Dialogue Training

The Peer Group has conducted peer influence programs for 25 years. We are the industry leader in conducting peer-to-peer discussions, which are the gold standard for utilizing Socratic dialogue in relationship building, information sharing, teaching, learning, and business-to-business promotion.

As we study why our approaches to dialogue are successful, we continue to build a wealth of knowledge regarding communication, influence, and critical thinking. This knowledge combined with the principles of adult learning form the basis of our Leading Through Dialogue™ curriculum.

Leading Through Dialogue is a communications curriculum for elite skill development in three areas: (1) leadership, (2) sales, and (3) training/facilitation. It works from the premise that quick-fixes and communication gimmicks, though sometimes helpful, are no substitute for the personal involvement that really sells products and ideas. We train and coach with the intention that our work have a significant and lasting effect on the quality of the dialogues our participants lead. We do not teach content for its own sake. We train for individual behavioral change and organizational impact.

The Peer Group provides training services and products that support individuals to leverage the principles of Socratic dialogue to inspire commitment that impacts the bottom line. The benefits germane to all of our services and training courses include:

• Building stronger, synergistic relationships
• Selling products and ideas (internally & externally)
• Supporting others to succeed
• Handling conflict
• Clarifying expectations

Curriculum Overview

Leading Through Dialogue is a communications curriculum for elite skill development in three areas: (1) leadership, (2) sales, and (3) training/facilitation. Our mission is to support individuals to use dialogue-based communication to lead conversations that inspire commitment and influence the bottom line with those they lead, service, and/or teach.

The question at the center of all our courses is:

How do you communicate to influence others to buy your products, buy-into your ideas, and champion your initiatives?

Our Training Process: We train for lasting behavioral change. 

Because verbal communication is the window to how we think and behave, continuous in-class assessment of participants’ critical thinking and communication processes is at the heart of our training. As such, our course content and processes yield holistic benefits. What participants learn about dialogue and influence in one role applies to and supports development in every role where they influence others.

In training pre-work, we request that participants evaluate what’s working and what’s not working with regard to their communication for influence. We use their assessment and our own in-class observations of each individual’s communication behavior as a platform to train and coach. Our courses build on communication skills that are working and root out what stands in the way of developing desired relationships and business outcomes. All participants receive individual feedback and coaching. 

Because we promote dialogue, the primary training format we use is group conversation. In this way, participants can observe our trainers model the listening, questioning, and thinking behaviors we are asking them to adopt. We always include small group and individual exercises, client-specific case studies or role-plays, survey assessments, and in-class practice of learned communication skills and tactics.

Our Success Criteria: Positive behavioral change is our success criteria.

We have a wealth of information to share about listening, questioning, influence, and interpersonal communication. We want participants to learn new theoretical concepts. However, we do not teach information for its own sake. The end goal is for participants to communicate with more success and “conscious competence.” We welcome the opportunity to work with clients in measuring our training’s ROI.

Our Outcomes: Participants leave our training courses:

• Understanding why they are and are not achieving success as influencers and what they can do to be more successful
• Knowing how to analyze what their customers and colleagues find relevant, credible, significant, and valuable regarding products and/or ideas
• Demonstrating the listening and questioning strategies that consistently earn the attention of customers and colleagues
• Listening, questioning, and speaking in ways that foster dialogue and lead to committed action

For more information on specific Leading Through Dialogue courses, please follow the links below:

• Communication and Influence: Building Relationships that Work
• Leadership and Influence: Enhancing Performance through Dialogue
• Leading Group Dialogue: Dialogue-Based Approach to Facilitation and Training
• Listening and Questioning for Influence: Dialogue-Based Approach to Sales
• Expert Speaker Training: Dialogue-Based Approach to Giving Presentations
• The 360 Degree Survey