Gurteen Knowledge Café Masterclass Stellenbosch South Africa November 2008

The birth of the Gurteen Knowledge Cafe London, September 2002

Begin with the end in mind Raise awareness of the role of conversation in your business lives To teach you about Knowledge Cafes and how to run them Encourage you to create more opportunities in your organization for creative conversation

Raise awareness of the role of conversation in your business lives

To teach you about Knowledge Cafes and how to run them

Encourage you to create more opportunities in your organization for creative conversation

Agenda 10:00 – 10:15 Introductions (15 mins) 10:15 – 10:45 Business is a Conversation (30 mins) 10:45 – 11:15 Knowledge Café Process (30 mins) 11:15 – 11:45 Coffee (30 mins) 11:45 – 13:00 Run a Knowledge Cafe (75 mins) 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (60 mins) 14:00 – 15:00 Applications of the Café (60 mins) 15:00 – 15:15 [Tips & techniques] (15 mins) 15:15 – 15:30 Coffee (15 mins) 15:30 – 16:30 Action Cafe (45 mins)

10:00 – 10:15 Introductions (15 mins)

10:15 – 10:45 Business is a Conversation (30 mins)

10:45 – 11:15 Knowledge Café Process (30 mins)

11:15 – 11:45 Coffee (30 mins)

11:45 – 13:00 Run a Knowledge Cafe (75 mins)

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (60 mins)

14:00 – 15:00 Applications of the Café (60 mins)

15:00 – 15:15 [Tips & techniques] (15 mins)

15:15 – 15:30 Coffee (15 mins)

15:30 – 16:30 Action Cafe (45 mins)

Photographs

Speed Networking

Business is a Conversation

Business is a conversation 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 Conversation is central to all that we do Its our job!

Conversation is central to all that we do

Its our job!

Conversation is a meeting of minds Conversation is a meeting of minds with different memories and habits. When minds meet, they don't just exchange facts: they transform them, reshape them, draw different implications from them, engage in new trains of thought. Conversation doesn't just reshuffle the cards: it creates new cards. Theodore Zeldin Conversation Theodore in an Oxford Historian Conversation is creative

Theodore in an Oxford Historian

Conversation is creative

KM is about understanding For all our knowledge, we have no idea what we're talking about. We don't understand what's going on in our business, our market, and our world. KM shouldn’t be about helping us to know more. It should be about helping us to understand. So, how do we understand things? It's through stories that we understand how the world works. David Weinberger, The Cluetrain Manifesto Its about understanding & sense making Through conversation & storytelling

Its about understanding & sense making

Through conversation & storytelling

Conversation “A mechanistic and unproductive exchange between people seeking to defend their own views against one another” “A frank exchange of ideas or views on a specific issue in an effort to attain mutual understanding” Debate or dialogue?

Dialogue When we engage each other in dialogue we enter into a conversation with a view to learn from each other rather than impose our views on the other. 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, Historian

When we engage each other in dialogue

we enter into a conversation with a view to learn from each other

rather than impose our views on the other.

Principles of Dialogue Suspend assumptions, do not judge Observe & listen to one another Welcome differences & explore them Allow taboo subjects to be raised safely Listen to your inner voice Slow the discussion Search for the underlying meaning Dialogue is based on the work of the physicist David Bohm

Suspend assumptions, do not judge

Observe & listen to one another

Welcome differences & explore them

Allow taboo subjects to be raised safely

Listen to your inner voice

Slow the discussion

Search for the underlying meaning

Summary Business is a conversation Conversation is creative Understanding is more important than knowing more Dialogue is the key to quality conversations

Business is a conversation

Conversation is creative

Understanding is more important than knowing more

Dialogue is the key to quality conversations

Conversation/Questions

Gurteen Knowledge Café Process

What resources are needed to run a Knowledge Caf é? Not a lot! A group of people A facilitator or host A room with plenty of space Tables & chairs to seat about five people per table

Not a lot!

A group of people

A facilitator or host

A room with plenty of space

Tables & chairs to seat about five people per table

What do you need in the room? Some formats have special requirements such as round tables, paper table cloths, felt tip pens, flowers on the table and coffee & biscuits Gurteen Knowledge Cafés need none of these props but of course you could use them if available Refreshments help Aim is to create a good ambience Unthreatening and hospitable environment

Some formats have special requirements such as round tables, paper table cloths, felt tip pens, flowers on the table and coffee & biscuits

Gurteen Knowledge Cafés need none of these props but of course you could use them if available

Refreshments help

Aim is to create a good ambience

Unthreatening and hospitable environment

How do you run one? Knowledge Cafés can be run in different ways I use a simple format Runs for 90 minutes to a couple of hours Work best with between 25 and 35 people Can run a dozen people or as many as 100 But with some modifications

Knowledge Cafés can be run in different ways

I use a simple format

Runs for 90 minutes to a couple of hours

Work best with between 25 and 35 people

Can run a dozen people or as many as 100

But with some modifications

What's the process? Facilitator takes 5 - 15 minutes to introduce the Knowledge Caf é and the theme Purpose of the Knowledge Caf é is made clear Facilitator poses an open ended question Participants form into small groups of 4 or 5 to discuss the subject for 30 - 60 minutes. Change tables 1,2 or 3 times The group re-assembles for an exchange of ideas as a whole for 15 - 30 minutes

Facilitator takes 5 - 15 minutes to introduce the Knowledge Caf é and the theme

Purpose of the Knowledge Caf é is made clear

Facilitator poses an open ended question

Participants form into small groups of 4 or 5 to discuss the subject for 30 - 60 minutes.

Change tables 1,2 or 3 times

The group re-assembles for an exchange of ideas as a whole for 15 - 30 minutes

What subjects are covered? Any subject can be addressed Explore questions that matter to the participants Normally explore only one theme And pose only one question

Any subject can be addressed

Explore questions that matter to the participants

Normally explore only one theme

And pose only one question

What’s the role of the facilitator? Facilitator need not be a specialist Nor disciplined in facilitation Simply a good listener and chairperson skills Facilitator should not take a lead in the discussions Should wander around and listen into the groups Should listen out for problems and remind people gently of the rules of ‘dialogue’

Facilitator need not be a specialist

Nor disciplined in facilitation

Simply a good listener and chairperson skills

Facilitator should not take a lead in the discussions

Should wander around and listen into the groups

Should listen out for problems and remind people gently of the rules of ‘dialogue’

What’s the role of the individual? Theodore Zeldin : to be prepared to emerge a slightly different person To see people with different views not as adversaries but as resources from which we can learn To enter into open conversation To listen more than speak To welcome differences To withhold judgment To avoid position taking To avoid being too politically correct

Theodore Zeldin : to be prepared to emerge a slightly different person

To see people with different views not as adversaries but as resources from which we can learn

To enter into open conversation

To listen more than speak

To welcome differences

To withhold judgment

To avoid position taking

To avoid being too politically correct

How do things work within the small groups? Don’t appoint a leader or chairperson Everyone should be equal and fully engaged in the conversation Don’t appoint a note taker either Anyone can make their own notes if they want to People share their perspectives with the group only if they wish to

Don’t appoint a leader or chairperson

Everyone should be equal and fully engaged in the conversation

Don’t appoint a note taker either

Anyone can make their own notes if they want to

People share their perspectives with the group only if they wish to

How does the large group sit? Bring everyone back into a relatively tight group so that every one can easily see and hear each other Only use microphones if absolutely necessary as they inhibit the natural flow of the conversation

Bring everyone back into a relatively tight group so that every one can easily see and hear each other

Only use microphones if absolutely necessary as they inhibit the natural flow of the conversation

How does the whole group work? Individuals asked to remember that their comments are for the whole group and not for the facilitator. The objective is to hold a ‘group conversation’ The facilitator needs to work at encouraging this Plays a low key role – not the expert Turn away, even hide!

Individuals asked to remember that their comments are for the whole group and not for the facilitator.

The objective is to hold a ‘group conversation’

The facilitator needs to work at encouraging this

Plays a low key role – not the expert

Turn away, even hide!

How does the facilitator work with the whole group? The group should be doing the work with minimal intervention from the facilitator Facilitator needs to encourage participation Facilitator needs to ensure that no one person or group dominates the discussion Connects diverse perspectives

The group should be doing the work with minimal intervention from the facilitator

Facilitator needs to encourage participation

Facilitator needs to ensure that no one person or group dominates the discussion

Connects diverse perspectives

Conversation/Questions

Lets run a Knowledge Cafe

Knowledge Sharing Sharing knowledge is not about giving people something, or getting something from them. That is only valid for information sharing. Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes. Peter Senge

Sharing knowledge is not about giving people something, or getting something from them. That is only valid for information sharing.

Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes.

Personal Reasons for Sharing To help other people & to help ourselves Other people To get things done To build relationships so they in turn help us Ourselves To get things done Learning to be gained Knowledge is perishable Someone else will make our knowledge productive first

To help other people & to help ourselves

Other people

To get things done

To build relationships so they in turn help us

Ourselves

To get things done

Learning to be gained

Knowledge is perishable

Someone else will make our knowledge productive first

Barriers to Knowledge Sharing A silo mentality Knowledge is power Lack of knowledge sharing processes No time allowed No knowledge sharing by executives Managers do not walk the talk Poor IT systems Lack of encouragement Bureaucracy Resistance to change by managers Karl-Eric Sveiby

A silo mentality

Knowledge is power

Lack of knowledge sharing processes

No time allowed

No knowledge sharing by executives

Managers do not walk the talk

Poor IT systems

Lack of encouragement

Bureaucracy

Resistance to change by managers

The Challenge of Knowledge Sharing What prevents us from sharing our knowledge more effectively? How might we overcome these barriers?

Business is a conversation Here's a definition of that pesky and borderline elitist phrase, 'knowledge worker'. A knowledge worker is someone whose job entails having really interesting conversations at work. David Weinberger The Cluetrain Manifesto

Business is a conversation The characteristics of conversations map to the conditions for genuine knowledge generation and sharing: they're unpredictable interactions among people speaking in their own voice about something they're interested in. David Weinberger The Cluetrain Manifesto

Business is a conversation People implicitly acknowledge that they don't have all the answers (or else the conversation is really a lecture) and risk being wrong in front of someone else. And conversations overcome the class structure of business, suspending the organization chart at least for a little while. David Weinberger The Cluetrain Manifesto

Business is a conversation If you think about the aim of Knowledge Management as enabling better conversations rather than lassoing stray knowledge doggies, you end up focusing on breaking down the physical and class barriers to conversation. David Weinberger The Cluetrain Manifesto

Café Conversation What is the role of conversation and how do we encourage more conversation in our organizations?

Lunch

Applications of the Café

What are the outcomes? Real outcomes are what you take away in your head A deeper understanding of the issues discussed A deeper insight into other people’s perspectives A better appreciation of your own point of view Better position to make more informed decisions and to take action!

Real outcomes are what you take away in your head

A deeper understanding of the issues discussed

A deeper insight into other people’s perspectives

A better appreciation of your own point of view

Better position to make more informed decisions and to take action!

Where might you use the Café? Surface hidden problems & opportunities Encourage knowledge sharing & informal learning Spark action Improve decision making and innovation Address disengagement and lack of voice Help people make sense of the world Help people feel ownership of things Retain talent Reduce dependence on external facilitators

Surface hidden problems & opportunities

Encourage knowledge sharing & informal learning

Spark action

Improve decision making and innovation

Address disengagement and lack of voice

Help people make sense of the world

Help people feel ownership of things

Retain talent

Reduce dependence on external facilitators

Generic Applications As part of any presentation To glean feedback on say a policy document Replace a series of one-on-one interviews Collaborative writing effort knowledge café Individual blogging Wiki document creation Part of a meeting say to present future plans or strategy

As part of any presentation

To glean feedback on say a policy document

Replace a series of one-on-one interviews

Collaborative writing effort

knowledge café

Individual blogging

Wiki document creation

Part of a meeting say to present future plans or strategy

Some real Café applications

ISN Knowledge Café The knowledge café has led to a dramatic improvement in terms of inter-team dialog, collaboration and knowledge sharing. Many internal work processes are now being overhauled for the better as a result of these knowledge cafes and we have seen an explosion of new ideas and initiatives on the part of staff at all levels of the organization. Simply put, the knowledge cafe format has empowered all our staff to speak up and take the initiative in ensuring the successful development of the ISN. Chris Pallaris, Chief Editor ISN, Zurich

Café for a UK government body Day long workshop 3 presentations on social tools A knowledge Café Future leaders in the group Future leaders determine an action plan

Day long workshop

3 presentations on social tools

A knowledge Café

Future leaders in the group

Future leaders determine an action plan

Canal Boat Café On canals in Amsterdam At end of week of workshops & visits To help summarise the week And develop plan for action

On canals in Amsterdam

At end of week of workshops & visits

To help summarise the week

And develop plan for action

Trinidad & Tobago Oil and Gas Expert talks

Expert talks

StatoilHydro To surface issues as a result of a merger Series of Cafes to bring retiring experts together with younger members to transfer knowledge In a café on an allotment Geophysicists Discussion of preferred technologies Exchange views on experiences Management Training But not called a Knowledge Cafe

To surface issues as a result of a merger

Series of Cafes to bring retiring experts together with younger members to transfer knowledge

In a café on an allotment

Geophysicists

Discussion of preferred technologies

Exchange views on experiences

Management Training

But not called a Knowledge Cafe

What applications do you see for the Knowledge Café?

Selling to Senior Management Start with the business problem not the Café Focus on important business issues Don’t assume managers will not buy-in if there is not a hard business outcome Find a good reason to run a knowledge café for the managers!

Start with the business problem not the Café

Focus on important business issues

Don’t assume managers will not buy-in if there is not a hard business outcome

Find a good reason to run a knowledge café for the managers!

Recording Outcomes

Recording Outcomes Café is about the transfer of tacit knowledge – not about making tacit knowledge explicit! Recording can stifle the conversation Café often best as part of a larger process Avoid disrupting the conversation Participants should not record group notes OK for personal notes

Café is about the transfer of tacit knowledge – not about making tacit knowledge explicit!

Recording can stifle the conversation

Café often best as part of a larger process

Avoid disrupting the conversation

Participants should not record group notes

OK for personal notes

Recording Outcomes Why? That’s what we always do! As a record Share with others who were not there Justify to boss For a good business purpose If nothing will be done with the recording then don’t record it!

Why?

That’s what we always do!

As a record

Share with others who were not there

Justify to boss

For a good business purpose

If nothing will be done with the recording then don’t record it!

Ideas for recording outcomes Appoint an external person to take notes Direct capture to laptop! Capture 1 item from each person & collate Encourage people to blog the session Audio capture and transcription Visual capture

Appoint an external person to take notes

Direct capture to laptop!

Capture 1 item from each person & collate

Encourage people to blog the session

Audio capture and transcription

Visual capture

How would you capture outcomes?

Action What have you learnt today and what action will you take when back in the office?

What have you learnt today and what action will you take when back in the office?

Tips and techniques

The theme A topic people feel passionate about Complex issues Only ONE question Open ended question Action oriented

A topic people feel passionate about

Complex issues

Only ONE question

Open ended question

Action oriented

The conversation The question is only a seed OK to go off topic Conversation as close to a conversation at the pub or over dinner

The question is only a seed

OK to go off topic

Conversation as close to a conversation at the pub or over dinner

The speaker/facilitator Speaker and facilitator need not be the same Facilitator: involved/not involved Speakers can be controlling or dominant Often run over time Need to brief and handle carefully

Speaker and facilitator need not be the same

Facilitator: involved/not involved

Speakers can be controlling or dominant

Often run over time

Need to brief and handle carefully

The facilitator Important to be yourself Do not control Experiment a little Take some risks Don’t be afraid of silence If you let people talk and leave them alone you cannot go far wrong

Important to be yourself

Do not control

Experiment a little

Take some risks

Don’t be afraid of silence

If you let people talk and leave them alone you cannot go far wrong

The venue Need not be a room Boat on Thames Canal Boat (long boat in Amsterdam) Knowledge Walk/BBQ (Greenwich) Pub (Stavanger) Outside under sunshades (Scottsdale) Actual café (London & Barcelona)

Need not be a room

Boat on Thames

Canal Boat (long boat in Amsterdam)

Knowledge Walk/BBQ (Greenwich)

Pub (Stavanger)

Outside under sunshades (Scottsdale)

Actual café (London & Barcelona)

The room Important Small, cosy Small round tables Good acoustics Paper/toys on tables Lecture theatre?

Important

Small, cosy

Small round tables

Good acoustics

Paper/toys on tables

Lecture theatre?

The tables

Holding in a lecture theatre Difficult but not impossible Problem of moving between groups Problem of whole group conversation reporting back Need for microphones

Difficult but not impossible

Problem of moving between groups

Problem of whole group conversation

reporting back

Need for microphones

Using microphones Avoid if possible Will need them if group larger than 40 Maybe less if poor acoustics People hold on to them Kills the flow of conversation One for yourself and at least 2 roving mikes Avoid fixed mikes (Jakarta)

Avoid if possible

Will need them if group larger than 40

Maybe less if poor acoustics

People hold on to them

Kills the flow of conversation

One for yourself and at least 2 roving mikes

Avoid fixed mikes (Jakarta)

Knowledge circles Greenwich Story KM World Jakarta Workshop Not as difficult as it seems

Greenwich Story

KM World

Jakarta Workshop

Not as difficult as it seems

Small group Ask people to sit with others they do not know Change groups once, twice at most 3 times People do not like changing groups Don’t force them! Kuala Lumpur story

Ask people to sit with others they do not know

Change groups once, twice at most 3 times

People do not like changing groups

Don’t force them!

Kuala Lumpur story

Whole group Where you need facilitation skills People will report back out of habit Or ask you questions In some cultures best to let them Even for some groups let them Central bank librarians story Unless in expert mode do not join in too much Tolerate silence – pause and wait

Where you need facilitation skills

People will report back out of habit

Or ask you questions

In some cultures best to let them

Even for some groups let them

Central bank librarians story

Unless in expert mode do not join in too much

Tolerate silence – pause and wait

Culture I have run the Cafes in many different countries UK, Spain, Norway, Moscow USA Singapore Hong Kong Kuala Lumpur Thailand Australia UAE

I have run the Cafes in many different countries

UK, Spain, Norway, Moscow

USA

Singapore

Hong Kong

Kuala Lumpur

Thailand

Australia

UAE

Cultural issues Jakarta Open Café Workshop Kuala Lumpur Won’t change tables Won’t go for coffee Bangkok Flee, video Dubai Report back Scottsdale Intense group Hong Kong Iranians

Jakarta

Open Café

Workshop

Kuala Lumpur

Won’t change tables

Won’t go for coffee

Bangkok

Flee, video

Dubai

Report back

Scottsdale

Intense group

Hong Kong

Iranians

Language issues Ideally one common language Let people speak in their own language in small groups Can’t listen in! Common language (English) in whole group Even own language in whole group Use of translators Serial or concurrent

Ideally one common language

Let people speak in their own language in small groups

Can’t listen in!

Common language (English) in whole group

Even own language in whole group

Use of translators

Serial or concurrent

Listening in If expert mode then join in If facilitation mode then try not to Wander around and actively listen Observe for issues Watch, think, be prepared to adapt

If expert mode then join in

If facilitation mode then try not to

Wander around and actively listen

Observe for issues

Watch, think, be prepared to adapt

Wrap up No need to summarise at length Keep it short and simple Thank people

No need to summarise at length

Keep it short and simple

Thank people

Other Conversational Tools

Other Conversational Tools Gurteen Knowledge Café Traditional Knowledge Café Flip charts, capture, report back etc Conferences Speak, conversation, Q&A Reverse Café Conversation Dinner World Cafe Open Space Anecdote Circles Appreciative Inquiry

Gurteen Knowledge Café

Traditional Knowledge Café

Flip charts, capture, report back etc

Conferences

Speak, conversation, Q&A

Reverse Café

Conversation Dinner

World Cafe

Open Space

Anecdote Circles

Appreciative Inquiry

How is the Knowledge Cafe different from the World Cafe? Different roots Usually shorter For smaller numbers of people Less preparation required Flip chart paper & pens optional No table leaders No reporting back More business oriented

Different roots

Usually shorter

For smaller numbers of people

Less preparation required

Flip chart paper & pens optional

No table leaders

No reporting back

More business oriented

How is Open Space Technology different from Knowledge Café? OST Process is more complex Used other than to gain mutual understanding e.g. problem solving and defining agendas Meetings tend to be larger often 100s of people compared to dozens for the Café Meetings tend to last longer often days rather than hours

OST Process is more complex

Used other than to gain mutual understanding

e.g. problem solving and defining agendas

Meetings tend to be larger

often 100s of people compared to dozens for the Café

Meetings tend to last longer

often days rather than hours

Action Cafe How could Knowledge Cafes be applied within your organisation and what action will you take when back in the office?

How could Knowledge Cafes be applied within your organisation and what action will you take when back in the office?

Where can I learn more about Knowledge Cafés? There are a lot of resources on the web My website contains a vast amount of material www.gurteen.com The World Café Book The World Café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter Website : theworldcafe.com The Society for Philosophical Inquiry philosopher.org

There are a lot of resources on the web

My website contains a vast amount of material

www.gurteen.com

The World Café

Book The World Café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter

Website : theworldcafe.com

The Society for Philosophical Inquiry

philosopher.org

Where can I learn more about Knowledge Cafés? There are a lot of resources on the web My website contains a vast amount of material www.gurteen.com The World Café Book The World Café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter Website : theworldcafe.com The Society for Philosophical Inquiry philosopher.org

There are a lot of resources on the web

My website contains a vast amount of material

www.gurteen.com

The World Café

Book The World Café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter

Website : theworldcafe.com

The Society for Philosophical Inquiry

philosopher.org

Thank you!

www.gurteen.com David Gurteen Gurteen Knowledge Tel: +44 1252 812 878 Email: david.gurteen@gurteen.com

Licence You may use these slides under the following Creative Commons Licence Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/uk/

You may use these slides under the following Creative Commons Licence

Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/uk/