The Public Conversations Project
Cultivating Readiness: Preparing Participants for Constructive Conversations

Below are one participant's notes on this workshop:

·         Most of the work being done in dialogue is "making the soil rich" so that things can grow.

·         Bonny Thurston Poem

·         Public Conversation Project approach to dialogue is to bring people to a certain depth before they come into a room together

·         Today we will be looking at how we can invite all parties to participate

·         First part of dialogue is thinking about how you prepare for dialogue.

Four Cornerstones of Preparation:

1.       Convening

Who, what, when, where, how? Need to think about what will be a comfortable physical space.

2.       Inviting

Always give written invitations.

3.       Interviewing

Clarifying participants' purpose and interest in the dialogue.  

Asking people about their hopes/concerns

Have you been a part of these types of conversations before?

4.       Designing

Preparation helps Participants:

·         Often participants are in dialogue because they had a previous discussion that did not work.

·         Often people enter the dialogue process with poor notion-preparation helps people get in touch with their purposes-what would make them want to be in a dialogue with someone from a totally different place?

·         Want people to avoid 'war stories' about dialogue

·         Have them reflect on what is important to them, and what they think is important to others

·         Ask the participants what would make the dialogue worth their while.

·         After interviewing during the preparation phase-results are fed back to the participants

·         Preparation can determine how to create a "Welcome" into the dialogue process.

·         Engaging with people before dialogue allows participants to share fully in order to feel comfortable and ready to participate.

·         As a facilitator-when people tell their stories it enables you to trust them as well.

Prompt:

·         Think about an experience that you had in a conflicted conversation

·         Think about: said/unsaid, who involved, how conversation was, other things you feel are important

·         Now write an invitation that enables you to feel welcomed and clear about purpose

·         Hopeful about how things might go

·         Safe enough to speak fully & listen openly