Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Thought provoking book by a deep thinker, 4 Jan 2001
By A Customer
David Bohm, though primarily a physicist, has been described as one of the 20th centuries most original thinkers. In books such as "Thought as a System" and "Unfolding Meaning" he explores ideas about how thinking is not a neutral reporting of the world, but an active process that shapes our perceptions of and participation within the world. In "On Dialogue" he explores the implications of this for communication, and in particular the ways in which individuals, groups and societies tend towards self-deception, by not taking into account the way their own thoughts have formed their perceptions. The idea of 'dialogue groups' is proposed as a means of examining this process of (mis-)communication, and becoming more aware of the role played by our own thoughts and reactions to other peoples thoughts and actions.This book is very much a working proposal: ideas and suggestions open for consideration, rather than a finished program. Indeed, the very idea that one could propose such a finished program of 'how to communicate' is against the very spirit of Bohm's suggestions. Primarily a collection of essays around a common theme, this will be of interest to those with an interest in Bohm's philosophy, as well as those who are interested in the ideas of 'dialogue groups'.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Making meetings productive-candid dialogue, 13 Aug 2008
I read this book from two perspectives (1) is it useful for business? (2) Does it present some innovations in modern Buddhist thinking?
Every substantial business holds innumerable internal meetings. The participants will all say that they waste a lot of time in those meetings. Why do they waste so much time? Jack Welch in his book "Winning", in chapter two, "The biggest dirty little secret in business", writes that the problem is LACK OF CANDOR. "People do not express themselves with frankness". "They just don't open up; instead they withhold comments or criticism". "It is absolutely damaging". "Yet, lack of candour permeates almost every aspect of business."
David Bohm explains why this is the case and what you can do about it. The cause is that people hold opinions to which they are attached and when another person expresses another opinion and criticises the opinion of the first person, the instant reaction of the criticised person is to defend his opinion. This leads to an incredible waste of time and emotional energy. Instead the person whose opinion is criticised should suspend immediate reaction and try to understand what the assumptions are on which the opinion of the other person is based and suspend judgement and reaction. Before reacting he should also examine the assumptions on which he based his different opinion. This does require control over one's emotions and thought process.
David Bohm, being a great scientist, includes an amusing story about scientists. Max Planck a German Nobel Prize winning physicist, said about dialogues between scientists: "New ideas don't win, really". "What happens is that the old scientists die and new ones come along with new ideas". If that happens in business, that is no innovation, the company dies sooner rather than later.
This is one of the best books to understand and learn about creating candid dialogues.
Buddhism and new ideas.
The Dalai Lama refers to David Bohm as his guru. They met many times. Some useful ideas you can not easily find in Buddhism are the following.
Buddhism emphasises that you must try to reduce negative thoughts and emotions like, anger, jealousy and greed. Bohm emphasises that you must learn to observe your thinking process including the influence of emotions. Observing the thought process is a step beyond reducing negative thoughts and emotions. Another insight is that thoughts are from the past and so are feelings for which there is no word, he suggests the word "felts". Thinking is a current process that is influenced by thoughts and "felts". Also something you have to watch.
Bohm recommends that that if you talk and listen to other people you have to observe their body language, people do not communicate only with their voice. Candid dialogue depends on the ability to listen, to ask questions, almost more than on what you say.
Bohm explains the importance of coherence. Incoherence means that your intention and your results do not agree. Ordinary light is incoherent, the light goes in all sorts of directions, and if it is coherent it becomes a laser that is very powerful. Most groups are incoherent; the thinking of the members goes also all over the place. If they can think coherently and constructively the group develops enormous power. The power of coherent thinking in a group is an important concept. Coherent does not mean that all follow the leader. It means the group of many thinks creatively as one.
The book actually concentrates on dialogue on the level of society, so you have to modify some of the ideas to fit in a business environment.
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4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This philosophical intra/interhuman experience is practical, 5 Dec 2001
David Bohm's natural science basics for his holistic philosophical thoughts are on the frontieres of management. On Dialogue is the one closest to working experiences and intra- and interhuman communication, something not less critical in our electronic world. I believe this book to be learned from for many decades.
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