Planning for Healthy Dialogue …Not a Debate

Create a conscious plan for an important conversation that is already on your calendar. Or think of an important work relationship that you could improve with a good dialogue.

Dialogue Checklist

1. What is my true purpose for wanting this conversation?
2. How would I describe our current work relationship?
3. How would I like to us improve it? Why is this important to me?
4. Am I willing to really listen to this person, with an open mind?
5. How am I curious about this person’s ideas and their experience of the work? The experience of working with me?
6. On a scale of one to ten, how much do I trust this person at this time?
7. On a scale of one to ten, how much can this person trust me?
8. What do I need to share with them about me that could improve our work relationship? What am I willing to share about me as a person?
9. Am I as open to being influenced by what they say as I am interested in persuading them?
10. What else do I need to plan in order to make this a effective conversation?
    Timing? Neutral, mutually agreeable setting? Anything else?