Event: Introduction to Conversational Leadership

We work in organizations facing rapid change, uncertainty, and interdependence, where outcomes increasingly emerge through daily interaction. Traditional views of leadership as authority struggle to help people think together and respond well collectively. Conversational Leadership reframes leadership as a shared practice, using purposeful conversation to shape understanding and coordinated action.

Knowledge Café
An Introduction to Conversational Leadership

Date: Wednesday 18th February 2026

Time: 14:00 to 15:30 GMT (London time)

The timing of this event is primarily set to accommodate participants from EMEA and the Americas. However, you’re welcome to join from anywhere in the world. Check the event time in your time zone

—it might still work for you if you’re open to an early start or a late night.

note

Host/Speaker: David Gurteen

Location: Online Zoom Event

Price: Free (optional contribution of £5, £10, or £20)

I want this event to be open to anyone who would like to attend, regardless of their ability or willingness to pay. You are welcome to select the free ticket, or, if you feel able and would like to contribute, choose a £5, £10, or £20 ticket, whichever feels reasonable to you. Any contribution is appreciated and helps support the event and future work.

note

Introduction

This event is part of a series of online Knowledge Cafés on Conversational Leadership, held on Zoom.

Each Café explores a theme drawn from my online blook on Conversational Leadership.

Ahead of each Café, I may invite you to read one or more related posts from the blook to help prepare for the conversation.

If you’re new to the Knowledge Café concept, please note that this is a participatory event, not a webinar.

You do not need to have attended a previous Knowledge Café to take part in this one. Each session stands on its own.

note

Theme: What Does It Mean to Practice Conversational Leadership?

Conversational Leadership is not about leadership as a position of authority. It is a practice that we can all engage in. It starts with the idea that one of the most effective ways to influence, engage, and make a difference is through conversation, where we think together, explore different perspectives, collectively shape understanding, and work more effectively together.

I will speak about the Café’s theme and pose a question to initiate the conversation. Then, in Café style, we will divide into small groups for three rounds of discussion, followed by a whole-group conversation.

Reading Material

If you have time, please read this post from my blook. It provides helpful background for our conversation, though it’s not required.

Introduction: Conversational Leadership

Conversational Leadership

We live in a world shaped by rapid change and growing complexity. Traditional leadership models often fall short in helping us respond wisely and collectively. Conversational Leadership offers a practical approach to leadership, initiating the kinds of conversations that help us make sense, act together, and adapt. Continue reading

Upcoming Events

Are We Offloading Our Thinking to AI? Tuesday 3rd November 2026 14:00 to 15:30 GMT (London time) - Can AI help us think more deeply, or does it sometimes spare us the thinking through which we learn? In…

Event: Gurteen Knowledge Café Workshop Tuesday 8 December 2026, 14:00 to 18:00 GMT (UK time) - Organizations rely on meetings and workshops to think together, explore issues, and make sense of complex situations. Many sessions drift…

Image Credits: Midjourney

(Public Domain

)

This page is part of a blook on Conversational Leadership. Parts of this book have restricted access. You can learn more about the book and how to obtain full access on the home page.

Gurteen Knowledge Letter
The Gurteen Knowledge Letter is a free monthly newsletter with over 20,000 subscribers that I have been publishing by email for over 20 years.
Learn more about the newsletter and register here.