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Argyris visiting the Netherlands |
Dialogue
Dialogue is about understanding, not about judging. Dialogue is a discourse where your own views and perspectives are tested in search of blind spots in your reasoning.
Socratic dialogue
The Socratic dialogue is a classical method using questions and a concrete example in an investigative discourse that seeks to achieve a synthesis of concepts and values. The method invites participants to 'think slow', bringing rest and understanding in the discourse.
I facilitate Socratic dialogue programmes in cooperation with the New Trivium.
Meeting Chris Argyris
I recently had the enormous pleasure to meet Chris Argyris in person and together with a group of colleagues, engaging a dialogue with him. It was a very inspiring event indeed. Chris is now 83 and still very alert and vivid, and he lives his models and theory consistently in his own behavior. I have seldom experienced such congruency.
When I asked him how he managed to do that, he emphasized the importance of personal reflection and practice.
Chris told us a lovely anecdote on how he played a game of tennis with Donald Schön a long time ago. Schön was a much better tennis player and Argyris, tired of loosing, asked him for some advice. “Just keep your eye on the ball, Chris”, was the only advice he got. Oh so simple, but quite difficult to execute. It is like that with constructive dialogues. Rules are not difficult at all but it takes a lot of practice to actually follow them consistently.
For more about Argyris look at Action Design and see the artikel in Organisations & People by Adrie van den Berge, Nico Swaan and Erica Koch: Thinking about Influence.
Copyright Parresia* Training & Advies.