Dialogue - Can You Hear Me Now?

What is “dialogue” anyway? Dictionary.com defines it as “a conversation, an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement.” Wow, we certainly need more of that!

To have a conversation requires two people agreeing to give one another their attention and the gift of silence. Our society to so loud today - the music, the traffic, the rhetoric - finding a space where we can be heard and speak without interruption is more unique than we might like to admit. I’ve said before, that I feel a good deal of the angst in the political situation we’ve experienced over the past year is borne of a feeling of voices going unheard. “If they won’t hear me, I’ll shout louder!” was evident in the embarrassing displays in community and town hall meetings throughout the country. Unfortunately, those encounters did not even fall into the “debate” category, but looked more like school yard brawls. Opening avenues for people to be and know they are heard, is a big step forward in building constructive conversations.

The exchange of ideas is critical to finding solutions. Not only are “two heads better than one,” but the outcomes of putting those heads together are almost always better than one person’s input alone. Even if you have the best answer, allowing others the opportunity to give feedback, ask questions, or just be a part of the conversation elicits “buy in.” If your ultimate goal is success, bringing others into the dialogue is essential to avoiding or disarming blockades.

And finally having a view to reaching an amicable agreement sets the intention of the result. Without an attitude open to a mutually beneficial settlement, you’re just going in for a fight - someone wins, someone loses. In that case, the success of the issue is no longer the focus, just the power we garner at the end. There are many roads to most destinations, but you can choose the smooth or treacherous route. It is up to you.

Here’s an example of successful dialogue. Balcones Canyonland Public Access Plan: In 2000, the Austin Water Utility organized a Stakeholder Steering Committee to participate in a consensus based collaborative planning process to develop public access plans for the then newly created Water Quality Protection Lands (WQPL) program. If you’re not aware, developing a piece of land (especially public land) in Austin Texas is difficult, contemptuous, and many-sided. Long-story- short, a parcel of land was owned by the City and, instead of making a unilateral determination for it’s usage (and likely meeting opposition on all sides), they invited as many stakeholder groups as possible to dialogue. Restrictions on the land set by law where in play, one of which was that the area could not be used for soccer fields (there you have it). The Water Utility still invited the local soccer league leadership to the table. Risky move and not without conflict. After many meetings, a plan was devised - without soccer fields. All stakeholders were asked asked for their consensus and understandably the soccer league was not ready to comply. Thinking outside the box, asking what they really wanted, the Water Utility offered them the option on a completely different piece of land that the City was not going to develop. When the development plan went to City Council for approval, there was no opposition. In fact, community members had contacted their council persons with support and praise for the outcome. The proven process continues to be used by the Austin Water Utility.

Real dialogue brings real results. When people can hear, there is a chance to be heard.

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