Centering Dialogue as a Leadership Strategy

Catalog description

Dialogue is a central imperative to cultivating leadership in higher education and engaging in problem-solving. We have seen how miscommunications and a lack of dialogue can erode relationships and organizations. Conversely, dialogue can provide constructive opportunities to understand why decisions are being made and the varying perspectives people may hold. Dialogue is a lever that can be used to create change in stubborn situations. In this increasingly digital age, the role of dialogue is even more important and complex. This course will explore the foundations of dialogue. We will define and explore what dialogue is and what it means to be in conversation with others in a variety of contexts. We will discover how dialogue is central to leadership, building and maintaining cohesive relationships, and sustaining communities of learners that connect effectively to one another. This course will engage philosophical, theoretical, and practical approaches to dialogue.