Knowledge Cafe Masterclass, Pretoria, Nov 2008

Gurteen Knowledge

Gurteen Knowledge CaféGurteen Knowledge CaféMasterclassMasterclass

Pretoria

South Africa

November 2008

The birth of the The birth of the Gurteen Knowledge CafeGurteen Knowledge Cafe

London, September 2002

Gurteen Knowledge

Begin with the end in mindBegin 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

Gurteen Knowledge

AgendaAgenda

• 08:45 – 09:00 Introductions (15 mins) • 09:00 – 09:30 Business is a Conversation (30 mins)• 09:30 – 10:00 Knowledge Café Process (30 mins)• 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee (30 mins)• 10:30 – 12:00 Run a Knowledge Cafe (90 mins)• 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch (60 mins)• 13:00 – 14:00 Applications of the Café (60 mins)• 14:00 – 14:15 Tips & techniques (15 mins)• 14:15 – 14:30 Coffee (15 mins)• 14:30 – 15:30 Action Cafe (45 mins)

Gurteen Knowledge

PhotographsPhotographs

Gurteen Knowledge

IntroductionsIntroductions

Gurteen Knowledge

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

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

ConversationConversation

“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”

Debateor

dialogue?

Gurteen Knowledge

DialogueDialogue

• 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

Gurteen Knowledge

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

SummarySummary

• Business is a conversation

• Conversation is creative

• Understanding is more important than knowing more

• Dialogue is the key to quality conversations

Gurteen Knowledge

Conversation/QuestionsConversation/Questions

Gurteen Knowledge

Gurteen Knowledge Café Gurteen Knowledge Café ProcessProcess

Gurteen Knowledge

What resources are needed to run a What resources are needed to run a Knowledge CafKnowledge Café?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

Gurteen Knowledge

What do you need in the room?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

Gurteen Knowledge

How do you run one?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

Gurteen Knowledge

What's the process?What's the process?

• Facilitator takes 5 - 15 minutes to introduce the Knowledge Café and the theme

• Purpose of the Knowledge Café 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

Gurteen Knowledge

What subjects are covered?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

Gurteen Knowledge

What’s the role of the facilitator?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’

Gurteen Knowledge

What’s the role of the individual?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

Gurteen Knowledge

How do things work withinHow do things work within the small groups? 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

Gurteen Knowledge

How does the large group sit?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

Gurteen Knowledge

How does the whole group work?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!

Gurteen Knowledge

How does the facilitator workHow does the facilitator workwith the whole group?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

Gurteen Knowledge

Conversation/QuestionsConversation/Questions

Gurteen Knowledge

Lets run a Knowledge CafeLets run a Knowledge Cafe


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 WeinbergerThe Cluetrain

Manifesto


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 WeinbergerThe Cluetrain

Manifesto


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.

And if that's not what Knowledge Management is really about, then you

ought not to be doing it anyway.David Weinberger

The Cluetrain Manifesto

Gurteen Knowledge

Café ConversationCafé Conversation

How do you encourage open conversationin business?

Gurteen Knowledge

LunchLunch

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!

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

Gurteen Knowledge

Possible ApplicationsPossible 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– Wiki edit fest

• Part of meeting say to present future plans• …

What applications do you see for the What applications do you see for the Knowledge Café?Knowledge Café?

Gurteen Knowledge

Selling to Senior ManagementSelling to Senior Management

• Start with the business problem not the Café• Focus on important business issues• Don’t assume managers will only buy-in if

there is a hard business outcome• Find a good reason to run a knowledge café

for the managers!

Gurteen Knowledge

Recording outcomesRecording outcomes

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

• Café often best as part of a larger process• Avoid disrupting the conversation• Participants should not record group notes• OK for personal notes

Gurteen Knowledge

Recording OutcomesRecording Outcomes

• Why?– That’s what we always do!– Justify to boss– Share with others– For a good business purpose

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

Gurteen Knowledge

Ideas for recording outcomesIdeas 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• Audio capture and transcription

Some examples of CafesSome examples of Cafes

Gurteen Knowledge

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

Gurteen Knowledge

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

Gurteen Knowledge

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

Gurteen Knowledge

Trinidad & TobagoTrinidad & TobagoOil and GasOil and Gas

• Expert talks

Gurteen Knowledge

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

Gurteen Knowledge

Tips and techniquesTips and techniques

Gurteen Knowledge

The themeThe theme

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

Gurteen Knowledge

The conversationThe conversation

• The question is only a seed

• OK to go off topic

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

Gurteen Knowledge

The speaker/facilitatorThe 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

Gurteen Knowledge

The facilitatorThe 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

Gurteen Knowledge

The venueThe 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)

Gurteen Knowledge

The roomThe room

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

Gurteen Knowledge

The tablesThe tables

Gurteen Knowledge

Holding in a lecture theatreHolding in a lecture theatre

• Difficult but not impossible

• Problem of moving between groups

• Problem of whole group conversation– reporting back

• Need for microphones

Gurteen Knowledge

Using microphonesUsing 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)

Gurteen Knowledge

Knowledge circlesKnowledge circles

• Greenwich Story• KM World• Jakarta

Workshop• Not as difficult as

it seems

Gurteen Knowledge

Small groupSmall 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

Gurteen Knowledge

Whole groupWhole 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

Gurteen Knowledge

Wrap upWrap up

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

Other Conversational ToolsOther Conversational Tools

Gurteen Knowledge

Other Conversational ToolsOther 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

How is the Knowledge Cafe different How is the Knowledge Cafe different from the World Cafe?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

Gurteen Knowledge

How is Open Space Technology How is Open Space Technology different from Knowledge Café?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

Gurteen Knowledge

Action CafeAction Cafe

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

Gurteen Knowledge

Where can I learn moreWhere can I learn more about Knowledge Cafés? 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

Gurteen Knowledge

Thank you!

Gurteen Knowledge

www.gurteen.com

David GurteenGurteen KnowledgeTel: +44 1252 812 878Email: [email protected]

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/

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

Knowledge Cafe Masterclass, Pretoria, Nov 2008

Business

Transcript of Knowledge Cafe Masterclass, Pretoria, Nov 2008