Gurteen Knowledge Cafe OLC MENA 31 October 2013

Henry of Germany giving a lecture at the University of Bologna in the 14th century

Have you ever questioned the lecture as a means of teaching/learning?

Show me a Professor of Education … who lectures, and I’ll show you a hypocrite who doesn’t read the research. Donald Clarke, PlanB Learning

What is the most powerful learning technology ever invented?

Conversation is the most powerful learning technology ever invented Conversations carry news, create meaning, foster cooperation, and spark innovation. Encouraging open, honest conversation through work space design, setting ground rules for conversing productively, and baking conversation into the corporate culture spreads intellectual capital, improves cooperation, and strengthens personal relationships. Jay Cross, Informal Learning

What’s the most important form of work? What’s the defining work of business?

Business is a conversation because the defining work of business is conversation - literally. And 'knowledge workers' are simply those people whose job consists of having interesting conversations. David Weinberger The Cluetrain Manifesto

Conversations are the way workers discover what they know, share it with their colleagues, and in the process create new knowledge for the organisation. In the new economy, conversations are the most important form of work... so much so that the conversation is the organisation. Alan Weber, Harvard Business Review

What makes a good conversation?

The kind of conversation I’m interested in is one in which you start with a willingness to emerge a slightly different person. Theodore Zeldin Conversation Theodore is an Oxford Historian

Gurteen Knowledge Cafe London, September 2002

Global Knowledge Cafés I have run them all over the world Some interesting cultural experiences Format always works People love to talk Discovered their power

Gurteen Knowledge Café Process

Basic Café Process Speaker makes short presentation Poses a trigger question Small group conversations at tables Three rounds of conversation Whole group conversation (circle) Share actionable insights Process can be adapted depending on the purpose of the Café, context, numbers, venue etc

Café Principles About a learning conversation (dialogue) – not debate Everyone equal; no table leaders; no reporting back No one forced to do anything –OK to just listen People trusted to talk about what is important –OK to go off-topic People take the real outcomes away in their heads Minimal summarization or attempt to reach consensus

Café Outcomes Outcomes are what you take away in your head Deeper understanding of the issues discussed Deeper insight into other people’s perspectives Better appreciation of your own point of view Improved relationships Position to make more informed decisions

Knowledge Café Applications

Surfacing Issues

ISN Zurich Dramatic improvement in inter-team dialog, collaboration & knowledge sharing Many internal work processes overhauled as a result Explosion of new ideas & initiatives on the part of staff at all levels of the organization Empowered staff to speak up and take the initiative Chris Pallaris Chief Editor, ISN, Zurich

Transform Meetings

Transform Decision Making Meetings Break meetings into two parts To better understand the issues –Dialogue - Café style –Divergent –Understanding To make decisions and plans –Debate –Convergent –Making a decision

Transform Any Talk

Transform any Talk Move from –presentation + Q&A –30 mins + 10 mins to –presentation + reflection + conversation + Q&A Allow –20 mins presentation –2 mins for reflection –10 mins for conversation –8 mins for Q&A KM UK KM Australia KM Singapore ECU Forum Mumbai + Johannesburg

Many Other Café Applications learn from each other clarify issues gain insight break down organisational silos break down inter-personal barriers surface issues & problems surface potential risks surface opportunities get buy-in for a course of action stimulate innovation build better relationships engage with our work share good practice develop our unique voice move to action

What applications do you see for the Knowledge Café?

The Knowledge Cafe

How can conversation contribute to Organizational Learning?

How might we initiate more conversations in our organizations and what would be the benefits?

David GURTEEN Gurteen Knowledge Fleet, United Kingdom Tel:

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