Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about disagreement and how it arises. It’s a subject closely connected to my dialogue work – too many conversations begin with good intentions yet end badly as individual agendas collide. It’s evident that one root of disagreement is difference of opinion. When handled skilfully, an exchange of contrasting positions […]
Beyond disagreement Read More »
Most leadership is enacted through the medium of conversation – whether meetings, presentations or one-to-ones. Yet many of us don’t pay attention to the ‘how’ of our conversations – we focus on the ‘what’. We don’t consider how we’ll create the conditions for exchanges that generate both good outcomes and greater rapport and confidence amongst
Paved with good intentions Read More »
In the Sunday Times in April 2020, Helen Fielding revisited Bridget Jones, writing an extract from her self-isolation diaries. The piece offered light relief in disturbing times. It also touched on an issue that’s live for me. At 7.29am, Bridget is FaceTiming her friend Miranda. In the absence of her usual grooming regime, Miranda is
Virtual containers Read More »
The more dialogue-related work I do, the greater my appreciation for the connection between the outcome of a conversation and the climate within which it’s held. What I mean by outcome is more than the immediate upshot – it includes how the conversation impacts relationships and the bigger system. Climate is harder to articulate. It’s
Holding conversations Read More »