| No. |
Debate |
Dialogue |
1 |
Is oppositional: two sides oppose each other and attempt to prove each other wrong |
Is collaborative: two or more sides work together toward common understanding |
| 2 |
Has winning as the goal |
Has finding common ground as the goal |
| 3 |
Lets one side listen to the other side to find flaws and to counter its arguments: "listening to refute" |
Lets one side listen to the other side to understand |
| 4 |
Defends assumption as the truth |
Reveals assumptions for reevaluation |
| 5 |
Causes critique of the other position |
Causes introspection of one's own position |
| 6 |
Defends one's own positions as the best solution and excludes other solutions |
Opens the possibility of reaching a better solution than any of the original solutions |
| 7 |
Creates a closed-minded attitude, a determination to be right |
Creates an open-minded attitude, an openness to being wrong and an openness to change |
| 8 |
Prompts a search for glaring differences |
Prompts a search for basic agreements |
| 9 |
Involves a countering of other position without focusing on feelings or relationship and often belittles or deprecates the other person |
Involves a real concern for the other person and does not seek to alienate or offend |
