Presentation on dialogue for organizational performance

1. Dialogue for Performance
Conroy Fourie
March 2012

2. Draft Presentation
Feedback will be appreciated
conroyfourie@iafrica.com

3. The Importance of Robust Dialogue

4. The next 4 slides break the rules of presentations as
they are very wordy however the comments by
Bossidy and Charan are best shared as is – please
read the notes as they outline excellently aspects of
dialogue in its business context.
Get the book, it is a great read.
Book reference: The Discipline of Getting Things Done.
Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan (with Charles Burck).

5. The Importance of Robust Dialogue – Reading Slide 1 of 4
“You cannot have an execution culture without robust dialogue – one that brings reality
to the surface through openness, candor, and informality. Robust dialogue makes an
organization effective in gathering information, understanding the information, and
reshaping it to produce decisions. It fosters creativity - most innovations and inventions
are incubated through robust dialogue. Ultimately, it creates more competitive advantage
and shareholder value.
Robust dialogue starts when people go in with open minds. They're not trapped by
preconceptions or armed with a private agenda. They want to hear new information and
choose the best alternatives, so they listen to all sides of the debate and make their own
contributions.
When people speak candidly, they express their real opinions, not those that will please
the power players or maintain harmony. Indeed, harmony - sought by many leaders who
wish to offend no one - can be the enemy of truth. It can squelch critical thinking and
drive decision making underground. When harmony prevails, here's how things often get
settled: after the key players leave the session, they quietly veto decisions they didn't like
but didn't debate on the spot. A good motto to observe is "Truth over harmony." Candor
helps wipe out the silent lies and pocket vetoes, and it prevents the stalled initiatives and
rework that drain energy.”
Source:
Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan (with Charles Burck). Page 102 – 105.

6. The Importance of Robust Dialogue – Reading Slide 2 of 4
“Informality is critical to candor. It was one of Jack Welch's bywords. Formality
suppresses dialogue; informality encourages it. Formal conversations and
presentations leave little room for debate. They suggest that everything is scripted
and predetermined. Informal dialogue is open. It invites questions, encouraging
spontaneity and critical thinking. At a meeting in a formal, hierarchical setting, a
powerful player can get away with killing a good idea. But informality encourages
people to test their thinking, to experiment, and to cross-check. It enables them to
take risks among colleagues, bosses, and subordinates. Informality gets the truth out.
It surfaces out-of-the-box ideas - the ideas that may seem absurd at first hearing but
that create breakthroughs.
Finally, robust dialogue ends with closure. At the end of the meeting, people agree
about what each person has to do and when. They've committed to it in an open
forum; they are accountable for the outcomes.
The reason most companies don't face reality very well is that their dialogues are
ineffective. And it shows in their results. Think about the meetings you've attended -
those that were a hopeless waste of time and those that produced energy and great
results. What was the difference? It was not the agenda, not whether the meeting
started on time or how disciplined it was, and certainly not the formal presentations.
No, the difference was in the quality of the dialogue.”
Source:
Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan (with Charles Burck). Page 102 – 105.

7. The Importance of Robust Dialogue – Reading Slide 3 of 4
“In the typical corporate meeting - a business review, for example - the dialogue is
constrained and politicized. Some people want to shade and soften what they say to
avoid a confrontation. Others need to beat those they're talking to into submission. In
groups that contain both types of people (which is the case in many meetings),
dialogue becomes a combat sport for the killers and a humiliation or bore for the
passives. Little reality gets on the table, and the meeting doesn't move the issues
forward much.
Now think of a meeting that produced great results - that got to the realities and
ended with a plan for results. How did it happen?
Dialogue alters the psychology of a group. It can either expand a group's capacity or
shrink it. It can be energizing or energy-draining. It can create self-confidence and
optimism, or it can produce pessimism. It can create unity, or it can create bitter
factions.
Robust dialogue brings out reality, even when that reality makes people
uncomfortable, because it has purpose and meaning. It is open, tough, focused, and
informal. The aim is to invite multiple viewpoints, see the pros and cons of each one,
and try honestly and candidly to construct new viewpoints. This is the dynamic that
stimulates new questions, new ideas, and new insights rather than wasting energy on
defending the old order.”
Source:
Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan (with Charles Burck). Page 102 – 105.

8. The Importance of Robust Dialogue – Reading Slide 4 of 4
“How do you get people to practice robust dialogue when they're used to the games and
evasions of classical corporate dialogue? It starts at the top, with the dialogues of the
organization's leader. If he or she is practicing robust dialogue, others will take the cue.
Some leaders may be short on the emotional fortitude required to invite disagreement
without getting defensive. Others may need to learn some specific skills to help people
challenge and debate constructively. These people should be able to get help.
But the key is that people act their way to thinking because they're driven for results. If
you reward for performance, the interest in performance will be sufficiently deep to
sponsor a dialogue. Everybody needs to get the best answer, and that means everybody
must be candid in their exchanges - no one person has all the ideas. If someone says
something you disagree with and you rudely tell him he's full of hot air, a lot of other
people aren't going to speak out next time. If instead you say, "Okay, let's talk about that,
let's listen to everybody and then make our choice," you'll get much better responses.”
Source:
Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan (with Charles Burck). Page 102 – 105.

10. Catching a New Wave of Growth

11. What do
you see?
Old woman
or young?

12. Complete The Following Sentences...
Blacks are…
Whites are…
Japanese are…
Americans are….
The English are…
Parts people are….
Sales people are….
Service people are…
Accountants always…
Name of someone you know e.g. Susan always…

13. Regarding what you completed those
sentences with…
What are facts? Assumptions?

14. Jumping to Conclusions: The Ladder of Inference

15. Jumping to Conclusions: The Ladder of Inference
Like a pane of glass framing and subtly distorting
our vision, mental models determine what we see.
We all use our unique mental maps to navigate
through the complex environments of our world.

16. Jumping to Conclusions: The Ladder of Inference
Research in brain science shows that mental maps play a large
role in perception and behaviour. More than 50% what we see is
reprocessing of the information already in our brains. We live in a
world of self-generating beliefs.
These usually remain largely untested. We adopt those beliefs
because they are based on conclusions, which are inferred from
what we observe, plus our past experience.

17. Jumping to Conclusions: The Ladder of Inference
Our ability to achieve the results we truly
desire is eroded by our feelings that:
• Our beliefs are the truth
• The truth is obvious
• Our beliefs are based on real data
• The data we select are the real data

18. Jumping to Conclusions: The Ladder of Inference
The ladder of inference can help us in three ways:
• Becoming aware of our own thinking through
reflection
• Making our thinking and reasoning more visible
to others through advocacy
• Learning more about others’ thinking, through
reasoning.

19. What Can We Do To Avoid Jumping to Conclusions?
We can clarify a situation by asking questions such as:
• What is the observable data behind that statement?
• Can you run me through that reasoning?
• How did you get from the (observable data) to those
conclusions?
• What assumptions did you make to get there?
• When you said “[your inference]” did you mean “[my
interpretation of it]“?
• You can ask for data through open questions, e.g.; “what
was your reaction to my presentation?”
• You can test assumptions “Is this not what you expected?”:
• Or you can test observable data “I notice you are frowning?”
• Or you can present your move up the ladder “I am moving
up the ladder to these conclusions, maybe we all are. Let’s
share our views. What is the observable data?

20. What Can We Do To Avoid Jumping to Conclusions?
When we all use the ladder it becomes a powerful tool for
healthy communication. It is energising to show others the
links in your reasoning. And even if they do not agree with
you they can see how you got to your thinking and they can
show where they are going. You may also surprise yourself
when you understand how you got to where you are.
The Ladder of Inference is a useful model to help us
understand how we think.

21. “We see the World not as it is, but as we see it.”
Stephen Covey

23. What is Dialogue?
“…dialogue can be
considered as a free flow of
meaning between people in
communication…"

24. What is Dialogue?
“Dialogue is altogether a very different way of talking.
Generally, we think of dialogue as ‘better conversation,’ but there is much
more to it.
Dialogue, as defined, is a conversation with a centre, not sides.
It is a way of taking the energy of our differences and channelling that
energy toward something that has never been created before.
It lifts us out of polarization and into a greater sense of the commonalty, and
is thereby a means for accessing the intelligence and coordinated power of
groups of people.“
William Isaacs

25. What is Dialogue
In order for any dialogue to be effective, certain qualities are
needed: Sincerity, humility and interest.
•Sincerity is needed because this is what moves the heart.
•Humility is needed because this is what makes one person
value another.
•Interest is needed because it is the source of all questions.

26. With What Frame of Reference Do We Enter
a Conversation?

27. Dialogue Model

28. Objectives for Dialogue
The objective of adding more dialogue in how we go about
running our business is to improve the freeing up of creativity
from more of our people more often so that we can improve
the performance of our business even further.
Specifically, we want to make available dialogue as a tool to:
•Discover how to communicate best when it matters the most.
•Manage our communication “styles” under stress.
•Make it safe for team members to talk about anything.
•Turn conversations into actions and results that will support
the business in its quest to improve performance.
•Develop our people.

29. Benefits of Dialogue
• Dialogue is one of the most
effective means in the struggle
against negative conditioning
and prejudice.
• Strategic planning and visioning
sessions will benefit if diversity
of opinion could be opened by
means of effective dialogue.
• Improved teamwork leading to
better performance

30. Benefits of Dialogue
•Dialogue has the ability to convert detractors into
supporters, conflict into consensus, and add depth to
business relationships.
•A dialogue influences another's perspective by you
first demonstrating a deep understanding of the
position (the other is in) you want to influence.
•In a dialogue, your skills of collaborative inquiry and
listening provide others with a profound sense of being
heard.
•When we feel that we are heard, we become more
willing to be open to another point of view.

31. Healthy dialogue
increases the level
of innovative
thinking and
performance in
comparison to a
“dialogue
impoverished”
environment

32. Dialogue Contrasted With Discussion
•Discussion has the same roots as "concussion" and
"percussion.”
•The Latin origin of discuss is “discutere” - to dash or shake
apart. Hence, to discuss is to shake apart what others say.
•In a discussion we break things down, fragment the whole,
analyse the pieces, and seek to convince others of our
insights.
•You recognise discussion by its competitive nature. If you are
only listening in order to prepare your own counter-
arguments, you are involved in a discussion.

33. Dialogue vs. Discussion/Debate
Dialogue Discussion/Debate
• Seeing the whole • Breaking
among parts issues/problems into
• Seeing the connections parts
between parts • Seeing distinctions
• Inquiring into between parts
assumptions • Justifying/defending
• Learning through inquiry assumptions
and disclosure • Persuading, selling, and
• Creating shared telling
meaning • Gaining agreement on
one meaning

34. Dialogue vs. Discussion
•Interactive communication or
dialogue refers to interacting in ways
that build shared meaning
(“dialogue”), rather than colliding in
ways that foster disagreement,
frustration and
confusion(“discussion”).
•Dialogue is a subtle process that
may be difficult to understand, and
even more difficult to actually create.

35. Route of Least Resistance:
Default to Discussion
•Often the default in business conversations is discussion.
•Each side will lob its viewpoint across the table. The other
will then repeat its counter-position.
•You have a sense of positions being smacked back and
forth like a puck in a hockey game.
•If your trust of the others involved diminishes along with
your patience and goodwill, you are likely in discussion.
•Frequently power and rank "wins“.

36. If Dialogue Is So Effective, Why Aren’t
More People Using It?
Dialogue requires much of us:
•Listening more deeply and for longer periods of time.
•Inquiring of others and paraphrasing their ideas when
every cell in your body wants to attack, defend or
explain.
•Becoming aware of your mind drifting and repeatedly
returning it to the topic at hand.
•Examining our thoughts and separating assumptions
from facts.

37. Dialogue Requires
• A complete shift in mind-set from telling others what
you think, to inquiring of them what they think.
• A deeper level of listening and a more active
approach to demonstrating that you are listening to
others.
• An ability to penetrate into another's assumptions
and mental maps to uncover the framework that
governs their behaviour.

38. What Does Dialogue Look Like?
Recognize it when:
•The business issue develops keen intellectual interest.
•Everyone is involved, and people are listening deeply.
•The conversation becomes animated.
•You become eager to add to what someone else has
said; but you are listening more than talking.
•The multiple perspectives create a sense of aliveness
and possibility.
•Different viewpoints interest you instead of annoy you.

39. Dialogue:
A Jazz Improvisation Metaphor
A jazz improvisation is a good metaphor for dialogue. Each musician must
build on what the others are already doing. The jazz musician can’t just
begin playing his favourite tune. He must listen to what others are playing,
and then build on it.
The result is something unique — no one person controls the musical
direction. They improvise and initiate, but always in relationship to what
others are doing.

40. Dialogue Blockers
•Prejudices
•Unchallenged assumptions (jumping to
conclusions)
•Inability to listen
•Perceived time and performance
pressures
•Impatience
•Inability to see or acknowledge blind
spots
•Fear – the business culture inhibits the
free flow of meaning
•Dysfunctional power and rank dynamics
•Lack of Trust
•External influences
•Distractions

41. “Nothing kills the flow of meaning like fear”

42. Power and Rank
•People who have rank in a relationship are seldom aware of it.
•Rank is (like) a drug. The more you have the less aware you are of
how it affects others negatively.
•If we are conscious of our rank we can use it well. If we are not aware
of it can become very irritating to other.
•Some people are aware of their rank and use their power well. Others
are oblivious. When we are unaware of rank, communication can
become confused and chronic relationship problems develop.
•Rank is a descriptor not a judgement. So when we use the word rank
it is in a neutral way and we can explore how rank is used to empower
or disempower.
•As with rank, power is also a neutral descriptor and its effect depends
on how it is used.

43. Rank and How It Impacts Behaviour
and Communication
High rank behaviour and communication Low rank behaviour and communication
styles styles
• Tends to feel comfortable in the given situation, • Feels uncomfortable, as if they do not
“at home” belong
• Assumes that his/her way of speaking or acting • Tend to agree without thinking (it’s safer)
is normative, correct • Send double signals (e.g., say yes, but with
• Tends to set the agenda without consulting a body language that indicates the
others opposite)
• Tends to set the time and place of the meeting • Swallow their feelings — until “one day”
for their own convenience that they explode
• Takes charge of and/or dominates the • Eventually resort to vengeance as their only
conversation tool for retaliation
• Acts in a patronizing, condescending matter • Passive aggressiveness
manner toward those of lower rank (“I know
best.”)
• Views emotional outbursts as unacceptable

44. Speaking Your Voice
“To speak to your voice is perhaps one of the most
challenging aspects of genuine dialogue. Speaking
your voice has to do with revealing what is true for you
regardless of other influences that might be brought to
bear.
To say it’s challenging strikes us as a massive
understatement! Most organisational cultures seem to
conspire to ensure that the really difficult issues remain
unspoken. This helps preserve the safety of the status
quo, but creates an enormous barrier to change.”
Steve Whitla, Delta7

47. Dialogue for Performance
• Dialogue for Action
•Turning possibilities into action
•Securing commitment to next steps
•Clarifying what could go wrong
• Dialogue for Possibility
•Working to generate new perspectives or ways of
seeing the situation
•Thinking outside of the box
•Generating multiple possibilities
• Dialogue for Relationship
•Building mutual trust and respect
•Understanding the person/team in their context
•Clarifying what we want to do
Notes: •Understanding what have been tried already
•Start at the bottom of the pyramid and work your •Re-aligning expectations
way up. •Exploring barriers and obstacles
•The process is dynamic and you will cycle back
and forth.
•% refers to time and effort engaged in that mode.

48. “Conversation Killers” Behaviour Choices
We Can Fight We Can Flee
“Violence” “Silence”
•Attack •Withdrawn
•Label •Avoid
•Control •Mask
Fight Flight
Camp Camp

49. Safe Container: Absence vs. Presence
Safe container Safe container
absent created
What is happening to you…
What is happening to people…
– Feel safe
– Feel fear
– Trust the motives of
– Question the motives of the
the other person or
other person or persons
persons
– Feel you aren’t respected
– Feel respected and
– Feel threatened respect the other
person
– Understand their
meaning

50. Some Dialogue Skills: Learn to Look
•At content and conditions.
•For safety problems.
•To see if others are moving
toward silence or violence.
•For outbreaks of your Style
Under Stress.

51. Some Dialogue Skills: Make it Safe
“…Step out of the conversation, build
safety, and then find a way to
dialogue…”
Decide which condition of Safety is at risk:
– Mutual Purpose
•Do others believe you care about their goals in this conversation?
Do they trust your motives?
– Mutual Respect
•Do others believe you respect them?

52. Some Dialogue Skills: Make It Safe
•Apologize when appropriate.
•Contrast to fix misunderstandings
–When others misunderstand either your purpose or
intent, use Contrasting.
•Start with what you don’ t intend or mean. Then explain
what you do intend or mean.

53. Some Dialogue Skills: Make It Safe
When you are at cross-purposes, use four
skills to get back to Mutual Purpose:
–Commit to seek Mutual Purpose.
–Recognize the purpose behind the strategy.
–Invent a Mutual Purpose.
–Brainstorm new strategies.

54. Straw Man Action Plan to Build the
Dialogue Competency
There are a few things we could do to build dialogue skills…
•Honestly assess our skill at dialogue including asking feedback
from our people about the quality of our dialogue in the business
(e.g. through survey/s)
•Identify individual style as leader – do a profiling technique such
as the Enneagram, MBTI, or similar – and get some facilitation
around this for the leadership team.
•Dialogue skills training
•Create new forums for dialogue in the business and/or use
existing forums but relook at how we use them
•Leadership to set the example
•Coach, train, mentor our first line leaders
•Include dialogue as a competency in our competency profiles and
develop, measure, and reward accordingly

55. Information Sources and References
•www.hendersongroup.com: the Henderson Group helps high-visibility teams and
individuals succeed by communicating with power, authenticity and presence
•www.delta7.com (Steve Whitla Blog): Delta7 specialises in engaging employees with
strategy and change
•www.centreforcoaching.co.za: Provides Integral Coaching training and consulting
solutions
•www.strategyworks.co.za: The vision of StrategyWorks is to be the source of
structured strategy definition, planning and execution, for a group of extraordinary
clients in interesting industries.
•Book: Crucial Conversations, Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler
•Book: The Essential David Bohm, Lee Nichol (Editor)
•Book: Dialogue, the Art of Thinking, William Isaacs
•Book: Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done, Larry Bossidy and Ram
Charan (with Charles Burck).