The Value of Dialogue: What Mediators Already Know
October 11, 2006 ·
What do mediators already know about dialogue and its value?
Genuine dialogue increases understanding. Because real dialogue is, in part, a learning conversation, dialogue creates opportunity for new information to surface and be considered thoughtfully. Participants in a dialogue are encouraged to question and to bring their genuine curiosity to the table. Dialogue is generative.
Genuine dialogue builds relationship. Because dialogue gets people actively involved, it builds engagement. And authentic engagement sows the seeds of trust over time, particularly when dialogue becomes the communications norm in the relationship. Dialogue is invigorating, involving, and creates real human connection.
Genuine dialogue leads to more informed decision making. One goal of dialogue can be to solve problems and jointly reflect on options and opportunities. The best dialogue leads to ownership and buy-in, because it’s the result of each person’s full and voluntary participation. As participants in a dialogue consider a problem or idea from multiple perspectives, new options are made visible.
Genuine dialogue isn’t for show. It’s not manipulative and it’s not put on for the sake of an unspoken motive. It’s candid and honest and draws on what’s best in us.
What else do you know about dialogue? What do you most value about dialogue? Leave a comment and let me know!
Copyright © 2006 by Tammy Lenski. All rights reserved.
Article Series
- Making Mediation Your Day Job, Part 4: Creating Dialogue with Your Market
- The Value of Dialogue: What Mediators Already Know
- Creating Dialogue: You Already Know How to Do This
- Marketing as Dialogue: Building on What a Mediator Already Knows
- Dialogue Marketing: Identifying and Locating Your Ideal Client Demographic
- How a Narrow Target Audience Helps Your Dialogue Marketing
- Dialogue Marketing for Mediators: What Would the Dialogue Be About?
- Engaging Your Potential Clients through Dialogue: First Action Steps
Tammy –
Just as I see conflict as an opportunity, I would have to say that I see dialogue as an opportunity as well — the opportunity to understand, build relationships, make decisions and interact authentically. It’s the cornerstone of mediation and what we spend our time doing and learning to do better. It’s what we do best!
Christine, thanks for stopping by. I agree—dialogue is real opportunity and it may be helpful for me to be more specific about that in this section of the book, since marketing can be framed in our minds as opportunity, too. That’s most helpful and I appreciate you taking the time!