Chapter: Knowledge Café Applications

This “us and them” problem is exacerbated by our reliance on impersonal communications technologies.

One of a leader’s greatest challenges these days is getting people to actually talk to each other; one-on-one meetings and old-fashioned brainstorming are vital to the success of any growing business.

Improving the flow of information is just one part of the communications challenge; getting employees to actually listen to each other is much more difficult.

A big part of the problem is that the only word that gets more play than “they” is “I.”

Credit: Richard Branson

In this chapter, I explain how you can adapt the Knowledge Café for a variety of purposes.

If you wish to read some stories of how organizations have used or adapted the primary Café process to their own ends then go to the Conversational Stories chapter.

Knowledge Café Space

Conversational Learning

Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications The Knowledge Café is as much a state of mind as it is a fixed process

Conference Café ** Reading Group Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The Knowledge Café is as much a state of mind as a fixed process. It is a way of viewing the world through a conversational lens. It is about looking at any organizational process or activity and asking: How can I apply … Continue reading Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications The Knowledge Café is as much a state of mind as it is a fixed process

Reading Group Café A reading group, reading circle or book discussion club

Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications Engagement Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter A powerful application of the Knowledge Café uses the process as the backbone of a reading group, reading circle, or book discussion club. Book discussion clubs are limited to 12 to 16 people, and members meet about once a month to discuss … Continue reading Reading Group Café A reading group, reading circle or book discussion club

Engagement Café Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.

Reading Group Café Marketing Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter An Engagement Café is a form of Knowledge Café designed to help people engage with an issue such as a new policy or procedure in the context of their organization. The problem Individuals and workgroups in organizations frequently write policy documents and … Continue reading Engagement Café Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.

Marketing Café ** Holding marketing conversations

Engagement Café Sales Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Resources Blog Post: Stimulating Conversation And The Marketing Cafe by Andrew Armour Blog Post: On Cafe Conversations, Connections & Collaboration by Andrew Armour Blog Post: Book Review – A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger. Part One by Andrew Armour Blog Post: A More … Continue reading Marketing Café ** Holding marketing conversations

Sales Café Ditch the pitch - create sales conversations

Marketing Café ** Future Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter One of the fundamental philosophies underpinning Conversational Leadership is the need to stop talking at people and to start to talk with them. We need to give fewer presentations and convene more conversations. This philosophy applies to sales situations, whether we are trying to … Continue reading Sales Café Ditch the pitch – create sales conversations

Future Café Explore trends and issues that shape, influence and impact the future

Sales Café Scenario Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter A Future Café is a form of Knowledge Café designed to explore trends and issues that shape, influence or in some way impact the future. The Purpose There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance. Credit: … Continue reading Future Café Explore trends and issues that shape, influence and impact the future

Scenario Café ** Learning from situations

Future Café Collective Sense-making Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter A Scenario Café is like a regular Café, but it is triggered by a situation rather than a talk. A speaker or the host tells a story, ideally a true one, of a dilemma or stressful situation and asks the Café participants … Continue reading Scenario Café ** Learning from situations

Collective Sense-making Café ** Only a community of minds can show us the truth

Scenario Café ** Focus Group Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Collective Sense-making [Status: stub] POST NAVIGATION Scenario Café ** Focus Group Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter CHAPTER NAVIGATION Knowledge Café Space Conversational Learning Close Pop-up all Chapters Tags: collective sensemaking (8) SEARCHGoogle Web Search This page is part of … Continue reading Collective Sense-making Café ** Only a community of minds can show us the truth

Focus Group Café An improvement on traditional focus groups?

Collective Sense-making Café ** Ideation Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter There are several ways to obtain people’s opinions and feedback. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups are three of the most common. The Focus Group Café is another possibility. Surveys The first method is the ubiquitous questionnaire or survey form. They are convenient … Continue reading Focus Group Café An improvement on traditional focus groups?

Ideation Café A conversation to solve problems or generate ideas

Focus Group Café Idea Campaign Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter An Ideation Café is a conversational method used to generate ideas to address a particular issue, problem, or opportunity. It is an adaptation of the Knowledge Café and avoids some of the criticisms of the traditional brainstorming process. Resources Article: Groupthink: The brainstorming myth by … Continue reading Ideation Café A conversation to solve problems or generate ideas

Idea Campaign Café A series of focused conversations to generate ideas

Ideation Café Decision Making Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter An Idea Campaign Café is a conversational method that you can use to solicit ideas on a particular issue, problem, or opportunity. It draws upon the conversational power of the Ideation Café (a variant of the Knowledge Café) and the Randomised Coffee Trial processes. Background Many … Continue reading Idea Campaign Café A series of focused conversations to generate ideas

Decision Making Café Using the Knowledge Café to make better decisions

Idea Campaign Café Question Storming Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The Knowledge Café is not about decision-making but can be combined with other decision-making processes to help make better decisions. How often have you taken part in a meeting to decide an issue where there have been two factions in the … Continue reading Decision Making Café Using the Knowledge Café to make better decisions

Question Storming Café ** Questions can be more powerful than answers at times

Decision Making Café Conference Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The purpose of a Questionstorming Café is not to come up with ideas but to generate questions. Designing a Café to come up with lots of powerful questions around a problem, a challenge, or an issue is a creative way of provoking … Continue reading Question Storming Café ** Questions can be more powerful than answers at times

Conference Café ** An ideal way to close a conference

Question Storming Café ** Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The Knowledge Café is an ideal way to close a conference. You can run one in as little as 1 hour. [Status: stub – expand on this and explain how the Cafe can be used to reflect on the learning … Continue reading Conference Café ** An ideal way to close a conference

Knowledge Café Space

Conversational Learning