Fundamentals of Level Three Leadership

93. Dialogue Technique

Concept

Peter Senge and his group at MIT developed a way of ensuring that every team member’s insight and perspective could be had in team meetings. They called this process the dialogue technique, but it’s not dialogue as laypeople know it. Senge’s dialogue has a particular meaning and process.⁶⁸

The goal of Senge-dialogue is to avoid group think that is based on the voices of a few and to make transparent the views and opinions of everyone in the room and on the team so that the team can make better decisions. I am sure you have been in meetings in which only a few participate while others sit silently. One way to overcome this phenomenon is to ask the quiet people what they think. That puts them on the spot and they ...