an online book by David Gurteen
Something fundamental changes when people begin to ask questions together.
The questions create more of a learning conversation than the normal stale debate about problems.
Credit: Mike Szymanczyk, Former Chairman & CEO, The Altira Group
In this chapter, I examine several stories and examples of how various organizations have utilized or adapted Conversational Methods.
In this chapter, I look at a number of stories of how the Knowledge Café and other Conversational Methods have been used or adapted by various organizations. Continue reading Introduction: Conversational Stories Stories about conversation
Özlem Cekic received hate-filled messages due to her background as a Muslim immigrant. By engaging in honest dialogue with her critics, she demonstrated how open conversation can transform hostility into empathy and build meaningful connections. Continue reading The Power of Talking with Enemies Özlem Cekic’s story of transforming hostility through conversation
Derek Black grew up in a white nationalist household and seemed likely to follow that path. However, when he went to college, he formed friendships with people from different backgrounds. These relationships led him to question his beliefs, and through open conversations, he eventually rejected them. His story shows how meaningful dialogue can help bridge divides and change people’s perspectives. Continue reading Changing Minds Through Conversation The role of conversation in Derek Black’s transformation
South Africa was on the brink of violent collapse during its transition from apartheid. Political enemies were deeply divided, with trust in short supply. Nelson Mandela showed that listening, dialogue, and empathy could bridge even the deepest rifts—proving that conversation, not coercion, is the path to lasting change. Continue reading Mandela Chose to Talk How conversation, not force, helped unite a divided South Africa
Deeyah Khan chose to meet people whose beliefs she found deeply disturbing. By listening with curiosity rather than condemnation, she showed how honest conversation can challenge prejudice, reduce hostility, and reveal the person behind the label. Continue reading Meeting the Enemy How Deeyah Khan uses conversation to understand people drawn to extremism
This story about the Virtual Random Café was written by Obhi Chatterjee – Head of Sector – Learning Technologies in the European Commission in Belgium. The Virtual Random Café is a simple way to make space for the informal, random 1-to-1 conversations we used to have in corridors, lifts, cafeterias, bars, and cafés before Covid. Continue reading The Virtual Random Café Informal conversations and networking … from home
Any dinner can be transformed easily into a conversation dinner. All you need is a conversation menu. Continue reading A Conversation Dinner in Turin Knowledge menu à la carte
Randomised Coffee Trials (RCTS) are a way of connecting people in an organization at random to give them time to meet to have a coffee and talk about whatever they wish. Continue reading Randomised Coffee Trials at Red Cross Red Crescent Virtual coffee meetings across the globe
Some years ago, I attended one of Theodore Zeldin’s Conversation Dinners in Oxford. It was a fascinating experience. Continue reading Intimate Conversations Conversations with strangers
Intimate Conversations Al Jazeera Cafe What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Customer satisfaction surveys often rely on brief, limited questions that don’t capture the whole picture. This method can lead to overlooked feedback and biased responses. The Hong Kong MTR has a more engaging Continue reading Hong Kong MTR Coffee Evenings and Liaison Trains An improvement over traditional customer surveys
The Al Jazeera Cafe was an interesting journalistic experiment run by Al Jazeera in 2012. Continue reading Al Jazeera Cafe An interesting experiment not to deabate but engage in a global conversation
Many conferences are a series of PowerPoint talks interspersed by the occasional panel discussion. Continue reading Huawei Transforms a Global Conference with a Knowledge Market How to make a conference more participatory
