Conversing in teams: the roles we play

Dynamics in conversations vary greatly depending not just on who is having the conversation, but the roles each person plays as well. 

Our roles in dialogue include:

• questioning – to learn more and refine concepts and context
• expanding – proposing, exploring and advocating   
• moving – finding opportunities to move ideas and planning along
• agreeing – this can be both active and also passively following
• witnessing – offering support, objectivity or context

As a leader, you can opt to formally share the concept of roles in communication with your team, say at the beginning of a brainstorming session or meeting where you would like the team to be conscious of how they are contributing to the discussion. 

Alternatively, you can more subtly guide your team to appreciate and engage with these types of roles in the way that you contribute to dialogue yourself. 
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I can support you to implement productive dialogue models in your team or organisation.