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Gurteen Knowledge
The kind of conversation I’m
interested in is one in which you start with a
willingness to emerge a slightly different
person.
Theodore ZeldinConversation
Theodore in an Oxford Historian
Gurteen Knowledge
Gurteen Knowledge CaféGurteen Knowledge Café
Gurteen Knowledge
Speed NetworkingSpeed Networking
The birth of the The birth of the Gurteen Knowledge CafeGurteen Knowledge Cafe
London, September 2002
Gurteen Knowledge
Business is a ConversationBusiness is a Conversation
Business is a conversationBusiness 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 WeinbergerThe Cluetrain Manifesto
• Conversation is central to all that we do
• Its our job!
Conversation is a meeting of mindsConversation 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 ZeldinConversation
• Theodore in an Oxford Historian
• Conversation is creative
KM is about understandingKM 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
Gurteen Knowledge
Conversation is dialogueConversation is 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 ZeldinConversation
Theodore in an Oxford Historian
Gurteen Knowledge
ArgumentArgument
Argument is meant to reveal the truth,
not to create it.
Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono
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Principles of DialoguePrinciples 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
Gurteen Knowledge
Conversation is our Conversation is our most effective KM toolmost effective KM tool
Our most effective KM tool is conversation.
The words we choose, the questions we ask, and the metaphors we use to explain ourselves, are
what determine our success in creating new knowledge
as well as sharing that knowledge with each other.
Nancy DixonNancy Dixon
Common Knowledge Associates
Gurteen Knowledge
Conversation is a learning technologyConversation is a learning technology
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 spread intellectual capital, improve cooperation,
and strengthen personal relationships.
Jay Cross, Informal Learning
• Jay Cross is a champion of Informal Learning
Gurteen Knowledge
SummarySummary
• 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
Gurteen Knowledge
The Gurteen Knowledge CafeThe Gurteen Knowledge Cafe
Gurteen Knowledge
What is a Gurteen Knowledge Café?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.
• Ultimately leading to action in the form of better decision making and innovation and thus tangible outcomes.
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The ProcessThe Process
• Set the context – normally a speaker• An open-ended trigger question• Small group conversations at tables• Whole group conversation in a circle• Share actionable insights
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Sharing actionable insightsSharing actionable insights
• Pass a talking-stick around the circle• When you receive it - share an actionable-
insight from the café• A thought, an idea, an insight, something
learnt – preferably an action• OK to pass
Gurteen Knowledge
Principles of the Gurteen Knowledge Principles of the Gurteen Knowledge CafeCafe
• Relaxed, non-threatening, open conversation• As close to a pub or dinner conversation as possible• No manipulation of people; no hidden agendas• Everyone is equal; no table leaders; no reporting back• No one is forced to do anything – OK to just listen• Trust people to talk about what is important to them• OK to go off-topic – that’s what good conversations do• No group summarization or attempt to reach consensus• No capture of outcomes; no flip charts in the room• Principal outcome: what people take away in their heads
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What are the outcomes?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– Engagement with the subject– Better relationships– Better position to make more informed decisions
and to take action!• Intangible outcomes but valuable nevertheless
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Lets run a Knowledge CafeLets run a Knowledge Cafe
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Café ConversationCafé Conversation
What is the role of conversation in our organizations; how important is it and how
do we encourage more of it?
• What is your actionable insight that you will share at the end of the Café?
Gurteen Knowledge
David GURTEEN Gurteen Knowledge Fleet, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 7774 178 650 Email: [email protected]
www.gurteen.comwww.gurteen.com
Gurteen Knowledge
LicenceLicence
• 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/
Applications of the CaféApplications of the Café
Gurteen Knowledge
What are the outcomes?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!
– Improved relationships
Gurteen Knowledge
Where might you use the Café?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
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Generic ApplicationsGeneric 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
Some real Café applicationsSome real Café applications
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ISN Knowledge CaféISN 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 EditorISN, Zurich
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Café for a UK government bodyCafé 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
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Canal Boat CaféCanal Boat Café
• On canals in Amsterdam• At end of week of workshops & visits• To help summarise the week• And develop plan for action
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Trinidad & TobagoTrinidad & TobagoOil and GasOil and Gas
• Expert talks
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StatoilHydroStatoilHydro
• 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