NON-VERBAL DIALOGUES

Non-verbal dialogues consist of all the creative and unique ways we seek to communicate with each other in campus and community aside from meetings and face-to-face gatherings. These kinds of dialogues are diverse and can serve a number of important roles on campus. A key aspect of these non-verbal dialogues is that there must be the option or ability for anyone to respond. Non-verbal dialogues have the potential to become one-sided and retreat into private discussions. Be sure to try to keep these non-verbal dialogues in the public realm where everyone can see and respond to them.

Dialogues are often thought of as “table-top” discussions. These “table-top” discussions are well organized, taking place in a certain time frame with a clear facilitator. However, there are some striking examples of non-verbal dialogues creating remarkable momentum and energy on campus.

Some examples of non-verbal dialogues include:
• A large piece of paper posted on campus with challenging questions that people can respond to
• Signs staked into the ground around campus with space for responses
• An online message board
• An issue-based listserv
• Chalk messages written on sidewalks

Strengths and Outcomes of Non-Verbal Dialogues
• Lead to more focused face to face dialogues or meetings
• Assessment or gathering of campus needs or interests
• Infiltrate daily life
• Does not exclude anyone
• Breaks down the “teacher as expert” model of education
• Reaches large numbers

It is important to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of nonverbal dialogues. Non-verbal dialogues can be important tools for gathering opinions, sparking conversations, or raising awareness. Benefits include a much broader audience than a “table-top” dialogue might. Non-verbal dialogues promote an enormous number of participants, who each participate at various levels of commitment. Non-verbal dialogues tend to allow for this kind of flexibility by participants. People can contribute whenever they want, and do not need to feel pressured by others in the group.

However, they do not provide the opportunity for dynamic, immediate reactions or active learning and listening. These are often the experiences that create change in people. Non-verbal dialogues do not allow for focused discussion that moves toward a specific goal either. These non-verbal dialogues remove the personal interaction, which is a valuable strength of the “table-top” dialogues. Without the face-to-face interactions, these dialogues take on a different shape, and achieve different goals.

“Table top” dialogues will often lead to specific actions that can create substantial change. It is important to consider the ways in which non-verbal dialogues can act as a catalyst for change or lead to some action. The most obvious action that can stem from dialogues of all shapes and sizes is the opportunity for more dialogues. At first glance this kind of “talk begetting more talk” may seem unproductive. However, if the dialogues take on deepening levels of the issue at hand, constantly building on previous dialogues, it can have sincere impacts. Non-verbal dialogues can offer a shallow starting place for people to have input on a topic. This shallow input can then inspire and lead to deepening levels of involvement in a cause on campus. One of the most concrete outcomes of non-verbal dialogues is their penchant to lead to more substantial face-to-face discussions. Non-verbal dialogues can spark interest in an issue on campus through very visible and creative campaigns. This can be a useful precursor to holding a traditional “table-top” dialogue, and can both get people thinking ahead of time and be a publicity tool.

Other benefits of non-verbal dialogues include the opportunity to encourage important and reflective thinking within the space of daily life. Non-verbal dialogues exist outside of meeting rooms and classrooms and so they infiltrate our normal life in dining halls, libraries, and mailrooms. They have the power to catch people off guard and capture their thoughts in a more natural relaxed and unintimidated way. Non-verbal dialogues truly deconstruct the “expert teacher” model of education because they promote each person who contributes to share from their life, a life they are each experts of.

Non-verbal dialogues have the potential to reach large numbers due to their open and public nature. Yet, they too can be focused and aimed at a specific audience. Strategically timed, placed, and promoted non-verbal dialogues may be available for all to see and participate in but if placed right in front of the University offices will get a different kind of attention then one located outside the library or student center. Scheduling these dialogues around special on campus events such as parents or alumni weekend can also dramatically affect the nature and audience of the conversation.

Non-verbal dialogues do not exclude anyone, even the passive passer-by who stops to read the comments. In this way, non-verbal dialogues can also spur action to be taken by other parties, unconnected from those who began the dialogues. Perhaps even administrators will be angered, excited, frustrated, or inspired by the conversation and choose to convene their own meetings or events.

Non-verbal dialogues provide a structure to assess or gather evidence of needed reform. They can offer a way to weigh the needs, concerns, and opinions of the campus population. This can lead to a list that can be presented to Deans or student government, and could result in new classes or clubs to address the illustrated need.

One Campuses Example:

Williams College “Whose Responsibility Is It?” Campaign
A small group of students at Williams College in central Massachusetts employed a variety of non-verbal dialogue techniques paired with specific and focused action that had remarkable results. The strategy they used is easy to adjust for your own campus. The overarching theme of the campaign was “Whose Responsibility Is It?” In the library, these students placed huge pieces of paper with shocking facts on them. Under each fact was the question “Whose Responsibility Is It?” There were pens available for people to write about whose responsibility it was.

The pages filled up quick. There were inevitably some amount of unrelated and insensitive comments, however, for the most part all comments were constructive and critical. They had to replace the paper a number of times to provide more space for feedback. In addition to this they had signs on wooden stakes that they drove into the grass around campus with similar facts and the same question.

The twist was that the facts all related in some way to companies who the college had invested in. Out of this campaign a major initiative around socially responsible and community investing was launched, and the support from the studentry—many of whom were educated about the cause through the non-verbal dialogues—was phenomenal. The initiative aimed at revising the college’s investment strategy was successful.

For more information on this initiative please contact Mike at Equity Trust: