Layers of Dialogue

Seven layers of dialogue have been identified as being relevant to coaching and mentoring. These layers of dialogue include social, technical, tactical, strategic, self-insight, behavioural and integrative dialogue. Each layer represents an increasing depth of reflection on the part of the client as well as needing a coach or mentor with the appropriate level of skills and experience.

As a coach or mentor it is beneficial to spend time in self-development and gaining experience to know when and how to use each layer of dialogue in your coaching and mentoring sessions.

The seven layers of dialogue are:

-Social - This is developing relationships and providing support and encouragement. It includes showing an interest in the other person, seeking common ground, accepting the other person for who they are and being open with each other.
-Technical - This is learning about processes, policies and systems. It includes understanding exactly what the process, policy or system is and checking understanding.
-Tactical - This is supporting the client to deal with specific issues in their working and personal life. It includes goal setting, clarifying what is happening, understanding options and action planning.
-Strategic - This is helping the client to understand the broader perspective, to put everything into context and to understand what they want to achieve. It includes exploring the wider context, long-term goal setting, looking at strategic options and strategic planning.
-Self-insight - This is enabling the client to understand themselves better. It includes supporting the client to be open and honest, giving the client time and space for self-understanding, providing feedback, looking at values and beliefs and supporting them in their self-analysis.
-Behavioural - This is supporting the client to combine self-insight, strategy and tactics to achieve what they want to in their business and personal life. It includes picturing how things will be when the change has taken place, assessing commitment to change, reviewing the benefits and supporting and motivating the client to achieve what they want to.
-Integrative - This supports the client in understanding who they are, what they contribute and how they fit in. It explores personal meaning and all aspects of their life to gain a clearer sense of self and the world around them, to develop greater balance in their life and to resolve inner conflicts.

At a coaching or mentoring session you will move between the different layers of dialogue and as a coaching or mentoring relationship develops over several sessions you will move into the more complex layers of dialogue.

As you can see as you move through the layers of dialogue the skill and experience required as a coach or mentor increases. When you are working in the area of integrative dialogue you will be having a conversation at multiple levels, including profound questions, many different perspectives, looking at the past, present and future, using your intuition, linking goals to values and beliefs and supporting the client to greater self-insight and understanding.

It is very important that you gain the experience and skills to work at all layers of dialogue to enable you to support your clients in achieving their objectives.

More information on the above can be found in the book Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring by David Megginson and David Clutterbuck.

If you would like supervision for your coaching or mentoring please refer to the Makin It Happen – Supervision & Support for Coaches & Mentors website at http:/coachmentorsupervision.co.uk or contact Liz Makin at Liz@makinithappen.co.uk.

This article first appeared in the April 2008 edition of the Makin It Happen – Supervision & Support for Coaches & Mentors newsletter. Please click here to Sign up for our email newsletter.