Knowledge Cafe Workshop

The Gurteen Knowledge Cafe David Gurteen Gurteen Knowledge Facilitating Learning Conversations 22 nd May 2007

Begin with the end in mind
12:00 -- 12:15 Introductions (15 mins)
12:15 -- 13:00 Business is a Conversation (45 mins)
13:00 -- 13:45 Knowledge Café Process (45 mins)
13:45 -- 14:15 Coffee (30 mins)
14:15 -- 15:30 Knowledge Café (75mins)
15:30 -- 16:00 Discussion & Wrap-up (30 mins)

Introductions

David Gurteen
Independent Knowledge consultant, educator & coach
Knowledge Website
Knowledge Community/Letter
14,000 people
150 countries
Knowledge Cafés
London, New York, Adelaide, Zurich

Speed Networking
A simple technique that can be used in a variety of settings to bring a group of people together
to start to get to know each other
or get to know each other a little better

How do you Speed Network?
Break into pairs
Find someone you don’t know
Two minutes to chat then move on to another person
Tell your partner something unusual about yourself
When I blow my whistle once - move on
When I blow my whistle twice - its all over!

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 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

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

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

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

Dialogue Suppose we were able to share meanings freely without a compulsive urge to impose our view or conform to those of others and without distortion and self-deception. Would this not constitute a real revolution in culture. David Bohm, Physicist

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

The Knowledge Café Process

Background to Knowledge Cafe
Background: conversation & dialogue
My dislike of ‘chalk & talk’ presentations
My desire for people to engage with the subject and to learn through conversation
Three concepts:
We already have the knowledge
A good question helps surface that knowledge
When we see things for ourselves we are more committed to act!

What is a Knowledge Café?
A knowledge café is a means of bringing a group of people together to have an open, creative conversation on a topic of mutual interest to surface their collective knowledge, to share ideas and to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and the issues involved.

What are the objectives of a K-Caf é ?
To gain mutual understanding of a complex issue
To gain a deeper understanding of other people’s perspectives
To gain a deeper understanding of one’s own views and thinking process
To flush out issues which need airing & exploring
To help build a consensus around an issue or topic

Where is it used?
I use it in public forums and within companies to explore complex issues
The Royal Society for the Arts uses a form of Knowledge Cafe in conjunction with Starbucks in the UK to discuss social issues relevant to the societies aims
I have also used it in the NHS to explore how people might better communicate and work together

When would a K-Café be run?
To surface and share knowledge
To surface problems & opportunities
Get networking going
Gain new perspectives
Gain new ideas
To help form a team or community
To gain insight into a complex problem
To better understand an issue
To get buy-in for a new project

ISN Knowledge Cafe Particular mention must be made to the concept of the "knowledge cafe". As pioneered by David and taught to my staff, it 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

What is the history?
The term knowledge-café has been around for the last 7 years or so
Only in the last 2 or 3 years has it come into more common use
Has its roots in work of David Bohm, William Isaacs, Juanita Brown
Also has roots in OST (Open Space Technology) which goes back to 1989

How is it different from OST?
It is quite different
The OST process is more complex
OST is used for purposes other than gaining mutual understanding e.g. problem solving and defining agendas
OST meetings tend to be larger - often 100s of people compared to dozens for K-Cafés
OST meetings tend to last longer - often days rather than hours

Is it a talking-shop?
No its NOT a talking-shop. A talking shop is normally used pejoratively and implies no useful outcome other than the airing of ones own ideas
A K-Caf é is different in that everyone leaves enriched by a deeper level of understanding of the subject in question and is often inspired to act

Why is the K-Caf é important?
The world is a more complex place than it used to be - at times even chaotic - it is not always clear what is going on - we need to take time to UNDERSTAND
We do not find the time these days to have open conversations, we are under pressure to make quick decisions
KM for example should not be about creating and sharing ever increasing knowledge but understanding more fully the knowledge that we do have!

What does a K-Café do for the individual?
The K-Caf é operates on the assumption that people really have within themselves a greater level of insight than they are often conscious of. The K-Caf é can tease this out.
You hear yourself say things in k-café conversations that you did not know that you knew
A k-café kind of crystallises your knowledge
New ideas are sparked
Fresh perspectives emerge ...
With increased observation and reflection comes understanding – this paves the way for change

What does a K-Café do for the individual?
Some people just have problems expressing themselves
Sometimes you just don’t know what you think until you have said it!
Learning how to hear and to understand yourself
The K-Café is a little like an anti-inhibitor and thus stimulates discussion

What resources are needed to run a K-Caf é?
Not a lot to run to a simple format
A group of people
A facilitator or host
A room with plenty of space
Tables & chairs - ideally round tables to seat about five people
but you can run one in a lecture theatre if need be!

What do you need in the room?
Some K-Café formats have special requirements such as round tables, paper table cloths, felt tip pens, flowers on the table and coffee & biscuits
Gurteen K-Cafés need none of these props but of course you could use them if available
Refreshments do help – especially wine!
The aim is to create the right ambience
An unthreatening and hospitable environment
Everyone must feel safe to freely express themselves without any recriminations

How do you run one?
K-Cafés can be run in a number of different ways.
Some formats are simple others are more complex
I use a simple format and it’s the one I am going to describe
Runs for 90 minutes to a couple/few hours
Work best with between 20 and 30 people
Run with as few as a dozen or as many as 100 people

What's the process?
Facilitator takes less than 10 mins to introduce the K-Caf é and the subject under discussion.
Purpose of the K-Caf é is made clear
Facilitator poses 1 or 2 key open ended questions.
Participants from into smaller groups of 4 or 5 to discuss the subject for 45 minutes.
The group re-assembles for an exchange of ideas as a whole for 45 minutes

What subjects are covered?
Any subject can be addressed
Explore questions that matter to those who are participating in the K-Caf é
Remember the K-Caf é is not a debating forum
A K-Caf é would normally explore only one theme
A K-Café is NOT about decision making.

What is 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’

What’s the role of the individual?
In the words of 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 if they want to

How does the large group sit?
If possible bring everyone back into a relatively tight horse-shoe shape group so that every one can easily see each other as well as hear each other
A ‘circle’ works wonderfully
Does not take long to arrange chairs
Only use microphones if absolutely necessary as they inhibit the natural flow of the conversation
Will be needed if > 40 people
May then need to fall-back on traditional report mode as conversation is difficult

How does the whole group work?
Individuals asked to remember that their comments are for the whole group and not for the facilitator.
They are not reporting back to the facilitator!
The objective is to hold a ‘group conversation’
Ask people to stand if need be
The facilitator needs to work at encouraging this
Plays a low key role – not the expert
Turn away
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
Facilitator needs to keep to time

How do you record the outcomes of a K-Café?
If you record things you should avoid disrupting or influencing the conversation in anyway
You could make audio or video recordings but I would advise against it
Participants should not be burdened with recording as they need to be fully engaged in the conversation
Best to appoint an external person to take notes

What are the outcomes of a K-Caf é
Real outcome is what you take away in your head
New connections with people
A deeper understanding of the issue discussed
A deeper understanding and insight into other people’s perspectives
A better appreciation of your own point of view and how it is seen by others
A better knowledge of what you know and don’t know and what others know and don’t know
In a better position to make more informed decisions

What other formats are there?
Flipcharts/flowers/table cloths/pens etc
Paper and pens at tables
But can get in the way
Need additional cost/budget
If have that luxury then OK
Groups move around
Takes longer
People don’t always like it
OK if you can afford the time
Be creative
As long as it does not get in the way of the conversation

Where can I learn more about K-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

Questions?

Lets run a Knowledge Cafe

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

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

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

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

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

Discussion

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

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Knowledge Cafe Workshop

by David Gurteen

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