Left hand column – the Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, Senge ...



ANALYSING A CONVERSATION

(using left hand column / right hand column*)

Purpose of exercise:

An exercise for looking afresh at a tricky conversation, raising the possibility of uncovering tacit assumptions and then talking about them…

Approach to using exercise:

Choose a conversation…

• that didn’t go as you expected – it turned out better, or worse, or just differently

• where you felt you were treated unfairly, or

• where you believe your view was being ignored or discounted, or

• where you believe your associates are not paying much attention to the crucial problem, or

• where others are resisting (or you believe they will resist) a change you want to implement, or

• someone is not pulling his or her weight or is treading on your toes

Give a brief context for the conversation and describe your intent for it.

On a page, draw two columns in which to record the conversation:

1. In the RIGHT hand column, write out the conversation that actually occurred, as closely as you can remember it. Use the format of a play script, indicating name of any speaker and writing down what they said as accurately as you can. Leave the left hand column blank until you are finished.

2. In the LEFT hand column, describe what you were thinking and feeling but not saying.

There are a number of ways to use this resource:

1. It can become a lens through which you reflect on your own thinking and contribution as if you were looking at someone else (a new perspective, or a “by-stander” of your own contribution)

2. It can be used with a partner in a coaching session to explore how you contributed to the outcome and to explore what you might do differently another time.

3. Starting questions might be:

• What were you trying to accomplish? What was your intention?

• Did you achieve the results you intended?

• How did you contribute to any difficulties?

• Why didn’t you say what was in your left hand column?

• What assumptions were you making about the other person/people?

• What got in the way of you acting differently?

• How can you use the left hand column to improve communications?

*References:

See: “The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook”, Peter Senge et al (page 246) for an example and further explanation of the Left Hand Column.

You can also use various dialogic frameworks (such as move, follow, oppose, bystand, or voice, listen, respect, suspend – ref: “Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together”, William Isaacs) to gain insight into the conversation. For interest, see:



Acknowledging contribution of Amanda Ridings in the development of this resource, see

|Left-hand column |Right-hand column |

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