Rachel A. Peterson of the Energy Leadership Institute (ELI) believes that “to solve the complex energy issues facing society, the ability to discuss difficult topics in a productive and civil manner is one of the most important skills.” With this in mind, ELI partnered with the Interactivity Foundation (IF) to run an event that brought together bold, curious, and engaged leaders from the energy sector to hone their skills in civil dialogue.
Facilitated by the Interactivity Foundation’s Ieva Notturno and Jim Burke, the event created the opportunity to practice civil discourse skills and underscored the importance of integrating civil discourse into leadership development. More than just a discussion, the event provided hands-on experience in fostering collaborative conversations—a key element of effective leadership.
The event demonstrated that the greatest leaders don’t make solo decisions; they engage their teams and communities in ways that bring out the best in everyone. Through taking part in well-structured and skillfully facilitated conversations, participants learned first-hand how quickly diverse ideas can emerge and develop.
“the ability to discuss difficult topics in a productive and civil manner is one of the most important [leadership] skills”
– Rachel A. Peterson, Environmental Department Manager, ELI
IF’s Tools for Facilitative Leadership
During the event, participants were introduced to IF’s exploratory and collaborative facilitation methods, designed to:
- Include everyone in the conversation
- Create space for both individual and collective thinking
- Ensure participants feel heard through practical tools
- Build psychological safety for open, honest dialogue
IF Facilitators Ieva and Jim crafted an environment where the group from ELI could observe and practice these methods, deepening their civil discourse skills. They led the group in exploring various ideas, encouraging participants to reflect on the tools they used and the importance of interactive discussions in driving leadership forward.
Ieva leading a group discussion.
As part of the process, participants discussed the nuances of effective group communication. They explored specific IF tools designed to create space for individual and group thinking, raised key questions, and bravely explored complex issues from different perspectives. There were moments of intense discussion, thoughtful silence, deep reflection—and laughter. Several participants, energized by the day’s activities, shared their intention to immediately put IF techniques into practice in their daily work.
Moments of laughter during the session.
The Power of Civil Discourse in Business
Facilitative leadership emphasizes guiding teams through collaboration, rather than control. Instead of directing, facilitative leaders create environments where all voices are heard, and the group’s collective input drives better decision-making. By fostering psychological safety and encouraging open conversation, facilitative leaders enable teams to navigate challenges together, resulting in more innovative and sustainable solutions.
IF’s methods help grant exactly this power to leaders and organizations. Through learning civil discourse skills, leaders can harness the intellectual power and knowledge of entire groups and communities. That is an immense asset to any leader, and while conducting exploratory conversations can be surprisingly hard, the IF process and trainings are carefully designed to help support even those new to the field.
“Having experts in civil discourse from IF lead our cohort through the activity was invaluable. These techniques can be learned – and having the IF team’s guidance was very eye-opening. As leaders of the program, we gained specific knowledge about how to continue facilitating these conversations ourselves.”
– Rachel A. Peterson, ELI
This successful ELI event was a powerful reminder of the need to incorporate civil dialogue into more training programs. Participants left with new tools, fresh perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the importance of collaborative dialogue—and how it can transform leadership.
As the Interactivity Foundation looks to the future, we invite organizations across industries to follow the lead of the Energy Leadership Institute in embracing collaborative discourse as a vital part of leadership training. The visionaries at ELI deserve special recognition for their forward-thinking approach. By including civil discourse skills in their leadership development program, they are fostering more and better conversations in the energy sector—and beyond.
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Learn more about the Energy Leadership Institute, the Interactivity Foundation, the participating leaders and sponsors at ELI, the EnGage Leadership Development Program, or facilitator Ieva Notturno.
