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

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Gurteen Knowledge CaféGurteen Knowledge Café

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Speed NetworkingSpeed Networking

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

London, September 2002

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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The Gurteen Knowledge CafeThe Gurteen Knowledge Cafe

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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

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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?

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David GURTEEN Gurteen Knowledge Fleet, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 7774 178 650 Email: david.gurteen@gurteen.com

www.gurteen.comwww.gurteen.com

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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

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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

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

– Improved relationships

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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