Leading Libraries Series: Leading for Dialogue

The Leading for Dialogue set consists of the following modules:

• Leading through dialogue
• The art of listening
• Skilful conversing
• Holding a space for dialogue

You are in the Holding a space for dialogue module

Holding a space for dialogue

The big idea: Leading dialogue by creating the conditions

This module is designed to help you understand some of the conditions that create a safe and effective environment for deep dialogue - this is particularly significant if you (or your colleagues) find certain conversations challenging or difficult. Knowing how to 'hold a space' is important if you find yourself in a position where you're facilitating dialogue, either in a meeting, or a focus group or workshop. It's also relevant for all of us taking part in dialogue ourselves to consider how we create the conditions that allow for deep dialogue to take place. William Isaacs (who we met in our Introduction module), calls dialogue 'a process for collective thinking' – you can read an excellent summary of his approach in this article from The Systems Thinker – Dialogue: The Power of Collective Thinking.

Of course, not all our organisational conversations require generative dialogue to be effective. We can use traditional meeting skills and processes to:

• Run efficient operational meetings
• Share routine information with colleagues
• Give high quality performance feedback and reviews
• Tackle day-to-day team issues

However, we need to shift into a more 'dialogic' mode when we are:

• Bringing new groups together to innovate or problem solve
• Tackling contentious or sensitive issues where different views and values are at play
• Aiming to create a deeper sense of collaboration and shared thinking in a team or between teams

You may be a formal leader in those conversations or you may simply be someone who wants to 'lead for' a particular discussion or subject in your organisation or even in your local place.

Either way, if you have decided to take the brave step of calling people together to have a new type of conversation, this module will help you think more deeply about how you can personally create the conditions that will maximise the possibility of dialogue.

Continue to: Holding a space for dialogue