Dialogic democracy sounds like it may create a mashup of statements, where everyone can say everything they want that comes to mind. However, it does take an amount of discipline, to plan the point you are making as well as being mindful of the opinions and circumstances of others.
For instance, my best friend of 15 years just lost her father the day before Christmas Eve 2008 to cancer. She worked for a city as an intern in public relations, and before his death, would go home in the evening to care for him, sometimes into the early hours of the morning. One morning at work, a woman starting crying at her desk because she was tired and stressed out about a deadline. How pleasant would it have been for my friend to only have to worry about her job. She told me she was trying not to be annoyed by it, but I'm sure, considering her circumstances, that was difficult. It made me think about what might be going on in other people's lives at home and outside the office, and never to assume anything about anyone based on their appearance. More often than not, it is incorrect.
How sad for your friend. The death of someone close certainly puts workplace issues into perspective. Dialogue in organizations does encourage mindfulness and especially active listening. I like the idea of mindful dialogue, where people think together. I'm not sure this happens very often. But I have observed it this year as the faculty in my department worked on completely revising the major. What we ended up with a bold, innovative, and creative approach that I think students will find meets their needs much more readily than the current requirements. The changes are good for faculty, too, as it's given us a fresh look at what, how, and why we teach what we teach.
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