Back in autumn 2023, ZHAW sustainable approached collaboratio helvetica, looking for a partner to design a dialogue series that would create tangible touchpoints with the recently published ZHAW Sustainability Report 2023. In this blog post, Kaspar Paur shares insights regarding the design, impact, and learnings of this project.

This year’s International Cooperation Forum, organised by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), was held in Geneva alongside a vibrant and inspiring group of partners, youth ambassadors, educators, social innovators, and professionals from around the globe.

This toolbox entry describes the dialogue principles we are using in the Catalyst Lab and in other formats like Social Innovation Labs or dialogue evenings. They will give you an idea of the kind of conversation we are inviting when practising dialogue. The dialogue principles serve as a basis for facilitating different dialogue methods, for example, triads, dialogue walks, or fishbowl.

A dialogue walk is a method in which two individuals explore a question in a deep conversation while being on a walk outside. It gives participants a space to dive into a deep conversation, practice authentic sharing and deep listening, and get to know each other's perspective and experience on a topic. It can be used as part of a dialogue event or also as a sharing tool in any other form of participatory workshop.

This is an overview of our core methods and awareness-based tools and approaches. It also includes links to proven practice tips, case studies and experiences from our facilitation in and for systemic change and social innovation.

This is the story of a facilitator who recognised and stepped into her role as a change agent. It is also a practical guide to inspire fellow process facilitators to reach out and support a different type of politics in their local area.

Triads are a dialogue tool to share experiences and insights, witnessing and offering feedback in groups of 3.

If you want to discover and learn as a group what it means when e.g. Arnold Mindell talks about the essence level, and you want to make the energetical connection between people tangible and feelable for them, the Village Process is a great exercise to approach this learning.

Joharis Window is a very simple picture, that helps a group to understand the idea of giving feedback and sharing on a deeper level. Joharis window therefore help us to build community and the muscles we need to engage in real authentic dialogue with each other.

Here are a few good reminders to follow when you want to craft a powerful question.

Creating and Facilitating a Dialogue Evening is an Art and is a learning by doing process. It cannot be planned or prepared for all the emerging questions, issues, unknowns and possible possibilites. An inner presence and openness is crucial.

In this blog I will share how we in the Dialogue context understand the word “feedback”. There are many different approaches to feedback. I want to show you a very efficient way of learning through feedback.

A facilitation method for hot topics and transforming the field of collaboration.

In this blog we want to introduce a very simple and practical tool to measure your X on your internal abilities skills map. It shows you your strengths and your weak spots so that you can decide where to focus your next learning steps as a space holder on.

The Dialogue Spiral is a model that shows us as facilitators and as participants how any group process naturally develops, what phases a group will experience in a natural flow of conversation, and how to identify what underlying dynamics is at play in that process.

By ‘dialogue’ we mean the kinds of conversations that change something in us when we are part of them, and that shift something between the people who are involved in the conversation.

During our first cycle of the Social Lab on SDG 5 (Gender Equality) we learned that this method can be an impactful way to increase understanding and engagement for this topic. The purpose of a dialogue walk is to engage in deep dialogue, that means authentic listening and sharing.

Collaboratio helvetica in den Medien: Buchrain im Gespräch über Nachhaltiger Konsum - ein Dialog Abend

At collaboratio helvetica, one of our key methods and principles is dialogue. By ‘dialogue’ we mean the kinds of conversations that change something in us when we take part in them, and that shift something between the people who are involved in the conversation. We mean dialogues where we need to “risk” being authentic and to co-create a space where others can do the same. We mean dialogues about challenging our habits of thought and conversation: listening with attention, speaking with intention and daring to turn the camera around to face ourselves and the roles we might have within the systems we are trying to change.

Holding the question is about bringing the focus away from the answer and back to the question. It is about putting as much thought into the question as we have traditionally given to answers. Holding the question is a method of opening the mind and asking life to respond.