A meeting such as this seems like a beautiful cluster of precious jewels—pearls, rubies, diamonds, sapphires. It is a source of joy and delight. Whatever is conducive to the unity of the world of mankind is most acceptable and praiseworthy; whatever is the cause of discord and disunion is saddening and deplorable.
If the flowers of a garden were all of one color, the effect would be monotonous to the eye; but if the colors are variegated, it is most pleasing and wonderful. The difference in adornment of color and capacity of reflection among the flowers gives the garden its beauty and charm.
Consultative Relational Research speaks to a model of service and a pivotal research focus. Our version of consultative research builds from the assumption that each of our clients have a unique story and contextual experience. We keenly listen for what is unique about each client, and build a collaborative approach that addresses their foremost research need in the most suitable manner and within the necessary scope.
So far, we have noted requirements tied to deploying effective surveys and how useful qualitative methods are in generating the sentiments and experiences that lay the foundation for mutual understanding. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are fine to use by themselves, given the research question at hand, but using both methods together has proven to be especially powerful in helping organizations gain a more three-dimensional understanding of the social things they deem to be worthy of study.
Mutual understanding is a powerful force for constructive social change. At the same time, it takes effort to get there, especially among people from diverse social backgrounds who have experienced life differently. Mutual understanding is built through unfettered dialogue, so facilitating mutual understanding from a research standpoint involves cultivating the right atmosphere, an active listening posture, and intense amount of re-listening to the dialogue to properly capture the meaning and implications of what was shared. Technology is cool, but there are no shortcuts here if the goal is gaining rich insights on the dialogical elements that can build mutual understanding and eventually translate it into constructive action.
Surveys are a powerful means for gaining a better understanding of stakeholder sentiments and how they are feeling about their experiences. At the same time, the effectiveness of surveys are directly tied to the level of effort and expertise behind their design. Some of the most important characteristics of effective surveys can be broken down into the ‘five Cs.’
The seed of social change is produced in the heart that looks around them and refuses to accept the status quo. This seed is nurtured by taking those humble first steps in the field of action and by forming those initial partnerships with other hearts who also recognize the need for change.
Whether consciously or unconsciously, organizations either activate a world-building or world-receiving mode of operating. World-building organizations generate reciprocal flows of energy through constructive relationships that magnetize participation and fertilize growth. They exert a force on the world that galvanizes change, seeding inspiration along the way. World-receiving organizations take their cues from society as it exists, ever-primed to model their operations and relationships based on the reigning sociopolitical environment.