Without Dialogue and The Spontaneity That Happens When Dialogue Takes Place, What Do We Have When Participating in a Lecture?

We see, we film, and we also hear. It is also likely that some understanding of what is seen and heard may be happening. But without the invitation and opportunity for spontaneity between presenter and student to exist, how is the audience to ask questions, make comments, or express an opinion? If the chance to interact when needed is being denied, what and who is being served? Might this be felt as abusive by those who may already have issues with inappropriately used power? How can this lack of interaction facilitate relationships, and how can any teacher see this as unimportant?


Learning from a knowledgeable teacher is a gift and, ideally, where dialogue happens. Too many teachers are unaware that their power must be exercised as a beneficial source in their roles as moderator, teacher, and presenter. Deferring a student’s ability to ask questions or comment when they need to be made is the worst possible teaching situation I can imagine.
Consider that when teachers and students pay strict attention to each other, respect exists in the space between them. They become equals in the give and take of the moment. They listen, seek to understand, and are candid in response. The result is learning or the best opportunity to learn, which becomes the teacher’s finest gift to the student.


In my opinion, students have little opportunity to learn in an environment that limits itself to presentation alone. A lecture usually doesn’t allow any questions, comments, or opinions until a specific time. In a teaching environment, this can only restrict the learning potential. Students experience this restriction and the thoughts and feelings that come with it in one way or another. Will a learning experience of this type help us become more ourselves and more an individual contributor? Sy

Recognize myself————-My need to know and to grow————-It is why I ask.  

Do not back off, you—————Express what is inside you————–Be you not another.

Speaking The Truth & Only The Truth

How do I know the truth? I know it through experience. I know it through “being there, seeing it, swimming in it.” In other words, not my imagination, something I read or have someone tell me what they believe is true to them. Truth is truth and not what we want or wish something to be. Truth demands courage and must be expressed in its naked form and not dressed up so that it comes across as opinion. 

The problems associated with “truth” are many and why it is difficult and challenging to be truthful. One basic reason is that truth as an individual knows it to be may not be what others want to hear or accept. It is why I have often written and lectured on the subject of “genuine dialogue.” Genuine Dialogue demands a true listening and understanding of what a person is saying. Agreement is not an imperative, not asked for, but understanding what one is saying is. So where is the truth? The person speaking may believe that what they say is the truth, but back their words up with speculation, hearsay, (what others have told them), or what they have read. In other words, the speaker wants the listener to believe that what they say is the truth and, more importantly, they want the listener to agree with them. If agreement is what a speaker expects, they need to be prepared for non-agreement and accept that this may not be the case in the listening or in the response.

In too many cases when people are in conversation, they have an expectation that they are being heard, understood, and possibly agreed with. Likely, none of this is the case. In this day and time, the amount of immediate information is mind-boggling. Just click your cell-phone and the information one seeks is instantly available.  Is truth guaranteed or is it just information? In fact, does listening between us really happen or are we just physically present but our mind somewhere else? How often do we witness people in a restaurant sitting at the same table, but each with their cell phones at their fingertips? So, what is the truth of our relationships? Dysfunctional is my truth. It is what I witness all too frequently.  Sy 

I see you, but hear?—————Maybe yes and maybe no—————Do we care which one?

My rambling thoughts, Haiku style!

Writing my outlet———–Speaking used to be my style————–I found another way.

Getting old happens———-No avoiding it taking place————-What do you do then?

Challenge is a gift———push yourself to do it now———–Waiting is for what?

The world is changing———-but so are we and lucky———-Opportunity.

Exercise today———–tomorrow is its own day—————–If it comes to you.

Be here, be now too————-another time might come———-Maybe yes or no.

Dialogue is rare—————–When it happens enjoy it————-you may learn something?

Walk and breathe deep———-enjoy the day and what comes———–and does it matter?

I enjoy my life————-mostly I enjoy my wife———–she is why I live.

Her smile lights me up————just being with her is all————I ask nothing more.

Time is so precious————waste not one moment or day————–be all you can be.

There is more to say————-When I do it just comes out————–No plan, no intent.

Cal it “happening” —————no pressure to do anytime—————just feeling, it comes.

Hope you enjoy one or two.   Sy

New Book Announcement

Available on the Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback

Navigating Leadership is a powerful and concise overview of the basic skills you’ll need to successfully motivate those you work with. Leadership expert, Sy Ogulnick, has assembled all the fundamentals of effective leadership into a short course that is an essential handbook for anyone who aspires to lead or manage others.

Sy is a nationally known consultant, author, and lecturer on the art of improving relationships in the work environment. He has conducted workshops on revolutionizing the workplace for many major US corporations, and shared his valuable insights in dozens of interviews on radio and television talk shows.

Being Born Unique—A Blessing Or??????

Yes, we are each born unique to a degree, but growing into what self we each are, is never easy—and perhaps the equivalent of climbing Mt Everest? Why I think this is so is what I will attempt to share in this paper.

Institutions including religious, political, educational, and organizations of every kind create the mechanisms necessary to make our becoming what they want us to become; and even family has its picture of what their members are or will become. It is rare to find environments and systems created by people that support maximizing a self’s uniqueness. In fact, it may be impossible to find systems that support the true growth of a self that at the same time seeds and nurtures respect, regard, and responsibility for others. And here I mean all others. Is this not what the Biblical words “love thy neighbor as thy self” mean?  Do these words qualify the neighbor? I do not think so.

When I began to write my book about six years ago, I decided that I needed to know “what kind of leader I was.” Much too late to do anything about what took place seventy years back, yet I still felt I needed to know. The answers I got back made me feel good, but perplexed. At that time, I was completely unaware of any deliberate effort on my part to teach respect and regard for the children they worked with and with each other. But I was this to them and this is what they were with each other and children.  Why? I never asked, but I was this to them and did not know.

Years later when I began working with professionals and entrepreneurs, I became a serious student of leadership, power, and relationships. I was also more aware of myself. I knew my responsibility as a self and therefore to assist leaders in the absolute necessity of being themselves, whatever that meant to them. As this evolved so did the leaders, doing all they could in helping others be more themselves. Growth was reciprocal; in that all of “us” benefitted from an environment that fed BEING. It was why all that participated took what they were experiencing at work home with them. After-all it was each of them being themselves.   Next: Of what we do which activity is most oneself?  Sy