Dialogue: The Art Of Thinking Together

by William Isaacs

Discussion is about making a decision. Unlike dialogue, which seeks to open possibilities and see new options, discussion seeks closure and completion. The word decide means “to resolve difficulties by cutting through them.” Its roots literally mean to “murder the alternative.” Dialogue is about exploring the nature of choice. To choose is to select among alternatives. Dialogue is about evoking insight, which is a way of reordering our knowledge—particularly the taken-for-granted assumptions that people bring to the table.