Focused Conversation Based on the book The Art of Focused Conversation by R. Brian Stanfield

Objectives Understand the difference between teaching/training and facilitating. Listen to how a typical conversation sounds like. Learn about the power of questions. Practice the four levels of the Technology of Participation.

Select a partner and have a three minute conversation.

Did you….. Interrupt, or feel the desire to interrupt?

Did you….. Interrupt, or feel the desire to interrupt? Feel the need to be witty or use jargon?

Did you….. Interrupt, or feel the desire to interrupt? Feel the need to be witty or use jargon? Display superior knowledge or one-up-man-ship?

Where you an Advocate or an Inquirer? Advocate – one who pleads, recommends, or pushes a specific perspective or point of view. Inquirer – comes at a conversation with an open mind, listening for creative new ideas or options.

Western Culture Being forceful Articulate advocate Seeks the truth, need to “be right” Expresses opinions about everything

The Tyranny of “OR” The genius of AND Parallel Truths OR

I like the new Healthful Living Essential Standards.

I don’t! They are too confusing and the old Standard Course of Study is just fine.

Critical Thinker

. The easiest critical comment is a negative one.

Criticism Criticism takes very little effort. All you have to do is choose a different frame of reference and you have a free field to fire your intellectual howitzers.

Criticism Criticism as the first step in a discussion stops the discussion and is, therefore, generally the last step in the conversation.

Focused Conversation The power lies in the capacity to ask questions and elicit answers from other.

Focused Conversation Complex Issues No one individual knows the answer

Focused Conversation The task of the conversation leader is to release the damned up genius, wisdom, and experience of the group.

Technology of Participation Objective level – questions about facts and external reality Reflective level – immediate personal reaction to the data, sometimes emotions or feelings Interpretive level – questions to draw out meaning, value, significance and implications Decision level – questions to elicit resolution and bring the discussion to an end

Your Turn

Training/Teaching or Facilitation Teachers and trainers have been taught to correct, amplify, and amend what has been said. A leader of a focused conversation has nothing to teach.

Tips for Leading a Focused Conversation Select a suitable setting

Tips The first question

Tips Subsequent Questions

Tips Getting off the topic It is not a discipline problem. The human brain is very associative, which makes straying away from topics quit easy.

Long or abstract answers Tips Long or abstract answers

Tips An argument breaks out

Answers that are unethical or factually wrong Tips Answers that are unethical or factually wrong Don’t let it pass

Tips People react to others’ answers

Tips Closing