The Art of Focused Conversation

Produced by the Institute for Cultural Affairs (ICA) in Canada, the book was edited by R Brian Stanfield, its Director of Publications. A non-profit with a presence in 48 countries, the ICA has worked for 45 years in organisational development, adult and child education, community development, and methods of social change.

Introduction: The Origin of a Method Part I Theory and Practice Chapter 1. Why Conversations? And Why the Workplace? The Fragmentation of Conversation The image of conversation Sound-bite conversations Traditional Mental Habits The culture of advocacy Failure to understand each other The possessors of absolute truth The tyranny of the OR The critics The adversarial mode Changes in the Workplace The whole-system organization The learning organization Leaders as askers of questions Beyond token participation Methodology of real participation Chapter 2. The Focused Conversation Method: An Overview The focused conversation A four-stage process What if governments used the focused conversation Public meetings The workplace No right or wrong answers Advantages Chapter 3. The Structure of the Focused Conversation A natural process and a life method Roots of the method Life presuppositions A whole-system process The relationship arrows Applying the method to structure a conversation The objective level The reflective level The interpretive level The decisional level The aliases of the focused conversation Chapter 4. Leading a Focused Conversation: Conversational Hazards How to Lead One of the Conversations in this Book 1. Select a suitable setting 2. The invitation 3. Opening 4. The first question 5. Subsequent questions 6. Getting off the topic: what do you do? 7. Long or abstract answers: what do you do? 8. If an argument starts up: what do you do? 9. If people react to others' answers: what do you do? 10. Closing Some Things to Keep in Mind 1. The leader has nothing to teach 2. The wisdom of the group 3. Abstract questions, abstract answers 4. The right group 5. Validity of the data What about answers that are ethically or factually wrong? 6. Group ownership of the issue and content 7. Facilitator's responsibility Chapter 5. Steps for Preparing a Conversation from Scratch Preparatory Steps 1. Focus the conversation 2. Write down the intent of the conversation 3. Ensure a concrete beginning point for your objective questions The power of focus 4. Brainstorm questions to realize the rational objective and experiential aim 5. Select the questions you need 6. Jiggle the order of the questions 7. Rehearse the conversation in your head How many questions at each level? 8. Prepare your opening comments carefully 9. Prepare the closing carefully 10. Reflect on the conversation, the group, yourself Why Didn't My Conversation Work? and What to Do about It. 1. Group isn't focusing 2. Group doesn't respond to questions 3. Group gives wrong answers 4. Group is not answering with real answers 5. Some participants dominate 6. Group goes off on tangents 7. Not getting useful results 8. Arguments break out 9. Group challenges the facilitator Part II The 100 Conversations A. Conversations for Evaluating and Reviewing A1. Reviewing the year A2. Reviewing a workshop A3. Reviewing a consultant's presentation A4. Reviewing a planning event A5. Reviewing the day A6. Reviewing an organization's past A7. Evaluating a seminar A8. Evaluating a curriculum A9. Evaluating the progress of a project A10. Analysing a product that failed to sell A11. Evaluating a marketing package A12. Reviewing a major report A13. Evaluating a staff service program A14. Evaluating a trade show A15. Evaluating a new business form B. Conversations for Preparation and Planning B1. Focusing a group before a workshop B2. Introducing a new training topic B3. Preparing a short presentation B4. Getting input for a book review B5. Preparing a group to write a report B6. Preparing a symbol and slogan B7. Planning a workplace study group B8. Preparing the agenda for a meeting B9. Organizing an in-house service group B10. Planning a st