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Dialogue Circles -- Helping Groups Have Deep Conversations
Often when boards, committees and staff teams talk about matters that are important to them the conversation
wanders and not all ideas that are shared are fully understood and valued. If we are anxious about the topic, the
conversation may become like a pin ball machine with ideas flying back and forth, bouncing off of each other.
idea that is shared is allowed to roll out to its full conclusion and idea that is shared is allowed to roll out to its full
conclusion and understanding before a response, or new idea, is introduced.
and understanding before a response, or new idea, is introduced.
conclusionunderstanding before a response, or new idea, is introduced.
and
understanding before a response, or new idea, is introduced.
Some types of Dialogue Circle that we have found very helpful:
- Samoan Circle-- to go deep with sharing on a single focus question
- an inner circle of chairs are the only talking chairs
- a facilitator coaches those in the inner circle to paraphrase and validate each thought that is shared
before moving to responses or other ideas
- Talking Piece- to take turns in hearing from everyone
- only the one with the symbolic talking piece speaks
- Fish Bowl-- to give the larger group a chance to think
- a small group in an inner circle does the verbal work
- the larger group in the outer circle has time to reflect and evolve their thoughts
- Story Telling Mediation-- to give each one a chance to be heard fully
- In a single or multiple sessions, each member of the team has the opportunity to share their
perspective about the crucial topic
- the sharing is punctuated regularly by others paraphrasing what they have heard. No comments,
questions of clarification, rebuttals about facts or comments are allowed!
- Three Times Around-- to develop a shared understanding of past, present and future
- in one large circle go around the circle three times with three different questions: an affirmation, a
concern, a hope or recommendation
In all cases a set of ground rules is developed to assure the confidence of the participants that nothing they share
will be used against them. (One ground rule that is helpful in some circumstances is that no one who shares a
thought may be approached about their thoughts outside of the session.) In all cases, the process concludes with
a time to debrief and identify next steps.
These methods may be used without the assistance of an outside facilitator, but creating the safe space,
maintaining the norms, and keeping the focus is often done more effectively by an outside and trained facilitator.
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