What can we do when there is no dialogue between the parties involved? Too often we find ourselves in this frustrating situation, which in our view is one of the main obstacles to advancing environmental projects. In other words, technology, studies, projects … despite being very important elements, are not enough for environmental protection to be effective. For INSTA, dialogue is a determining factor and for this reason we have trained and incorporated it into our projects.
In this post we will present three key elements to foster dialogue:
- It must be a voluntary act : if dialogue is presented as an obligation, it is because there is a key stage that we have skipped. For us, actors need to see an interest in fostering dialogue. This phase seems to us more difficult and more important than we might think, as we have to answer the question: why do we want to talk? Do we want to be right, to impose our point of view, or do we feel curious about the other, and do we see the need to build a collaborative project? In a future post, we will develop this key point: we will talk about the needs of the actors.
- Intending to listen and understand the other : when we open ourselves to listen to others, to be curious about their arguments, to accept that there are other points of view than ours … we facilitate a space for dialogue that is more productive than when we close in on our arguments.
- Expressing ourselves in such a way that our point of view can be heard by the other : our way of expressing ourselves can condition the response we receive. If we use harsh language and contempt, we will receive the same. We are a mirror for the other: if we speak assertively and with the intention of caring for the relationship, the conversation will be much more pleasant and rewarding.
Don’t miss the upcoming posts – we’ll explain in more detail the key factors for implementing environmental dialogue effectively!
