Questions guiding focus group discussions consistent with Lüscher and Lewis’ (2008) “Collaborative Process of Working Through Paradox”, as well as Sparrer and Varga von Kibéd’s Tetralemma (Sparrer and Varga von Kibéd’s, 2000)
| Objective | Questions | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Starting reflection, problem definition | – Would you like to correct or add anything in this presentation in advance to be able to start the discussion? – What questions do you have in relation to this tension, to facilitate your understanding? | Linear questioning: common understanding of Poles A and B, tetralemma-position THE ONE and THE OTHER |
| Recognizing different perspectives | – Could someone else view this tension, with its respective positive and negative aspects, differently? | Circular questioning: Further exploration of polarities |
| Surfacing possible actions and their implications | – If you want this tension to intensify at your university and the negative aspects of both poles to come to light, what could you do as a change agent to make this happen? | Reflexive questioning: unexpected context-change question, paradox intervention |
| – Conversely, if you want to strengthen the positive aspects of BOTH perspectives, what could you do as a change agent to achieve this goal? | Future-oriented reflexive question/tetralemma-position BOTH | |
| – Assuming you could simply ignore this tension, i.e. pretend that this tension does not exist, what would that mean for your work as a change agent? | Tetralemma position NEITHER | |
| – What are some completely different possibilities of action that you can engage in as a change agent in relation to this tension? | Tetralemma position “NOT ALL OF THIS AND NOT EVEN THAT!” |
| Objective | Questions | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Starting reflection, problem definition | – Would you like to correct or add anything in this presentation in advance to be able to start the discussion? | Linear questioning: common understanding of Poles A and B, tetralemma-position THE ONE and THE OTHER |
| Recognizing different perspectives | – Could someone else view this tension, with its respective positive and negative aspects, differently? | Circular questioning: Further exploration of polarities |
| Surfacing possible actions and their implications | – If you want this tension to intensify at your university and the negative aspects of both poles to come to light, what could you do as a change agent to make this happen? | Reflexive questioning: unexpected context-change question, paradox intervention |
| – Conversely, if you want to strengthen the positive aspects of BOTH perspectives, what could you do as a change agent to achieve this goal? | Future-oriented reflexive question/tetralemma-position BOTH | |
| – Assuming you could simply ignore this tension, i.e. pretend that this tension does not exist, what would that mean for your work as a change agent? | Tetralemma position NEITHER | |
| – What are some completely different possibilities of action that you can engage in as a change agent in relation to this tension? | Tetralemma position “NOT ALL OF THIS AND NOT EVEN THAT!” |
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