Dialogue Salon Vol. 1 (in Japanese)

Author
Nov 9
3 min read

On Thursday, 6 November, we held the first session of the Dialogue Salon on Creating Spaces (in Japanese).

The session theme

As it was our very first meeting, I set the theme in advance: The Facilitator’s Mindset.

The inspiration came a few months ago, while I was writing the announcement for this salon and reading The Skilled Facilitator (3rd edition) by Roger Schwarz.

In the book, Schwarz introduces two contrasting mindsets of facilitators - one of control and one of mutual learning.

Reading that part, I felt an intuitive urge to explore this topic through dialogue.

Controlling vs managing

We discussed that while it is not desirable for a facilitator to try to control the group according to their own way, it is nevertheless important to manage the process responsibly.

At the same time, a facilitator needs to maintain genuine curiosity, approaching the space with the belief that each participant brings valuable input.

This is where the mutual learning mindset becomes essential.

The facilitator’s mindset

Participants shared a range of reflections on what comes to mind when they think of “the facilitator’s mindset.”

Among them were the importance of letting go of bias and being calm enough to see each participant as they are.

Another image that emerged was that facilitation is like nurturing a plant - it needs air, water, light, and soil, yet a facilitator alone cannot be all of these.

We also spoke about creating a safe space where people can share without fear of being judged, about becoming “transparent” by setting aside one’s ego, and about walking alongside participants as they move toward destinations that are not yet fully visible.

What does “deep (active listening” mean?

Listening skills are often said to be essential for facilitators.

From there, a question arose: what is the origin of the phrase deep (or active) listening in Japanese?

This led to an exploration of the two kanji -「聞く」 and 「聴く」- and the meanings each one carries.

Rules in space creation

When creating spaces where every voice can be heard, it is important for facilitators to set a few ground rules.

Only then can people feel truly safe to express any idea or opinion.

When developing these rules together with participants, it was suggested that starting with the question

“What unconscious assumptions or values might I be bringing into this space?”

can be a powerful practice.

I found this idea deeply valuable and would like to adopt it myself.

At the same time, some participants reflected that having rules - or even the shared belief that “active listening is important” - can sometimes make it harder to speak freely.

We are not alone

One participant shared that having a space like this made them realise that even though facilitation can often feel like a solitary practice, they are not alone.

This salon was created precisely as a space to share experiences and questions, to encourage one another, and to learn together.Let’s continue to gather, learn, and grow through dialogue.

Next sessions

The next Japanese Dialogue Salon will take place on Thursday, 8 January, starting at 21:00 Japan time / 13:00 Central European time.

You can register here.

Once registered, you’ll continue to receive the participation link for future sessions.

I look forward to sharing another gentle and thoughtful conversation with you under a new theme.

The first English Dialogue Salon will be held on Thursday, 4 December.