Dialogue IQ

I recently came across an idea like this while reading a book that was suggested to me. The book, "Crucial Conversation: Tools for Talking when the Stakes are High" focuses on what makes certain people so good at open conversation. I cannot give this book enough praise. It is a quick and easy read without too much fluff. The content focuses on improving one's ability to communicate: common mistakes people often make that can kill conversations and relationships. The authors almost break down dialogue into a science.

In the first chapter there is a discussion of something called Dialogue IQ. The gist of Dialogue IQ is this:

Think of the general bubble of knowledge you have for a given problem. You could look at everyone's knowledge in the 'room' collectively and even give it a score (like an IQ score measuring knowledge). That maximum score is only achieved if everyone is open and willing to share their maximum knowledge. If anyone in the room were to not contribute some of their knowledge then the maximum "IQ" would not be achieved.

For an example say that you are a salesman in a meeting with several of your co-workers and managers. There is a great deal of diversification in the room in all different areas of the business including salesmen, marketing, your CIO, etc. Your manager is really pushing an idea to ramp up sales by offering an incentive to customers. You tried a similar tactic under the direction of the previous manager and you know that it was ineffective. However, you know the company is making cutbacks and it is no time to disagree with your manager so you go with the plan. Months later the project is a failure as you expected and you finally tell your manager who gave the order "I didn't think it would work. We actually tried this same incentive before you were hired." "Why didn't you say so?" he replies.

If problems like this sound familiar and you want to learn how to defeat them, check out the book.