Authentic Dialogue and Ethical Behavior

By definition, a dialogue is never superficial – it is always a shared inquiry in which the participants seek greater understanding of each other and the truth. The ability to engage in dialogue is a key skill required by leaders for building and maintaining relationships (Kohlrabies, 2006:36) Sam Grant (2010:5) said: “What we bring to dialogue Includes all of the beautiful heart, openness, creativity, courage and story we have sustained and developed throughout our lives up to that point, and, all the toxic socially constructed norms we have internalized, and therefore practice as well.

What we take and apply FIFO to co-creating a healthier mutual world together. ” Authentic dialogue may or may note the solution getting along, but positive dialogue between different parties is definitely a problem. During this discourse authentic dialogue will be evaluated and defined by comparing it to ethical behavior. Secondly the characteristics of authentic dialogue and ethical behavior will be analyses and discussed.

Thirdly the structure of authentic dialogue and ethical behavior, in South African schools, will follow. Furthermore the parties involved will be evaluated and why they are targeted. Then the effects of fake dialogue, unethical behavior and other issues will be stated. Lastly, the discourse will be concluded by looking at suggestions on ways to improve the negative effects and summaries the argument by looking at the main points again and providing a short overview on authentic dialogue.

Dialogue can be formally defined as an honest and open exchange between two or more people in which winning points is not the agenda of any parties to it, but rather, the mutual objective is to hear diverse perspectives on a topic in order to come to a more open understanding of how people make meaning, how they each arrived at he meaning they attach to something, and whether and how that meaning is frozen in place and may be unfrozen and changed (Grant, 2010:8).

Therefore dialogue, if it is allowed, helps people to see the world more openly, more complexly, more dynamically and thus, more clearly (Grant, 2010:10). Authentic dialogue can be classified as the combination of being real and really open in both conversation and in relationship (Grant, 2010:5). Grant (2010:5) further states that the universe itself is a grand relationship, and when people recognize that their whole life is a nonunion of diversity and wholeness they partner with the energy of transformation, rather than attempt to assert narrow and short term control for shallow self-interest (Grant, 2010:5).

Domination falls away and partnership emerges. Fear falls away and love emerges. Therefore when people really start listening to each other, it opens up the space to genuinely relate to each other, which in turn, opens up a deeper conversation (Grant, 2010:5). Empathy toward themselves and each other moves people from their default consciousness into a co- evolving consciousness that is precious and fragile (Grant, 2010:5). The deeper conversation co-generated is, all at once inside them, in their relations, and in their way of engaging in systems. By using authentic dialogue it can open people minds, hearts and will.

This creates the ability to co-generate a new presence, which invites a new world (Grant, 2010:5). Authentic dialogue can be used as a transitional tool that opens up people’s minds touching their deeper knowledge and picking up from Aristotle five forms of inquiry (Grant, 2010:6). These forms of inquiry can be classified as: science, art, practical wisdom, theory, and intuition. All these ways of owing can be used to bring into embodiment the future that people want to create (Grant, 2010:6). Too get there, people must let go of their preconceptions and conditioned habits (Grant, 2010:6).

Moreover authentic dialogue sets the conditions for authentic organizations and institutions with words and deeds truly in alignment. Once in alignment, people may realize that their existing perspective on how their more open to changing their will (Grant, 2010:6).

African Schools

According to Rule (2004:324), dialogue is not merely an educational technique; it is something fundamental to the process of becoming a human being. Further dialogue is also a moment when humans meet where they reflect on their reality as they make and remake their reality (Rule, 2004:325).

Rule (2004:325) emphasizes that dialogue and political action are related and that dialogue is not simply talking for its own sake. Moreover dialogue is part of transforming the world by using the reflections of what people know and may not know to change and transform reality. Thus Rule (2004:326) argues that learners are not empty vessels which need to be filled by the teacher and rejects ‘banking education’. Therefore the teacher can no longer be classified as the-one-who-teaches, UT rather one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach (Rule, 2004:326).

Further the learners and the teacher becomes Jointly responsible in the process where both parties experience grow (Rule, 2004:326). Furthermore Rule (2004:326) proposes that teachers become students and students become teachers during the dialog process. It becomes more clearly that the role of the teacher is to guide learners and facilitate positive dialogue in the classroom (Rule, 2004:326). The teacher can guide the learners through own life experiences, knowledge and examples. Therefore the teachers must always behave in such a way that they set a good example for learners (Rule, 2004:326).

Thus teachers have the ability to change the learners’ attitudes by using authentic dialogue and ethical behavior. Teachers can build foundations of trust, truth, safety and respect (Rule, 2004:326). When making use of authentic dialogue in a classroom, it helps to promote inclusively and equality. Teachers direct learners to acknowledge that there are: different cultures in South Africa, different languages, different races and different life views (Rule, 2004:326). The moment the learners realism that there are more than Just, ‘me, myself, and I in this world’, there can be a positive change.

Learners will realism that no matter their background, culture, religion or race, they are all equal and the same (Rule, 2004:326). It is a teacher’s Job to always be true to the learners, to guide them and to create a platform where they can freely speak their minds (Rule, 2004:326). In conclusion authentic dialogue is a formal conversation between more than one party where the parties argue and share their views and perceptions regarding a specific topic. It is a key instrument which can be used to stop conflict and help promote positive change in this world.