Community Conversation
Conversation
Guide*
Why Use
It
A powerful method for building trust and relationships
How to
Use It
THE AGREEMENTS (for
respectful, civil conversation)
o
Respect all
requests for confidentiality
o
Share 'air time'
( go-rounds, 2 minutes each)
o
Speak from personal
experience, for yourself as an individual, not as a representative of
an organization or position. ("I" not 'we' or 'they')
o
Pause: after
the question to gather thoughts--jot notes--and after another's
response—emphasize 'respect' and 'listening'
o
"Pass"or "Pass for Now"-Honor
the right to pass
o
Stay on
topic. Avoid digressions
o
Be
resilient--use
comments you disagree with as basis for a genuine question during
'Connections'.
o
Resist
pre-judging what someone means or by assuming who they are. Ask them for clarification during ‘Connections’
Will these agreements serve our
purpose here tonight? Keep them in front
of you as you move forward.
QUESTIONS IN SERVICE OF
THE ASKED
Introductory
Question: Each person takes a few seconds (one breath) to give your name
and your motivation for being here tonight.
First Go-Round:
In your experience who is making
positive change in your community and how
is that happening?
Take a minute to think about your
response or write yourself a note to this question.
Each person responds--with a pause after each -- until all have shared.
Make mental or written notes to remind you later of things you'd like to ask
someone to share more about.
Second Go-Round:
What experience illustrates for you what is at the heart of the
matter of positive change happening in a neighborhood?
Take a minute to think about your
response or write yourself a note to this question.
Each person responds--with a pause after each -- until all have
shared. Make mental or written notes to remind you
later of things you'd like to hear more about.
Third Go-Round:
Share an example of the
dilemmas that you as leaders working for positive change face in a community?
Take a minute to think about your
response or write yourself a note to this question.
Each person responds--with a pause after each -- until all have
shared. Make mental or written notes of things that intrigue you as a new idea
or make you curious for more information from what people share.
Connections
Take a few moments to collect your thoughts --review your
notes--about the responses you've heard.
In a moment we'll begin asking each other to clarify, expand upon, or
connect with common themes that have been raised.
(pause)
This will be more
free flowing. We won't go strictly around,, not
limit follow-up and responses that take you deeper with each others concerns.
Let's keep the 'agreements' in play however. Let’s record these responses to feed into the
follow-up of this event
Here
are a few questions to 'trigger; responses:
o
What new ideas
or thoughts are you having?
o
What did you hear that sparks your curiosity?
o
What possibilities are
you seeing for supporting leaders in Milwaukee's neighborhoods?
o
What kinds of
connections could be made to strengthen the work you are about in
neighborhoods?
o
What are some next steps
that you might be willing to consider?
Post Conversation
Acknowledgement of mutuality
Each person has brought a gift
into our conversation tonight. Let's acknowledge that gift by having each of us
thank someone in the group for a
specific contribution, until all have been thanked.
*prepared by the Zeidler Center in consultation with the Community
Transformation Project adapting the work of the Public Conversations Project,
Watertown, MA