Dynamic Dialogue

One of my favorite tools is "Dynamic Dialogue". It is an excellent decision making and problem solving process that can be utilized with individuals and teams. With the Dynamic Dialogue, model, multiple aspects of an issue are examined. At the heart of its success is clear definition of the problem or situation to be resolved.

A manufacturing client of mine had been struggling for five years as to whether or not to add a third shift. After spending an afternoon working through the model, the leadership team was able to make a decision.

An overview of the Dynamic Dialogue process is as follows:

1. Clearly describe the situation.
2. Feelings: How do you feel? Feelings often drive us whether we are consciously aware of them or not. It is important to allow expression of the feelings connected to the given situation or problem.
3. Facts/Data: What happened? These are the concrete, objective facts of the situation, and include the history, concrete experiences, and past actions.
4. Thoughts: What do you think it means? These include our conclusions, opinions, beliefs, assumptions, interpretations, explanations and theories. There are times when people turn their thoughts into the facts.For example,I was working with leaders across an organization. One individual was describing an employee as "lazy" and considered that a fact.When I asked the question what made you think that the employee was lazy, she then began to describe the facts. Lazy was her conclusion about the employee.
5. Goals: What do you want to have happen? These are intentions, values, dreams, desires, and ideals. In most cases there are always common goals to be found.
6. Ways/Means: How are you going to do it? This includes plans, actions, methods, tools, strategies, resources and timelines.
   

A team can choose to begin anywhere in the process. It is not necessary to dialogue in a certain order. Dynamic Dialogue is one more tool for leaders throughout organizations. How will Dynamic Dialogue help your organization?