Examining your own biases is certainly useful, but why not do both? I think the main value of the approach in the article is not to immediately arrive at answers but to promote a better culture of discussion.

It may be slow going on a larger scale, and I may be overly optimistic, but I feel that a person does not need very many instances of being genuinely listened to before permanently "converting" into a more accepting and empathetic human being, possibly even one that goes on to pay it forward.