conversational frame

By Stephen Cataldo, 14 June, 2020

Journey Together

Is it helpful to call someone "complicit"?
Will aggressive statements backfire or help?

Activists argue about how hard-hitting to be: Is reform not enough? Will stronger statements backfire? Do weaker statements betray the cause? If this were a sign for a cause you had not been convinced about, would it reach you?

Techniques

journey together

conversational frame

By Stephen, 7 December, 2018

Facts Do Work — Bricks or Artillery?

When you have political conversations, how do you use facts? Do you lob them at opponents like artillery? And then your opponent digs a deeper trench to avoid the blast? If you use facts like artillery, your opponent will dig trenches and build bunkers: facts work in the story you use them. Or do you architect a building of shared values, and build it by placing facts like bricks, building up the story of your values? A story people are welcome to explore if they are curious — not a battle for you to win and them to lose. Facts work there too.

Techniques

Facts: When They Work, When They Fail

conversational frame