Not everyone needs to be engaged, and not always
Organisations talk a lot about engagement. Sometimes it almost becomes an end in itself: people should be made to discuss as much as possible and about as many things as possible.
At Topaasia we think a little differently: if there is a clear right answer to the matter, Topaasia (or any other form of engagement) is not worth using.
A few examples of a poor place for engagement:
-If leadership has made a decision that is not going to change, it is not fair to arrange token engagement around it.
-If the work instructions say that something is done a certain way for safety reasons, no dialogue is needed about whether they should be followed.
Dialogue is valuable when the conversation can genuinely make a difference.
Use Topaasia when the answer is not yet known
A good conversation topic is one where people can genuinely have different perspectives. The topic can be defined from the top, such as strategy or a development discussion, but its interpretation and application must happen in teams or between a manager and a team member.
For example:
-How should our strategy show up in our team's work specifically?
-What makes collaboration between two teams difficult?
-What do the personnel survey results tell us about our everyday work?
-How do our values show up in practice?
-Are there contradictions between what is said and reality?
-What should we change?
These questions have no single right answer. That is why the organisation needs people's thinking.
Use Topaasia when a few people or opinions must not define the whole conversation
In group conversations it easily happens that a few people talk a lot, some take part now and then and someone says hardly anything.
That does not mean the quieter participants have no thoughts.
The structure of the conversation simply favours those who form their view quickly and are ready to say it out loud.
Topaasia's method aims to ensure that everyone has the chance to bring things to the table and that the conversation does not lock in around the first few speakers or opinions.
Use Topaasia when time is short
A good facilitator can create an excellent conversation without Topaasia, but not all managers are professional facilitators.
Nor can organisations spend half a day on every conversation. That is why a dialogic method also needs to work in ordinary everyday life.
When the structure is ready-made, no time needs to be spent figuring out how the conversation should be facilitated, and everyone can focus on the matter itself.
Do not use Topaasia just because people should be "engaged"
Engagement should mean something. If people are to be engaged around topic X but it cannot have any impact on their work or the organisation, the outcome can be worse than without engagement. It can breed cynicism.
That is why, before the conversation, it is worth asking: What can this conversation actually influence?
If no answer can be found, the conversation may not be needed.
If an answer is found, dialogue deserves a proper chance.