Socratic Dialogue

Sira Abenoza is Lecturer in the Society, Politics and Sustainability department at ESADE where she teaches Socratic Dialogue from undergraduate to executive programs. She is also the Director of Vicens Vives Program on Leadership and founder of the Institute for Socratic Dialogue.Josep M. Lozano is Professor in the Department of Society, Politics and Sustainability at ESADE. He has published more than thirty books and many papers in his areas of interest, which are CSR, Ethics, leadership and spirituality.

• 1. The need for dialogue 2. Back to the origins: Socrates and the examined life 3. Socratic Dialogue for the 21st Century 4. The pedagogy of dialogue in the classroom 5. Tips to facilitate Socratic Dialogue spaces 6. First-person stories 7. This is not the end

“In a time of rampant miscommunication, we need to relearn real dialogue. With over 10 years of experience training business students and managers in Socratic Dialogue, Abenoza and Lozano offer a persuasive way to comprehend, engage and train this pedagogy of dialogue. On a solid philosophical foundation, they share many useful didactic tools, tips and exercises to practice Socratic Dialogue that effectively gives voice to values, illustrated by a rich variety of concrete, personal and encouraging examples. A must-read and a book-to-do.”Georges Enderle, John T. Ryan, Jr. Professor Emeritus of International Business Ethics, University of Notre Dame“We need more inquiry-based courses that allow us to discover our ethical values and enact them with practical wisdom. This book Socratic Dialogue: Voicing Values is a wonderful support for those that are courageous to teach these much undervalued and needed skills.”Michael Pirson, Professor, James A. F. Stoner Endowed Chair in Global Sustainability, Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University; Co-founder and President, International Humanistic Management Association “For business students who desire to be a positive force in the world, business ethics cannot be simply a set of rules to follow. They need to understand what values are and to be able to talk about them in real contexts. The authors of Socratic Dialogue: Voicing Values not only show why such a capacity is crucial in the professional world but provide a methodology that is useful for all educators intent on developing business leaders for the good of the world at this critical moment of history.”Michael C. McCarthy, S.J., Dean, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry“Teaching ethical management and decision making has never been more important than it is today in our fraught world, though it is sometimes hard for learners to make the transition from theory to their own management and ethics/responsibility practice. Socratic Dialogue: Voicing Values takes on that challenge, linking two important processes for engaging students actively in their own learning: Socratic Dialogue and Giving Voice to Values. This book provides practical guidance for any instructor interested in ensuring that learners can take away practical insights from their classroom discussions—and ultimately make more responsible decisions in organizational contexts. The combination of these approaches provides a comprehensive framework for both thinking through and, importantly, acting on ethical decisions.”Sandra Waddock, Galligan Chair of Strategy and Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility, Carroll School of Management, Boston College“In their book Sira Abenoza and Josep M. Lozano present a powerful methodology for exploring and investigating values that guide business and social practices. It is a useful addition to the Giving Voice to Values methodology championed by Mary Gentile. The Socratic Dialogue described in the book fosters openness, listening and the finding of new courses of action that enshrine the values of the decision makers while they take the concerns of the other players on board. This is a much-needed approach for renewing social practices including business and business education.”Laszlo Zsolnai, Professor and Director of the Business Ethics Center of Corvinus University of Budapest; President of the European SPES Institute – Leuven; Associate Member of the Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford“A very timely book to shift debates into the fertile ground of conversations, with invaluable guidance for facilitators to navigate the powerful methods of the Socratic Dialogue. A must read!”Katrin Muff, Director, the Institute for Business Sustainability, Switzerland "If integrity is the consistency and coherence of values and action, and we agree that it is an essential quality for establishing trustworthiness, we must admit that this quality is not so easy to come by, nor to maintain over time and in the face of challenges. And if we espouse integrity as an explicit principle in our service as leaders, members of communities, and as organizations, we know how much we need support to enhance and deepen that essential wholeness now more than ever. Authors Abenoza and Lozano offer us a path that is both wise and practical, updating the perennially valuable insights of Socrates with methods for cultivating this integrity through skillful facilitation and authentic conversation. The regular practice of this dialogical method will have the effect of maturing our personal and professional commitment to ethical action, and of enhancing the values and ethos of our organizational cultures."David C. McCallum, S.J. Ed.D, Executive Director of Discerning Leadership“This is an innovative, relevant, and inspiring book! Applying and adapting ancient wisdom and philosophy to the 21 centuries challenges, the book introduces a tool set that will stimulate business leaders, professors, and students across different professions. In particular, it will be a vital vehicle for those of us who love more dialogue in society, company as well as in the classroom. The structure and the message are crystal clear, and the book deserves to be widely read.”Knut J. Ims, Professor Emeritus in Business Ethics, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Norway