Today I have another quote from Michael Michalko’s second edition of Thinkertoys
In Greek, the word dialogue means a “talking through.” The Greeks believed that the key to establishing dialogue is to exchange ideas without trying to change someone’s mind. This is not the same as discussion, which from its Latin root means to “dash to pieces.” The basic rules of dialogue for the Greeks were: “don’t argue,” “don’t interrupt,” and “listen carefully.”
Today, treat every conversation–including those you hold online–as though it fell under the old Greek definition of a dialogue. Force yourself not to argue or interrupt. Listen carefully to those you speak with. Offer up your thoughts and ideas for consideration without attempting to convert or change the minds of others. Treat those you speak with as your equals in conversation and examine their opinions accordingly.
At the end of the day, write about your experiences. How easy or difficult was this? How well did you succeed? How did it change the dynamics of your conversations? What did you learn from it?
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