Week 1, Post 2: Let's Dialogue

On page 48 of Chapter 2, dialogue is explored. According to the text, dialogue has three parts: dialogue as equitable transaction, dialogue as empathetic conversation, and dialogue as real meeting. In a perfect world, everyone's voice would be heard. All employees would have a stake in their company. But in the real world, only a few voices are actually heard (usually those in higher positions) and many others are unheard (usually those in lower positions). How then can dialogue be an equitable transaction within an organization? The text suggests that at a minimum, people should be allowed the opportunity to speak. I think that companies should ask for more input from their employees of all levels and encourage ideas and suggestions from people other than those in management positions.

Dialogue as an empathetic conversation requires that people try to understand other people's perspectives. In an organization, it is extremely important for employees to acknowledge different perspectives. It can be difficult however, because some people may be close-minded or stuck in their own beliefs. In a successful organization, people put their differences aside and merge their ideas with those of others. It's ok for people to have different feelings and beliefs, but magic can happen when people bring their perspectives and ideas together!

Lastly, dialogue as real meeting requires that we better appreciate dialogue itself. We can learn from dialogue and from each other. This is probably the most difficult to achieve in an organization. I think dialogue definitely has a place within an organization but it requires everyone's time and effort. Some employees don't want to put in the time and effort but it can really alter the dynamics of an organization. I know when I get a "real" job one day, I want to work for an organization that has great dialogue in place between employees and upper management. The company I work for now does not have much dialogue in place and it reflects in the sentiment of its employees!