Facilitation · 2-4 hour sessions or multi-day retreats

Bohm Dialogue

A collaborative communication model designed to explore the collective thought process and the 'tacit' ground from which human interaction emerges. Unlike debate or discussion, it focuses on the flow of meaning ('dia-logos') to reveal hidden values and cultural conditioning that govern group behavior.

When to use Bohm Dialogue

Effective for cultural transformation, resolving deep-seated systemic conflicts, fostering high-level collective creativity, and addressing 'wicked problems' where traditional analytical problem-solving has reached an impasse.

How Bohm Dialogue works

Facilitators can integrate this by removing traditional hierarchies and agendas, instead creating a 'container' where participants hold their opinions out for collective inspection. The facilitator acts not as a leader but as a participant-observer who helps the group maintain a focus on the process of thinking rather than just the content of the conversation.

Phases of Bohm Dialogue

  1. Gathering in a Circle
  2. Suspension of Judgment
  3. Active Listening and Observation
  4. Sharing of Tacit Meaning
  5. Emergence of Common Consciousness

Key principles

  • Suspension of impulses and judgments
  • Non-hierarchical participation (No leaders)
  • Focus on thought as a systemic process
  • Prioritizing observation over analysis
  • Creation of a shared 'common consciousness'
  • Absence of a fixed agenda or immediate goal-orientation

Best for

  • Collective learning
  • Cultural transformation
  • Metacognitive development
  • Team cohesion

Considerations

  • Requires participants to be open to inquiry and willing to abandon the need for immediate 'results'
  • Can be uncomfortable for those accustomed to structured, goal-driven environments
  • Demands high mental energy to maintain awareness of one's own thought reflexes

Attribution & sources

Developed by David Bohm, influenced by Jiddu Krishnamurti and Patrick de Maré (c. 1980s-1990s)

Primary source

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