Page 83 - Effective Communication Skills by Dalton Kehoe
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the other’s past words or actions or our attributions of the other’s motives
trying to overwhelm our consciousness. In effect, appreciative dialogue talk
is more than a conversational choice: It’s a life choice for nonviolence in
dif¿ cult conversations. Ŷ
Suggested Reading
Barnlund, “Towards a Meaning-Centered Philosophy.”
Stewart, Bridges Not Walls.
Exercises
1. Here’s a variation on the well-known Reinhold Niebuhr prayer.
Grant me the serenity
To accept the ones
I cannot change;
The courage to change
The one I can;
And the wisdom to know
It’s me.
The process of effective, ethical communication—and the changes
it requires—starts with you. And remember, our experience always
begins in failure.
2. Pick your moment to practice dialogue talk. Learn from your experience,
and remember the changes you want to make the next time. Then
try again.
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