltaire
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
Recognises that different
You will allow the time and
views are valid and
space for different views, Suspending
assumptions &
Voicing contribute to our
and seek to understand judgements
openly
understanding of the whole
them
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Inquiry
Deep Focuses upon open
The capacity to ask listening
questions
genuine questions
Respecting
Reflecting
others
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
See “The Art of Skilful
Allows our mental models Questions” episode of this
Suspending
to ‘come to the surface’ assumptions &
Voicing series
openly
judgements
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Voicing openly
Deep The capacity to say
Also known as “Advocacy” listening
what you think AND
Reflecting
Respecting to explain why you
others
think what you think
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
Generally, employers do
All views need to be heard
Suspending
Voicing
expect you to share what
assumptions &
judgements
openly your view is and why you
have it
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Suspending assumptions & judgements
Deep It’s like hanging our
Voicing lies at the heart of this skill listening
clothes out to dry –
Reflecting
Respecting everyone can see
others
them
Through allowing
others to question
our perspective, a Displays a
deeper Balancing willingness to be
advocacy & Inquiry
understanding of inquiry vulnerable
our view can
emerge ‘True’ learning
Suspending
Voicing
can occur when
assumptions &
judgements
openly we enhance our
perspective
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Balancing advocacy & inquiry
Deep ...asking genuine
Balances sharing our listening
view with... questions to better
Reflecting
Respecting understand another
others
person’s view
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
Enhances a team’s
Creates high
collective
Suspending quality
understanding of a assumptions &
Voicing
judgements
openly conversations
topic
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Reflecting
Deep
Enables us to listening
Refer to ‘the Rocks
consciously assess
Respecting and the Jar” blog
our performance Reflecting
others
Balancing
advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
See the “Conducting
Can be conducted as Suspending an end of meeting
Voicing
a ‘team reflection’ assumptions &
openly reflection” episode of
judgements
this series
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Summary
Deep
These skills can be listening
You do not ‘have’
practiced
Respecting to be in a dialogue
individually and/or Reflecting
others to practice these
collectively at any
skills
time
Your Balancing
communication advocacy & Inquiry
inquiry
will become more
effective even if When teams learn to
only you are Suspending dialogue together,
Voicing
practicing these assumptions &
openly their effectiveness can
judgements
skills improve exponentially
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Contact details
Gary Ryan
Gary.Ryan@orgsthatmatter.com
www.orgsthatmatter.com
www.studentsthatmatter.ning.com
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
AUSTRALIA
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