The document discusses knowledge cafés, which are informal conversations aimed at sharing knowledge and gaining understanding. A knowledge café involves bringing a group together to discuss a topic of mutual interest in small group and whole group discussions. The goal is for participants to emerge with new insights and perspectives rather than reach consensus. Facilitators ensure all voices are heard but do not direct the discussion. Knowledge cafés can address a variety of topics and help organizations encourage knowledge sharing and informed decision making.

1. 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

2. Gurteen Knowledge Café

3. Agenda 16:00 – 16:20 Business is a Conversation (20 mins) 16:20 – 16:40 Knowledge Café Process (20 mins) 16:40 – 17:00 Conversation + Q&A (20 mins) 17:00 – 18:00 Knowledge Cafe (60 mins) 18:00 – 18:30 Types of Café & Applications (30 mins) 18:30 – 19:00 Action Circle (30 mins)

4. The birth of the Gurteen Knowledge Cafe London, September 2002

5. Our job is to have interesting conversations

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Dialogue 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

10. 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

11. Summary Business is a conversation Conversation is creative Understanding is more important than knowing more Dialogue is the key to quality conversations Conversation is a powerful learning tool

12. Conversation and Q&A

13. Gurteen Knowledge Café Process

14. What is a Gurteen Knowledge Café? A Gurteen Knowledge Café brings 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 issues involved. Leading to action in the form of better decision making & innovation & thus tangible outcomes.

15. What resources are needed? Not a lot! A group of 20 – 30 people A speaker and a facilitator A room or other venue Tables & chairs to seat 4 or 5 people per table

16. What do you need in the room? Unthreatening and hospitable environment Good ambience, small cosy, good acoustics Small round tables and 4 – 5 chairs Optional: paper table cloths, felt tip pens, toys NO flip charts Refreshments

17. What’s the process? Speaker makes a short presentation 5 – 10 mins Poses a trigger question Small group conversations at tables Three rounds 10 – 15 mins Whole group conversation in a circle 15 mins Share actionable insights 15 mins 1.5 to 2.0 hours in total

18. What subjects are covered? Any subject can be addressed Explore questions that matter to the participants Explore only one theme & question

19. What’s the role of the facilitator? Need not be a specialist Should not take a lead in the discussions Wander around and listen into the groups Resolve any issues

20. What’s the role of the participants? To be prepared to emerge a slightly different person To listen more than speak To welcome differences To withhold judgment To avoid position taking

21. How do things work in small groups? No leader or chairperson No reporting back Everyone is equal No group note taker Can make own notes

22. How does the large group sit? In a circle Takes 2 minutes to move chairs Facilitator & speaker sit in circle Everyone can see & hear each other & are equal

23. How does the circle work? Group talks, minimal intervention from facilitator No reporting back Facilitator may need to encourage participation Facilitator gently ensures that no one person or group dominates the discussion Connects diverse perspectives

24. Sharing actionable insights Facilitator goes around the circle Each person in turn shares something A thought, an idea, an insight, something learnt Preferably an action OK to pass

25. What are the 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 Position to make more informed decisions Improved relationships

26. Café Principles Relaxed, non-threatening, open conversation Close to a pub conversation as possible No manipulation of people; no hidden agendas Everyone equal; no table leaders; no reporting back No one forced to do anything – OK to just listen Trust people to talk about what is important to them OK to go off-topic No summarization or attempt to reach consensus No capture of outcomes; no flip charts in the room

27. The Café is NOT about Making decisions Gaining consensus Capturing stuff Making plans Manipulating people in some way

28. Café Magic No explicit or hidden agendas No command and control No desired outcomes No push for consensus OK to go off topic Freedom to speak your mind

29. Questions and Discussion

30. Lets run a Knowledge Cafe

31. Café Conversation How do we convince senior management of the value of conversational tools like knowledge cafes and pro-active reviews?

32. Café Conversation What is the role of conversation in organisational life and how do we encourage more of it?

33. Café Applications

34. Forms of Café Traditional Knowledge Café World Café Gurteen Knowledge Café Gurteen Action Café Other conversational tools

35. How is the Gurteen Knowledge Cafe different from the World Cafe? World Café 1995; Knowledge Café 2002 More business oriented Usually shorter For smaller numbers of people No table leaders No reporting back No capture Less preparation required Paper & pens on tables optional Possibly less controlling

36. Conversational tools Knowledge Cafes Knowledge Jams Peer Assists, After Action Reviews, Retrospects (Learn before, learn during, learn after) Anecdote Circles Ritual Dissent Reverse Brainstorm Open Space Technology Unconference, unworkshop and Barcamps Conversation Dinners and Walks

37. Applying the Café Pure conversational Cafés Cafés can be adapted for specific purposes Café techniques can be used in other activities Café style talks Knowledge Café + Open Space

38. Where might you use the Café? Surface hidden problems & opportunities Encourage knowledge sharing & informal learning Improve decision making and innovation Address disengagement and lack of voice Help people make sense of the world Help people feel ownership of things

39. Some actual Café applications

40. Trinidad & Tobago Oil and Gas

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

42. 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 action plan

43. ISN Knowledge Café The knowledge café has led to a dramatic improvement in terms of inter-team dialog, collaboration & knowledge sharing. Many internal work processes are now being overhauled for the better as a result of these knowledge cafes & we have seen an explosion of new ideas & 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

44. Statoil To surface issues as a result of a merger Series of Cafés to bring retiring experts together with younger members to transfer knowledge In a community hall on an allotment Geophysicists Discussion of preferred technologies Exchange views on experiences Management Training But not called a Knowledge Café

45. Questions and Discussion

46. Action Circle What is your one actionable insight from the Café?

47. www.gurteen.com David GURTEEN Gurteen Knowledge Fleet, United Kingdom Tel: +44 7774 178 650 Email: david.gurteen@gurteen.com

48. 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/