Organisation / Hub: IDG Japan Essential Dialogue

Contact Person: Naoko Uchida

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3729348210722179

Contact Email: uchida.idgsjapan.edc@gmail.com

Description

Overview
Essential Dialogues is a dynamic community based in Japan, dedicated to fostering the dissemination of IDG principles. It serves as a hub for individuals to explore the essence of IDG, its five distinct categories, and its 23 specific skills. Boasting a membership of over 200 individuals, this community strives to facilitate personal growth through meaningful dialogues, while fostering connections and collaboration among its members.
Purpose/Intent
The primary goal of Essential Dialogue is to seamlessly incorporate the principles of IDG into the cultural context of Japan and create a distinctive “Japanese version of the IDG model.” By merging traditional Japanese spirituality and values with a framework for personal development, this approach aims to overcome global challenges. Through this platform, individuals, organizations, and companies can engage in practical application and research to explore self-transformation towards a sustainable future.
Target
The community is for all those interested in IDG, such as entrepreneurs, business professionals, human resource managers, educators, and students. It serves as a meeting ground for numerous leaders actively involved in creating future-oriented value.
Purpose
The workshops, held from January to June 2024, aimed to promote growth and skill development through sessions based on the five categories of IDG. Participants experienced advanced methods such as mindfulness, systems thinking, NVC (Non-violent Communication), U theory, and SPT (Social Presencing Theater). These activities supported participants in becoming changemakers active in organizations and society.
Results
Participants came together to form a vibrant community, where they could broaden their horizons and experience personal growth through engaging in dialogues with members who brought diverse values and experiences to the table. This collaborative process led to a profound realization that individual transformation paves the way for organizational and societal change. Inspired by this newfound understanding, many participants embarked on fresh initiatives as changemakers. These endeavors included organizing retreats, facilitating dialogues, conducting workshops, providing support to local governments, engaging in joint research, and putting forth policy proposals. As a result, the community played a pivotal role in nurturing leaders capable of making an impact on society.

Learnings

In the process of applying the IDGs framework, it became clear that individual transformation does not occur in isolation, but is closely linked to the growth of communities, organizations, and even society as a whole.
One of the key insights gained during the project was the recognition of the power of dialogue as a tool for bringing about change. The dialogue skills developed through the IDGs framework were not only instrumental in promoting self-awareness and empathy, but also in fostering deeper collaboration. Psychological safety was a critical element for dialogue to be effective. Participants noted that the quality of facilitation was crucial for meaningful dialogue to be possible.
Furthermore, the importance of networking and continuous learning was made clear. Regular follow-up, peer support, and shared experiences were essential for reinforcing learning and putting insights into practice. The lessons learned from this experience were that sustainable change requires a long-term commitment to both individual and collective learning processes.