DI ALOG UE: A PLAN FO R THE 2 0 2 0 ELEC T I O N
Continued from page 3
ac tivists and watched them become
practitioners in their own communities.
In my experience, dialogue is underval-
ued and misunderstood. I’ve received a
lot of push back and cynicism: “We don’t
have time to sit around and talk, our na-
tion is in crisis.” “ There is no way I’m go-
ing to compromise—I’m not coming.”
“I’ll be asked to leave, if I say what I truly
believe.” “Dialogue is a waste—who has
time for that?” “ That belief doesn’t dig-
nify any airtime.” “How can you expect
me to talk with someone who doesn’t
respect me?” These statements speak to
the fear of engaging with someone that
has a different perspective and distrust
in the role of dialogue.
Dialogue is one of many types of com-
munication. Unfortunately, dialogue is
often confused with other forms of en-
gagement: debate, deliberation, conflict
resolution, mediation. The Greek roots
of the word dia and logos mean through
and word. Dialogue means seeking un-
derstanding through words. Dialogue is
not debate. The purpose of a debate is to
win an argument. There is no winning or
losing in dialogue. Instead, the goal is to
explore different perspectives on an is-
sue. Dialogue is not deliberation. When
deliberating, people weigh all the op-
tions and decide on the best one. In dia-
logue, you are not looking for the best
idea, or option. Instead, you are seeking
“
In dialogue, you are not
looking for the best idea,
or option. Instead, you
are seeking to understand
the experiences that have
shaped and influenced a
person’s opinion.
”
to understand the experiences that have
shaped and influenced a person’s opin-
ion. Dialogue is not mediation or conflict
resolution. There is no third party that
helps two sides compromise and find the
best solution. 1
Dialogue does not mean you give up
your deepest beliefs. Dialogue does not
mean you compromise. In fact, dialogue
demands that you speak with your au-
thentic voice. The purpose of dialogue
is to create a space where people can
explore deeply held beliefs and discover
the meaning and significance of them.
Dialogue is about building trust, build-
ing a relationship, and building under-
standing and empathy. 2
Dialogue is not the end goal—in re-
ality, tough decisions will need to be
1. Ian, et al. “Essentials of Dialogue.” Institute for Global Change, institute.global/advisory/essentials-dialogue.
2. Ian, et al. “Essentials of Dialogue.” Institute for Global Change, institute.global/advisory/essentials-dialogue.
Page 4 Summer 2020
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