| Debate... |
Dialogue... |
| is oppositional: two sides oppose each
other and attempt to prove each other wrong. |
is collaborative: two sides or more sides
work together towards common understanding. |
| has winning as the goal. |
has finding common ground as the goal. |
| lets one side listen to the other side in
order to find flaws and to counter its arguments. |
lets one side listen to the other side in
order to understand. |
| defends assumptions as the truth. |
reveals assumptions for reevaluation. |
| causes critique of the other
position. |
causes introspection of one's own
position. |
| defends one's own positions as the best solution and excludes
other solutions. |
opens the possibility of reaching a better solution than any
of the original solutions. |
| creates a closed minded-attitude, a
determination to be right. |
creates an open-minded attitude, an
openness to being wrong and an openness to change. |
| prompts a search for glaring differences |
prompts a search for basic agreements. |
| involves a countering of the other
position without focusing on feelings or relationship and often belittles or
deprecates the other person. |
involves a real concern for the other
person and does not seek to alienate or offend. |
