Gurteen Knowledge Events: Europe/Russia/Middle East & North Africa

9th Annual Text Analytics Summit Europe

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:24:49 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 23 - 24 Apr 2012
Organizer: Text Analytics News
Location: London, United Kingdom

Gurteen Knowledge Cafe in Dubai (Free event)

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:56:51 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 11 Mar 2012
Organizer: Gurteen Knowledge
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

I have been running Knowledge Cafes all over the world for the last ten years. They grew out of my frustration with death-by-powerpoint, chalk-and-talk type presentations. A Knowledge Cafe is different.

In a Knowledge Cafe, the speaker normally only speaks for 10 - 20 minutes without slides and poses a question to the participants (not the audience!) that is then discussed for the remainder of the event.

This conversational approach is a far more interesting and engaging way to learn than "sitting listening". It also is a wonderful format for informal networking.

Since Septermber 2002, I have run open Knowledge Cafes regularly in London. An open KCafe is hosted by an organization who sees the value in the KCafes and they are open to anyone who cares to come along. They are totally free.

You never know what you might learn, who you might meet and what might come of the evening. And if you are more of a listener than a talker then that's OK too ... in a KCafe you are not compelled to do anything you don't want to do. Just turn up and enjoy the evening.

If you have never participateed in one of my Knowledge Cafes then come along In March but even if you have attended a previous event you are still welcome and will get to learn a little more of the philosophy behind them.

Now read on ...

Date: Sunday 11 March 2012, 6:00pm - 9:00pm. This is a free event. Please arrive at 6:00pm or shortly after, which will give you time to settle in and meet other people. Refreshments will be available. The Kcafe itself will start promptly at 6:30pm.

Venue:
The venue will be advised at a later date.

Theme:
The theme of the evening will be advised at a later date.

The Gurteen Knowledge Cafe
David has run hundreds of Knowledge Cafes around the world in the last few years in cities such as Moscow, Washington DC, Phoenix Arizona, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Sydney and Wellington.

An open Knowledge Café is free and open to anyone who cares to participate. They are great social learning and networking events. Participants engage with the theme of the evening and some insightful, energetic conversations take place.

Better still, the Knowledge Café process is one that you can take back with you and use in your own organizations to help create a more collaborative and innovative culture.

What is a Gurteen Knowledge Café?

A Knowledge Cafe 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 insights and to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and the issues involved.

This ultimately, leads to action in the form of better decision making and innovation and thus tangible business outcomes.

During the Knowledge Café, David will

Talk about the role of conversation & dialogue in business
Describe the background, purpose & benefits of the Knowledge Cafe
Explain the Gurteen Knowledge Cafe process

He will then facilitate a Knowledge Cafe on the theme “What is the role of face to face conversation in organisations?”

The Knowledge Cafe Philosophy
Most people are not inclined to share their knowledge freely for numerous reasons. These include: the attitude that knowledge is power, a silo-mentality, a lack of time, lack of confidence, lack of trust and no perceived benefit - the list at times seems endless.

But clearly today, "sharing knowledge is power". To achieve anything in this highly competitive wired world we need to work with people more than ever: to share with them; to learn from each other and to collaborate.

However, you cannot mandate people to share. You cannot even teach them to share. People need to see the problems of not sharing and the benefits of collaboration for themselves. If they truly buy into the fact that “knowledge sharing is power” then they will overcome the barriers for themselves.

A Gurteen Knowledge Cafe brings people together to talk openly about "knowledge sharing"; to identify the barriers and how to overcome them. The participants learn to see the subject in a new light - to better understand other people's perspectives and indeed their own. And to better understand the issues. Better understanding in turn paves the way for personal change and in its turn organizational change.

This is just one application of the KCafe process. Other applications include

turn a traditional chalk and talk, death by PowerPoint presentation or meeting into an engaging learning event
transform an internal conference from a series of boring lectures into an exciting day
transform traditional management training courses where younger managers learn from more experienced ones
as a powerful sales tool to engage customers in conversation and thus better understand their needs for and them to better understand your product or service
surface hidden problems and opportunities that exist in the organisation or in a department or project - especially ones caused by lack of communication
break down organizational silos
encourage knowledge sharing and the creation of a knowledge sharing culture
give people a voice so that they feel heard and are thus less cynical and more engaged in their work
bring managers and technologists together after a merger to build relationships, surface new opportunities and address cultural issues
build and improve relationships
improve business networking and make new connections
solicit input and obtain buy-in for a new project or initiative
as part or replacement for a paper survey or interview (the problem is that until people talk - their knowledge fails to surface)
as a stimulus to innovation: Knowledge Cafes connect people to people; people to ideas and ideas to ideas; they challenge people to reflect on their thinking; surface new ideas and make new connections

To get an idea of what a Knowledge Cafe feels like take a look below at a video of a Gurteen Knowledge Cafe held in Hong Kong back in 2006.

Gurteen Knowledge Cafe: SMARTlab at the University of East London	Knowledge Cafés as KM Tools. KM India 2010	Gurteen Knowledge Cafe at KMPAP 2006 in Hong Kong
Introduction to the Knowledge Cafe, Greenwich 2006	KM Egypt, Cairo, 2010	About the Gurteen Knowledge Cafe, 2009

Landscape of the Mind Facilitator Training

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:06:40 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 27 - 28 Mar 2012
Organizer: Inner Skills Consultancy
Location: London, United Kingdom

Great Minds don't think alike - they think divergently.

Do you want to be able to offer your clients something very special? Something that will put you at the forefront when they are considering their options?

Our new Facilitator Training Course will position you at the leading edge of management and organisation development.

Focusing on practical ways to enhance individual and organisational effectiveness in turbulent times, it offers unrivalled relevance to today’s challenges—plus the evidence that Landscape of the Mind makes a difference.

For coaches, trainers and consultants who work with commercial, public sector, social enterprises and not-for-profits, particularly those who pride themselves on being in a position to offer their clients the best possible service.

Book now to take advantage of the Early Bird rate of £499.

Please contact info@innerskills.co.uk for further information and a booking form.

Manchester Knowledge Cafe - 'CHANGE'

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:05:10 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 06 Feb 2012
Organizer: Knowledge Cafe 0151
Location: Gatley, United Kingdom

Even if President Obama hasn’t managed it, we’re confident that we can lay the foundation for change from our very own ‘White House’ located in a small suburb of Cheshire.

In this Manchester Knowledge Caf� we’re going to give Obama’s endeavour a helping hand - albeit with some presumptions. That change, because of its unknown nature can cause unsettlement, act to stifle collaboration and innovation and ultimately be rejected.

But what if change is well thought-out, sincere and value adding? Is it enough to overcome resistance?

This particular Knowledge Caf� will be split into two halves. The first will follow the standard Caf� format, asking the following question…

‘What are the barriers to change? And can these barriers be overcome?’

The second half will give the chance to take part in an exercise to create a strong message for change that participants may want to practically communicate.

Unfortunately, the venue doesn’t have the same capacity as the Presidents Palace and places are limited to the first 8. There is a £5 admission fee to be paid in advance. This will include coffee and more importantly a commitment to be there. Please follow the link for more information and a chance to register.

Venue: BOSSco Business Design Store, The White House, 118 Gatley Road, SK8 4AD

Master of Arts Program in International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:10:01 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 12 Mar - 16 Jan 2012
Organizer: Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
Location: Berlin, Germany

While the study of political science has been a cherished tradition of academia, recent developments demand the identification of entirely new theories and models. An understanding of the challenges faced by the contemporary world requires an interdisciplinary approach; International Relations and Diplomacy should not be understood only as disciplines of Political Science or Political Theory, but also be interpreted from the perspective of art and culture, economics, law, and other social sciences.

Offered by the DIU in partnership with the ICD, the program combines the traditional academic components of international relations with a focus on the role of soft power and cultural diplomacy in contemporary global affairs. Only with a comprehensive understanding of the theory, history and practice of International Relations one can properly understand and apply cultural diplomacy.

The International Freedom of Expression Forum

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:55:40 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 28 Feb - 02 Mar 2012
Organizer: Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
Location: Berlin, Germany

Workshop: Implementing Knowledge Cafes

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:37:12 +0000

Link: Gurteen Knowledge
Date: 02 May 2012
Organizer: Gurteen Knowledge
Location: London, United Kingdom

My Knowledge Cafe workshops in 2011 were a great success and I will be running another on Wednesday 2nd May 2012, at the RSA in central London.

This cost is £495 plus VAT.� Discounts are available.

Or Click here to Register

The Gurteen Knowledge Café Workshop

This Workshop is designed to help you:

Understand the role and importance of conversation in your business
Design and run Gurteen Knowledge Cafés and other forms of Cafe
Solve specific business problems and challenges using Knowledge Cafes
Use other conversational tools and techniques to address business issues

About the workshop

The most widespread and pervasive learning in your organization may not be happening in training rooms, conference rooms or board rooms but in the cafeteria, the hallways and the cafe across the street.

Credit: Juanita Brown and David Isaacs

Knowledge Sharing is a key issue for Knowledge Management and for organizational success. But real Knowledge Sharing requires an open mindset and continues to be a challenge for many organizations. In fact, it can be difficult to even get people to talk openly to one another other about their specific corporate interests, opportunities and responsibilities.

One way of energizing an organization to take real advantage of conversation and consequent tangible business benefits is the use of Knowledge Cafés. A Knowledge Café is an effective vehicle for opening up conversations and discussions that lead to a deeper understanding of the business world that is turn leads to improved decision making, new ways of working and innovation.

A Knowledge Café is a tool that is used to share tacit knowledge. It can be used within teams, Communities of Practice or across silos to question entrenched assumptions, to help facilitate learning from others and gain a deeper collective understanding of a subject – through conversation.

It is not just about talking and networking though these are secondary benefits but allowing people to engage each other in "dialogue" with the aim of learning from each other rather than entering into unproductive debate and attempting to impose their views on the other which invariably end in failure and frustration.

Knowledge Cafes can be used for many business ends. Here are some specific examples:

turn a traditional chalk and talk, death by PowerPoint presentation or meeting into an engaging learning event
transform an internal conference from a series of boring lectures into an exciting day
transform traditional management training courses where younger managers learn from more experienced ones
as a powerful sales tool to engage customers in conversation and thus better understand their needs for and them to better understand your product or service
surface hidden problems and opportunities that exist in the organisation or in a department or project - especially ones caused by lack of communication
break down organizational silos
encourage knowledge sharing and the creation of a knowledge sharing culture
give people a voice so that they feel heard and are thus less cynical and more engaged in their work
bring managers and technologists together after a merger to build relationships, surface new opportunities and address cultural issues
build and improve relationships
improve business networking and make new connections
solicit input and obtain buy-in for a new project or initiative
as part or replacement for a paper survey or interview (the problem is that until people talk - their knowledge fails to surface)
as a stimulus to innovation: Knowledge Cafes connect people to people; people to ideas and ideas to ideas; they challenge people to reflect on their thinking; surface new ideas and make new connections

In effect the Knowledge Café is an easy, low cost way to make Knowledge Sharing really work for you and your organization.

In this workshop you will get to understand the desired outcomes, fundamental principals and benefits of the Knowledge Café process. You will go on to participate in a Knowledge Café; to experience the benefits first hand and to reflect on and discuss the experience within the session.

You will leave the workshop understanding the power of the Knowledge Café and with sufficient knowledge to run to one.

Who should attend

The workshop is designed for anyone who is tasked or involved in developing a knowledge sharing or more innovative culture within their organization or looking to encourage and faciliate more purposeful, constructive and creative conversation in their teams or organisations. Including:

Facilitators
Project Leaders
Trainers
Community of Practice Leaders

and professionals in

Change Management
Human Resources
Knowledge Management
Learning and Development
Organization Development

About the workshop leader

David has over 30 years’ experience working in high technology industries. Today, he works as an independent knowledge management advisor, facilitator and speaker, helping people to innovate and to work together more effectively.

He is the founder of the Gurteen Knowledge Community - a global learning network of over 17,000 people in 160 countries. Community members receive his free monthly Knowledge Letter that is now in its 11h year.

David publishes the Gurteen Knowledge Website – a resource website that contains book reviews, articles, people profiles, event calendars, inspirational quotations, an integral weblog and more on subjects that include knowledge management, learning, creativity and innovation

He is a frequent speaker and facilitator and presents on various aspects of knowledge management and social learning. He is well known for his Gurteen Knowledge Cafés and Knowledge Café Masterclasses that he runs regularly in London and in other cities around the world.

In June 2010, David won the Ark Group’s lifetime achievement award for services to KM For most of his career David was a professional software development manager and in the late 80s worked for Lotus Development as "International Czar" where he was responsible for ensuring that Lotus products were designed for the global marketplace.

Registration

This event costs £495 plus VAT. To register - please click the button below and complete the registration form.

Gurteen Knowledge Cafe: SMARTlab at the University of East London	Knowledge Cafés as KM Tools. KM India 2010	Gurteen Knowledge Cafe at KMPAP 2006 in Hong Kong
Introduction to the Knowledge Cafe, Greenwich 2006	KM Egypt, Cairo, 2010	About the Gurteen Knowledge Cafe, 2009