Great Ideas Go Nowhere In Dysfunctional Organizations

Executive Coach, Doug Sundheim, describes the problem that plagues many businesses, particulary organizations that rely on lots of meetings.

What passes as “communication” in most organizations is nothing more than people talking AT each other. Firing different opinions around a room with little structure to productively move any action forward. The dialogue is dysfunctional – meaning that it doesn’t produce a deeper understanding of the issues at hand. Eventually, when a decision must be made, it’s often the person who has spoken the loudest, longest, or with the most conviction that wins – whether it was the best idea or not.

Sundheim says good dialogue can be boiled down to 5 key elements – Listening, Respecting, Suspending, Voicing, and Inquiring.