2. INTRODUCTION
• Edgar H Schein
• His goal is to provide one
perspective on dialogue.
• Dialogue is a central element of any
model of organizational
transformation.
• It is a necessary vehicle for
understanding cultures and sub-
cultures of an organization.
3. How does dialogue get started?
• The facilitator arranges the
setting .
• The concept is described.
• Understanding of the concept by
the group is essential to begin the
conversation.
• Key to their understanding is to link
dialogue to other’s experiences.
4. ROLE OF FACILITATOR
• Organizing the physical space to be
as nearly a circle as possible.
• Introducing the general concept.
• Asking people to share their
experiences and its characteristics.
• Asking members to share how these
past experiences made way for
good communication.
5. • Asking each person in turn talk
about his or her reaction.
• Letting the conversation flow
naturally, once everyone has
commented.
• Intervening as necessary to clarify
the concepts and data.
• Closing the session by asking
everyone to comment in whatever
way he/she may choose.
6. ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT NEW GROUPS
• Members should feel as equal as
possible.
• Everyone should feel a sense of
guaranteed “air time” .
• The task of the group should be to
explore the dialogue process and not to
make a decision or solve some external
problem.
• The members will be concerned
primarily about themselves, hence
,legitimizing personal experiences is a
good way to begin.
7. ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
• First of all, some learning should take
place in the executive sub-culture of an
organization.
• Also the executive sub-culture should
recognize itself and it involves periods
of dialogue.
• This helps members become conscious
of their own cognitive bias and to
communicate whatever new insights
they have gained.
8. • Yet ,the executive leaders may be most
reluctant to engage in this kind of self-
reflective analysis.
• Communication across hierarchical levels
require further dialogue because
different strata operate with different
assumption.
• It is so easy for the higher level to
undermine the learning of the lower
levels.
9. CONCLUSION
Learning across cultural boundaries cannot
be created or sustained without initial and
periodic dialogue. Dialogue in some form is
therefore necessary and integral to any
organizational learning that involves going
beyond the cultural status quo. If any new
organizational responses are needed that
involves changes in cultural assumptions or
learning across sub-cultural boundaries,
dialogue must be viewed as an essential
component of such learning.
