International Corporate Learning Association "The future performance of our organizations is directly related to the quality of conversations that happen there.” Eric Vogt, President, International Corporate Learning Association Dr. Carlos V. Guzman & Dr. Jonathan Greenberg January 2019

Margaret Wheatley: The World Café reintroduces us to a world …where people naturally congregate because we want to be together.  A world where we enjoy the age-old process of good conversation, where we’re not afraid to talk about things that matter most to us.…

….A world which constantly surprises us with the wisdom that exists not in any one of us, but in all of us.  And a world where we learn that the wisdom we need to solve our problems is available when we talk together. Margaret Wheatley

Purpose of the World Cafe Simple, effective, and flexible format for hosting large group dialogue. Creative process for building common purpose, leading collaborative dialogue, sharing knowledge, making more intelligent decisions, and constructing possibilities for action in groups of all sizes.

Purpose for Today’s World Cafe Participate in a collaborative dialogue that will prepare you for Advancement to Candidacy Share knowledge and ideas about becoming a transformational leader Construct possibilities for action going forward Learn the World Café protocol for future use

AGENDA for Today Principles of the World Café Steps in the Process The Invitation Implement World Café: 4 rounds Debrief the Learning

The Seven Design Principles of World Café Set the context Create hospitable space Explore questions that matter Encourage everyone's contribution Cross-pollinate and connect diverse perspectives Listen together for patterns, insights, and deeper questions Harvest and share collective discoveries

Principle 1: Setting the Context: Personalize & thank those attending Share the Purpose of the Cafe Share the “Café Etiquette” Forum for exchange of ideas Consider all ideas Respectful of others Everyone participates Future Oriented Building a Vision Hope & Optimism

Principle 2: Create The Hospitable Space Safe and Inviting Model the environment after a café 4-6 chairs per table Chart paper Colored pens Refreshments

Principle 3: Explore Questions that Matter Relevant to real-life concerns Energy, Insight, Action-oriented Mind Set Assume nothing Explore new perspectives Go beyond the limits of today Creative thinking Dream Enjoy the experience

Principle 4: Encouraging Everyone’s Contribution Ask for clarification Ask for more information Encourage non-vocal participants Paraphrase Refer to contributions participants have made Summarize Check for understanding Be attentive

Principle 5: Cross-Polinate and Connect Diverse Perspectives Move between tables Meet new people Contributing ideas Linking and discovering *As participants carry ideas or themes to new tables, they exchange perspectives, enriching insights.

Principle 6:Listen together for… Insights, Patterns, and Deeper questions

Principle 7: Harvest & Share Ideas After the participants in the small groups have rotated three times individuals are invited to share insights and ideas from their conversations. The results are reflected visually in a variety of ways, often graphically. May include next steps: Who is responsible for the follow up? What will the product look like? Who will it be communicated to? How will it be shared?

Summarizing the Process 1. Three rounds of conversation. 2. Encourage table participants to write, doodle and draw ideas on their table coverings 3. At the end of the first round one person remains at the table as the “host” Others serve as travelers or “ambassadors of meaning.” The travelers carry key ideas, themes and questions to the new tables. 4. The table host welcomes the new guests and briefly shares ideas, themes and questions of the initial conversation. 5. Encourage guests to link and connect ideas coming from their previous group (s). 4) Questions: each round is prefaced with a question designed for the specific context and desired purpose of the session. The same questions can be used for more than one round, or they can be built upon each other to focus the conversation or guide its direction. 5) Harvest: After the small groups (and/or in between rounds, as desired) individuals are invited to share insights or other results from their conversations with the rest of the large group. These results are reflected visually in a variety of ways, most often using graphic recorders in the front of the room. The basic process is simple and simple to learn, but complexities and nuances of context, numbers, question crafting and purpose can make it optimal to bring in an experienced host to help. Should that be the case, professional consulting services and senior hosts are available through World Cafe Services and we would be happy to talk with you about your needs.

The Process In the 4th round, participants return to home table and synthesize their discoveries. At the home table, participants develop a graphic representation of the highlights of their learning and share their insights with the larger group.

The Invitation Who’s been invited: Zeta Students Purpose: To prepare for Advancement Interviews Theme: Reflection on deep learning and becoming a Transformational Leader

Purpose of the Advancement Meeting To determine if the candidate has achieved the level of learning necessary to become a transformational leader and is ready to advance to the next level of scholarly research in the Dissertation.

??? The Questions You have been engaged in deep thinking and learning about Transformational Change and Leadership for 1 ½ years. How have you changed as a leader?   In what ways do you believe you have grown into a transformational leader?  What evidence do you have of this growth?  What do you continue to need to work on? What are 3 major lessons that you learned from doing your TCP and how will that influence what you do in the future as a transformational leader? Major lessons learned from the total experience? Of the books that you have read in all of your courses what stands out as one or two that you will keep in your library?  What makes these important to your leadership and growth?

Today’s Procedure The World Café Hosts will signal when to begin and end each round. When the signal is given, please move quickly to your next table. Choose a table with people you don’t know well. Select your host in the first round. The host stays behind at the home table. You will have 3 rounds—one question per round. 10 minutes each round. Round 4—return to home table to synthesize key themes in a drawing. When you return to your home table in round 4, please decide who will draw and who will label.

Each round begins with the host asking for self-introductions, reviewing Café Ettiquette, and reviewing highlights of earlier discussions at that table. Passing Time: TWO minutes to pass to another table between rounds.

Café Etiquette: Forum for exchange of ideas Consider all ideas Respectful of others Everyone participates Round 1 How have you changed as a leader?   In what ways do you believe you have grown into a transformational leader?  What evidence do you have of this growth?  What do you continue to need to work on? 

Round 2 Café Etiquette: Forum for exchange of ideas Consider all ideas Respectful of others Everyone participates Round 2 What are 3 major lessons that you learned from doing your TCP and how will that influence what you do in the future as a transformational leader? Major lessons learned from the total experience?  

Café Etiquette: Forum for exchange of ideas Consider all ideas Respectful of others Everyone participates Round 3 Of the books that you have read in all of your courses what stands out as one or two that you will keep in your library?  What makes these important to your leadership and growth?

EVERYONE contributes. Choose who will draw and label—based on group’s input. Choose someone to explain your group’s drawing to all. Round 4 Synthesize the most important themes that have emerged from your dialogue in the last 3 rounds by creating a drawing using pictures and symbols to represent the ideas of your home group.

With a Partner Share how you might use this World Café protocol as a step to accomplish a goal in your organization.

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