ABSTRACT
Pattern: collective communication.
Context: the far-reaching implications of transformational change make it crucial for all those involved to contribute to a shared understanding of the issues.
Issue: Ludwig Wittgenstein’s edict ‘The limits of my language mean the limits of my world’ identifies a major barrier to reaching a shared understanding.
Resolution: it is possible for the many different interests in a complex issue to generate an inclusive language, and so reach a shared understanding that no one could achieve alone.
Examples: inclusive language tools include the use of collective questions, deep dialogue and the design of a pattern language.
