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Let’s say I was working with a group to solve some major problem and we were coming at the problem from different points of view; how could I use mutual learning to come up with a workable solution?

There are 9 strategies.

1. Test assumptions and inferences. We all make assumptions and draw inferences, but usually we aren’t aware of what we are doing. We have to raise our own awareness and question whether our assumptions or inferences have validity and are different from other people’s.
2. Share all relevant information. This means sharing information you have that doesn’t support your position. After all, the goal is not to win, it’s to come up with something that works.
3. Use specific examples and agree on important words. Specific examples might be negative, one of the members of the group may have done something that set the group back; but removing the example from the discussion removes essential information and reduces the chances that the problem can be solved.
4. Explain reasoning and intent. If you do not provide your reasoning, others will create their own explanations for your intent or for how you reached your conclusions.
5. Focus in interests not positions. The statement “we need to hire 34 teachers before the new school year” would be a position. The interest would be the reason behind a) why that is such a strong feeling and b) what are the underlying needs. In this case, the interest would be in complying with a state law for class sizes. In one of my earlier examples, a position is that the executive should go to headquarters and find out what people are saying about him. The interest, though, was to increase that person’s effectiveness because he was a rising star. You can solve an interest, you can only do or not do a position.
6. Combine advocacy and inquiry. Advocacy is you supporting your position. You have thoughts and feelings and you share them, you put them out there. Inquiry is asking for more information, asking for specifics, “what do you see?” Testing is a form of inquiry, to confirm. Combining advocacy with inquiry shifts from a series of monologs to a conversation.
7. Jointly design the approach. Go ahead and advocate your solution. But then inquire about how others see things differently, and jointly craft something to address their interests, information, reasoning, and intent.
8. Discuss undiscussables, which are the feelings and thoughts that emerge from the dialog. These are usually things that people think are important but that people think can only cause defensiveness, like when the group believes that someone is not performing well. They may not bring up the issue. They may be afraid to talk about it, but if they talked about it by bringing up the consequences up front, they can be brought up. “If you see me getting offensive or defensive please let me know.”
9. Use a decision making rule that generates the commitment needed. Generating a decision with consensus, while often taking longer, will more likely yield dividends when it comes time to implement.