1 82 CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONSA MODEL OF DIALOGUE
To help organize our thinking and to make it easier to recall the
principles (and when to apply them), let's look at the model
shown in Figure 10 -1. It begins with concentric circles-like a
target. Notice that the center circle is the Pool of Shared
Meaning-it's the center of the target, or the aim of dialogue.
When meaning flows freely, it finds its way into this pool, which
represents people's best collective thinking.
Surrounding the Pool of Shared Meaning is safety. Safety
allows us to share meaning and keeps us from moving into
silence or violence. When conversations become crucial, safety
must be strong.
Wa tch fo r games. Next you'll notice that we've portrayed the
behaviors to watch when thinking about safety. These are the six
silence and violence behaviors we look for in others and in out-
Figure 10-1. The Dialogue Model