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洪智杰，財團法人社會福利至善基金會執行長

4 月2014年 對話新訊息  April  2014 Dialogue Newsletter

三月"太陽花學運",社會中呈現許多不同的觀點與立場, 大家各自表述, 奮力強調自己的主張, 很少聆聽對方. 讓我深深覺得對話素養要平日就養成, 才能在關鍵時刻展現化解衝突的神奇力量. 正逢此時, <對話力-化解衝突的神奇力量>即將再版, 我們邀請至善基金會洪智杰執行長為此寫序文。洪執行長根據親身工作經驗指出對話的挑戰。 的確, 社會對話這條路,還有很長的路要走, 大家加油! 

三月十八日台灣的最高民意機關立法院被學生衝入占據，一場「太陽花學運」開啟台灣民主深化空前的挑戰，學運展開兩周後，電視仍然播放著學生領袖與行政院長各說各話的分割畫面，社會上漫延著一股焦躁不安的情緒，為了放鬆心情，我決定去新店的獅頭山上走走，規律的呼吸、加速的心跳和涔涔汗水，加上許多不要對立要對話的社會呼求，把我的思緒再度帶回《對話力》一書的探究中。

擔任至善基金會執行長身處多元文化的工作場域多年，在不同的專業、組織、位階、世代、文化與國家之間，失敗的對話經驗我有很多。兩個優秀的工作者因為對分工與合作的看法不同，吵鬧到雙雙以離職收場；兩個有理想有能力的師長，礙於尊卑觀念不敢表達，難以互相效力；兩個主觀強烈的領導，只想說服對方而忽略傾聽，會議不歡而散；長官與部屬之間，部門與部門之間，因為彼此預設的期待有落差，或隱忍或衝突，導致整體運作效能不彰；有時候好不容易把大家約來面對面了，談話卻無法聚焦，或者答非所問或實問虛答，徒然浪費精神白忙一場。縱使我們有了聚合眾人的美好動機，但追求高品質的對話又何其困難。

真誠對話的需求如此迫切，丹尼爾．楊克洛維奇，《對話力》一書的作者，提出了成功對話的三項特質：「平等待人」，「同理聆聽」，「懸掛假設」。給了我們有效對話的檢測指標。實踐平等要能去除內在傲慢與角色權威，同理心的運用要能穿透負面話語障礙深入內在正向感受，辨識假設還要能對人我思緒有高度覺察，每一項特質的精髓都不容易掌握。

因此作者又提供了十五項執行策略，例如策略三將對話與決策過程做區隔，對於經常擔負決策壓力的我來說，有意識的把決策壓力從對話過程中移除，對於提升對話品質就非常實用；策略八適時表達強烈價值觀背後所伴隨的情緒，讓感受真實流露的提醒，也不時促進著我與工作夥伴的關係與對話品質。除了十五項執行策略，對話經驗豐富的丹尼爾還指出十個心智坑洞，協助吾人辨認出屬於個人層面的溝通劣習並提出建議作法。

思考對話力，除了操作面外，作者在此書的後六章，論及更宏觀深刻的美國文化社會政治結構，從文化斷層、透過新型態的媒體討論公共政策、政治人物失去權力的恐懼、對專家政治的迷思、知識階級觀念的式微、多元主義的新思維、自由市場與公民社會相持不下的願景角力等等精彩的演繹，對照今日台灣民主進程的失序現象，多元價值與對話能力愈來愈顯重要的當下，可說是切中時弊，相信定能引起華人讀者共鳴，而產生更深入的體會。

《對話力》此時再版，不僅回應了當代社會的需求，也是朝邦基金會不懈推動社會對話的努力痕跡，衷心邀您一起攀爬良善對話的高山，互相勉勵一步一步登上頂峰，祝願大家視野開闊、通體舒暢，我們一起加油！

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Dialogue Challenges

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by Jay Hong, Executive Director of Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan (財團法人社會福利至善基金會)

March’s “Sunflower student movement” brought out the expression of society’s many different perspectives vigorously advocating for their point of view while relatively few were listening to the other side.  I feel deeply that doing dialogue well requires cultivating its qualities in our daily life.  The foundation invited the Executive Director of Zhi-Shan Foundation, Mr. Jay Hong, to write a few words about these recent events by reflecting on his own experience of dialogue’s challenges through his work.  Indeed, society’s road to dialogue is still long, so let’s give each other support along the way!

On March 18, 2014 student protesters occupied Taiwan’s highest public office, the Legislative Yuan, and grew into an unprecedented challenge to Taiwan’s democratic space.  After two weeks of this Sunflower student movement, the news were still broadcasting separate statements by student leaders and the Legislative Premier’s, shown on divided screens.  An agitated mood spread across Taiwanese society; so to ease my nerves I decided to take a walk on Xindian’s lion mountain.  Breathing regularly, sweating and my heartbeat accelerating, I reflected on the public’s many calls for dialogue over debate, bringing my thoughts back to the book “The Magic of Dialogue: transforming conflict to cooperation.”

In my work serving as the Executive Director of Zhi-Shan Foundation I’ve had the opportunity to serve for many years in the field of cultural diversity, in many different industries, organisations, ranks, generations and countries; and I’ve experienced many failed attempts at dialogue as well.  

For example, two outstanding workers argued about different opinions on how work should be divided, until both left the organisation.  In this case, because of the influence of hierarchy these two idealist and capable professionals were afraid to express their true thoughts and consequently were unable to work effectively together.  Two leaders with strong subjective views, seeking to convince the other, and failing to listen led to a broken meeting between the executive, subordinates and departments because the gap between their expectations and the reality, or the gap between tolerance and conflict, created only poor outcomes for the whole organisation.  Even on the rare occasion when everyone is able to meet face-to-face, the discussion would inevitably become unfocused, unable to reach a conclusion and felt to be a wasted meeting.  In the end, even though our intention behind convening everyone together was good, it’s still difficult to achieve the high quality dialogue we aspired for.

Genuine dialogue is desperately needed.  “The Magic of Dialogue: transforming conflict to cooperation” author, Daniel Yankelovich, emphasises three core requirements for dialogue: equality and the absence of coercion, listening with empathy, and bringing assumptions into the open.  Practicing equality requires removing pride and positions of power, empathy penetrates negative discourse as an obstacle to our inherently positive feelings, and identifying assumptions requires a high degree of awareness about one’s own thoughts.  

The author then gives fifteen strategies for cultivating dialogue: focusing on common interests rather than divisive ones – consciously removing the pressure of decision-making from the process helps to enhance the dialogue quality.  This strategy enables emotions and real feelings behind one’s firmly held values to emerge and enriches my relationship with colleagues and the quality of dialogue.  In addition to the fifteen strategies, Daniel also points out ten potholes that hinder dialogue.  These are one’s bad habits of communication and he offers some recommendations.

The latter section of the book addresses the broader social and political structure of American culture.  From cultural gaps, public policy discussion, politicians’ fear of losing power, to the myth of political experts, the decline of new ideas from the intellectual class, pluralism, free market and civil society all of which are experiencing a battle of visions.  Taiwan’s democratic experience the value of diversity and dialogue capabilities are increasingly important for our current affairs.  I believe this book will arouse a deeper reflection among Taiwan readers today.

“The Magic of Dialogue” publication is a response to current social needs.  I’m thankful for the Yen Foundation’s unrelenting efforts to promote social dialogue and to invite us to climb the mountain to good dialogue; this book offers encouragement and guidance each step of the way.  I wish you all breadth of vision and smooth communication, we can do it together!

關於財團法人朝邦文教基金會  About the CP Yen Foundation：
基金會以［推動對話力，促進社會正向改變］為使命。期盼從聆聽，探詢的對話中，豐富視野，建立尊重，包容，參與的文化；進而產生社群，行動，促進社會正向改變。
service@cpyen.org,  www.cpyen.org, T: 02-2771-0168 x26 陳小姐 Ask for Ms. Chen.

The Foundation’s mission is to promote the art of dialogue for positive social change and progress. We believe that listening and inquiring dialogue creates a culture of openness, trust, inclusion and participation which will generate community action for positive progress.