In a new twist on an ancient theme, Duke CE has incorporated a teaching method called Socratic Dialogue into several corporate education programs. Not to be confused with the more traditional Socratic Teaching Method, which likewise derives from the Dialogues of Plato, this innovative approach similarly involves a progression of questioning and conversation as a basis for discussion, though the means of arriving at conclusions is very different.
In the old form, teachers imitate Socrates’ habit of making people jump through intellectual hoops trying to defend a "truth." He would ask a progression of seemingly innocent questions that ultimately led the respondent to a logical conclusion incompatible with that person's originally stated belief. Often this teaching method can lead to tearing a person’s sloppy thought process apart, but it is not always successful in educating them on how to synthesize a better process.
Socratic Dialogue, in contrast, creates a very open and collaborative environment for questioning and examining a scenario of a business challenge. The participants in the discussion follow a path of constructive inquiry, designed to reveal possible solutions to an issue and the steps necessary to arrive at those solutions. The structure of the Socratic Dialogue allows participants to dive deeper into discussion, revealing the intricacy of the issue at hand. This method is employed when it is appropriate to the desired business outcomes for the client, the overall design of the program, and the specific needs of the program participants.
Duke CE's Kim Taylor-Thompson explains, “We use a hypothetical scenario that follows a carefully researched road map intended to take participants through a complex issue. The scenario is relatively simple in the beginning, but it becomes more complicated as the questions progress.”
The scenario (the outline of the situation) is a key element of the dialogue, since all of the questions and discussions revolve around it. For this reason, Kim spends a great deal of time researching the client company and its business problem in order to develop an accurate imaginary scenario. Because the scenario is so important as the basis for a rich ensuing dialogue, she typically interviews 10 to 15 stakeholders from the business to gather background information that enables her to lay a solid foundation. Through this research she develops a deep understanding of how the client’s processes work and where problems are encountered, or breakdowns occur. Participants in the discussion will recognize the issues comprising the scenario precisely because they are based in reality. Though names may be disguised, the issues are very much at the heart of their business.
Within an education program, each dialogue consists of a group of panelists who serve in familiar roles based on their day-to-day expertise. Approximately six to ten panelists participate in the conversation, assuming roles appropriate to the scenario in question. As moderator, Kim explains and develops the scenario as details unfold. She asks the panelists questions and directs questions from one panelist to another. Other participants take part in the dialogue as members of the audience and are invited into the conversation at appropriate intervals. A typical Socratic Dialogue will last an hour and a half, with half of that time dedicated to conversation within the panel, and the other half of the time in open dialogue between the audience and the panel.
From her initial research, Kim creates a concept outline of the scenario for the dialogue that is carefully reviewed with company stakeholders, who may offer additions and changes. After reviewing the concept outline, the company is able to help determine who could best serve in the role of the panelists. It is important to select people who will have a point of view on the issues and who are not afraid to take a controversial position. When tensions surface in the conversation, participants learn more about their differences and about how they can work together more effectively. This information is very helpful in developing future collaborative solutions.
Kim explains, “The dialogue is not intended as a vehicle to transmit the right answer, but rather to examine a variety of things. Participants can examine their goals and the positions they’ve taken on an issue. They can see a variety of approaches and points of view by taking part in the dialogue. The structure of a dialogue with panelists makes people take others’ perspectives into consideration in a new way, as they can now clearly see the implications of their own choices on the other people who have a seat at the table. This can be helpful in breaking down silos in organizations.”
This method is particularly effective in programs for companies examining their strategy, or trying to develop a plan for where they want to be in a certain period of time. For one company that had recently undergone a merger, Socratic Dialogue provided an ideal platform for opening a program focused on defining the new culture they wanted to create. As the discussion progressed, it tackled important questions as to how they would go about accomplishing their goals in the hypothetical situation created for them.
The format surfaces issues that may otherwise remain hidden. This can help open participants’ minds to deeper discussion and learning throughout the rest of the program. There is no preparation for the dialogue on the part of the panelists or participant audience, and since they are not in “performance mode,” discussion is usually quite candid. When appropriate, the facilitator injects humor to lighten the conversation. All of these elements combine to keep participants at the heart of the problem being discussed.
Socratic Dialogue has also been used as part of programs to help corporations communicate new policies and procedures to their people. In this setting, the dialogue helps frame the problem and foster exploration of avenues they might follow to address the issue.
As with other education methods, the success of the Socratic Dialogue depends to a large extent on how well the outcomes for the program and for the activity itself are defined from the outset. With a strong set of outcomes, a scenario can be carefully crafted to raise the right issues, and the dialogue can be moderated to stretch the thinking capability of the participants by bringing them realistically into the scenario and seeking their input.
Socratic Dialogue has lasting impact because participants are able to understand different points of view and construct meaning through conversation. Education provides a safe place for such experimentation and dialogue because it offers a unique platform for inquiry and exploration of ideas, behaviors and beliefs where people feel less threatened, free either to suspend or invoke their customary skepticism in the interest of creativity and collaboration.
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