In Conversing Cafés, Citizens Come Out on Top Down Under
by Alan Stewart

Our Australian friends have put their own spin on Café conversations. They have used a combination of Open Space Technology and a form of The World Café process which they call the Conversing Café.

When the city of Marion (a suburb of Adelaide with a population of 80,000) was planning a new Cultural Center the usual decision-making process might well have produced an outcome which failed to satisfy even a minority of stakeholders. However, thanks to host Alan Stewart, Graphic Artist Cate Burke, and the enthusiastic participation of a diverse group of the citizens of Marion, the process of the Conversing Café resulted in plans for a Cultural Center that truly reflects the diversity of those it is designed to serve: the community of Marion.

What follows are four different perspectives on the Conversing Cafés. Alan and Cate share their experience as host and graphic recorder respectively. Also included are the reflections of two of the participants-Nigel Hopkins and Lloyd Fell-as they describe their experiences and the outcomes of the Conversing Cafés.

Our story begins with Alan's setting the context of how the World Café came to Australia

World Café processes have taken root and are spreading rapidly throughout Australia. There is now widespread recognition around our sunburned country that these processes are a remarkable way of addressing questions that matter. To understand how we were so successful in Marion we need to quickly recap a few events from the past four years.

The seeds of The World Café were sown in Australia when Nancy Margulies, Meg Wheatley and Myron Kellnor-Rogers visited Brisbane in 1997. I first became aware of the Café work when a friend who had been at their Brisbane seminar sent me a paper authored by Juanita Brown and Nancy Margulies.

The appearance of their paper in my life coincided with my being engaged in supporting the first national tour of Australia by the renowned futurist, Robert Theobald. It was through networking with people on this enterprise in other states that I was able to spread the word about Café processes throughout the country.

It was through Robert's visit to Marion in late 1999, that my connection to the Council was initiated. I was invited to a series of meetings to explore implications of the spark provided by Robert to rethink what Council could do to promote vitality-based on social cohesion, ecological integrity and effective decision making-in its community.

In these meetings people expressed passion to explore new approaches that could help support these goals and, in so doing, build stronger, healthier relationships between residents and Council. What evolved was an agreement to try new ways to engage the people of Marion in a discovery process to uncover their wishes on key social and environmental issues that underpin the creation of preferred futures.

Specifically, the decision was taken to explore the use of Open Space Technology (OST) and Café processes in finding what the people of Marion wished to see happen in their proposed new cultural center.

I have come to appreciate that a common feature of gatherings based on Café and OST processes is that people converse. By this I mean that they talk openly with each other in a spirit of "We will treat each other well" and "We're in this together."

We began our discovery in Marion with a round of Open Space to "bring forth" issues that people felt were worthy of their attention with regard to the functioning of the Cultural Center. Then later we used what I now call a "Conversing Café" to flesh these out.

I invariably invoke the principles of OST at whatever kind of meeting that I facilitate:

Whoever comes are the right people
Whatever happens is the only thing that could have
Whenever it starts is the right time
When its over it's over
And also the Law of Two Feet which indicates that you are
free to move wherever your intuition leads you at any moment.

Participant Perspectives:

Nigel Hopkins runs a strategic communications and issues management company in Adelaide, South Australia. A former journalist, he specializes in developing positioning and communications strategies, political and stakeholder liaison, and internal communications programs. When he was commissioned to write an article for the Council's quarterly magazine 'City Limits' he tried hard to be a dispassionate observer of the conversing process - but couldn't help becoming involved. Here is his report about his experience .

Discussions about the future of major community facilities and how they should be used can easily become shouting matches as different interest groups push and shove their views. In such instances little is achieved other than a sense that everyone has just wasted their time. There is no agreement or consensus, no positive "next moves", and consequently no progress.

In seeking to finesse the design of Marion's proposed Cultural Centre, and to better understand how the community might wish to use it, Marion Council decided to take a more innovative, non-adversarial approach. Two meetings were facilitated by Dr Alan Stewart, who describes himself as a professional conversationalist. Alan says the Café process he adopts creates a space in which people feel secure in talking openly "conversing" on what they feel passionately about and in telling their stories.

The result was two public "conversations" held at Marion Council in late February/early March 2000, which are being followed by a series of Conversing Café meetings where people can present their views, passionately if they wish, about the development of the Cultural Centre.

For most of the 60 or so Marion residents who took part in the first two conversations, the experience was unconventional-but, the consensus proved it worked. Views that might have been fiercely expressed and just as fiercely contested in another environment, were here considered calmly in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Perhaps more importantly, some of the more significant views expressed have brought about major alterations to the Cultural Centre's layout.

Far from being too little citizen involvement too late in the process, Marion Council Member Wolf Bierbaum, who attended the second of the meetings, says they were "quite timely" and had influenced the decision to include a 160 seat multi-purpose theatre in the centre.

"We've learned that economic rationalism-that is, money-is not the only rationale for this development. We'd been limiting ourselves because of the budget, but that's not always the best way to go," he said.

The lack of a venue to replace Pioneer Hall (used by a local theater group for many years) had been one of the most consistent and strongest concerns. But many other questions arose as well: Will there be enough parking? Will it be a place where kids will want to 'hang out'? Will rain be captured from its huge roof? Will it be welcoming,? Where are the outdoor gathering spaces? Will there be enough shade? In short, will it truly provide a much-needed heart for the city-or will it just be a library, a café, some meeting rooms, and not much more?

The relaxed, non-aggressive nature of the Café setting encouraged people to speak from their hearts, about the things they had a passion for. Senior Council officers, planners and administrators were among the participants-listening and contributing as equals in the process. The Council members were there because they wanted to be there. "The Council should not be seen as separate from the community," said Acting CEO Terry Bruun, who introduced the meeting. "It must be representative of the community."

The idea of consulting with the community in a conversational context is aimed at making people more confident in expressing what they feel strongly about, more positive, and creating a new "collective intelligence" on which Council can draw.

"I really love the collective wisdom that comes out, and the triggers that provoke even more thought," says Wolf Bierbaum.

He was reinforced by Marion Council's cultural planner Don Chapman, who told one of the meetings: "The community is not only smarter than Council employees think, you're smarter than we can think. It's marvelous how creative you can be. The solutions are all there."

One of Cate's Graphics from the Conversing Café

Lloyd Fell, PhD, is a recently retired research scientist with a passion for studying the biology of cognition as it manifests itself in human endeavor. He was invited to participate in the Café by Alan Stewart. If you would like to check out Lloyd's site go to: www.pnc.com.au/~lfell/

Lloyd shares his insights with us

My first experience of a Conversing Café
Like most of us, I suppose, I'm more accustomed to sitting in rows, facing the speaker, and then listening for quite some time to what he or she has to say. One can reflect or daydream or connect passionately with what is being said, but it is difficult to sustain a high energy of involvement with such a low level of participation. If the speaker manages to solicit contributions from the audience, certain people tend to speak up, but I am rarely one of those people.

Expecting this occasion to be different, I was a little anxious and excited beforehand, but others I spoke to did not seem to be primed for a new kind of experience. They were all strangers to me, but a few refreshments and nibbles created quite a social atmosphere; not a party, but a bit like the foyer of a theatre before the performance begins.

When we were seated at the small tables, the facilitator, Alan Stewart, engaged us very effectively with a few words of introduction and posed a rather enigmatic sort of question for us to consider.

City planner (standing) talking with potential

clients of the Cultural Center during a Cafe.

I was amazed at the gusto and energy with which the people at my table immediately began to speak about the question. Glancing around, I saw that this tremendous wave of energy existed right across the room. It was as if something had suddenly been unleashed with this invitation to speak freely in the more intimate setting of the café table. There was a real buzz, not the usual posturing and guarded introductions and shuffling of chairs that I associate with normal meetings at my work. I am never the first to enter into a group conversation, but I found myself listening with interest and beginning to feel that I wanted to join in. After a time I did, and the respect with which my words were treated had a warmth and friendliness about it that I have never experienced at a meeting.

We had been asked to come together to treat each other well and this was indeed what happened. The free flow of conversing was testimony to the non-threatening atmosphere which had been created. We often spoke more personally, mentioning something from our own experience that helped to explain what we wanted to say, more conversationally-with pauses, allowing others the chance to speak-than is normally the case in a work situation. Those of us who were complete strangers seemed to find this easier in the Café environment. There were three people at my table who worked together and they tended to refer more to one another, rather than simply owning their own statements.

A couple of people jotted and doodled on the paper tablecloth, but others, like myself, were not drawn to this. I noticed that some other tables were very active in drawing and writing on the paper. We were still in full swing when Alan had to bring us to conclusion. There was surprisingly little comment at my table at that time about whether we had achieved any real outcomes or not. I thought the main outcome was that we had gotten to know one another as people far better than at a normal meeting and that this would probably lead to valuable collaborative work in the future. It reminded me of how chance meetings in the corridor or chatting in the tearoom had often influenced the course of my serious work in the past, making me wonder what would have happened if I hadn't spoken with so-and-so at that time. Only this was not relying on chance to harvest and make available the fruits of genuine conversing. Instead the process was designed to build relationships and share knowledge and ideas.

Some folks drew on the tablecloths

I am now acutely aware of the fact that we don't take the time and trouble to create the conditions that promote respectful conversing. If we did I think that many of our pressing problems at work would be solved serendipitously, as it were. Our entire output as an organization would be more creative, and perhaps most importantly, the employees would feel more fulfilled. There must be times when a set agenda is needed, but there is at least an equal need for the time and the opportunity to converse.

Cate Burke served as the Graphic Recorder for the Marion Council Conversing Cafés. Cate is passionate about finding the essence of what stimulates us to learn and what generates the desire to enhance our community and environment. She is a teacher of drama and art especially with children with special needs such as social or emotional difficulties. And she has recently undertaken further studies on adult learning and organizational change and culture. Cate is a gifted artist, musician and singer and brings these to bear in her work. Here Cate recalls her experience in Marion

My role in the Conversing Cafés
I scribed and illustrated the ideas and questions raised amongst the participants during the Open Space and Conversing Café sessions. As I visited each group with my markers and drawing board, I attempted to capture a graphic snap-shot of the conversations as they flowed.

Before I comment further on the actual process, I need to speak to the single most exciting shift in attitude that I observed during the initial session. A considerable number of invited participants arrived with highly charged emotions about issues and a strong desire to inform the Council organizers of their disappointment with aspects of the new Center.The first session began with a very intense round of: "I am here because"and participants proceeded to express their concerns very strongly. As the round of concerns continued, the atmosphere grew thick with doubts and tension.

Then Alan Stewart briefly introduced the Open Space principles, followed by an invitation for participants to step into the circle, take up pen and paper and offer to convene a topic.The choices were announced.The groups formed according to the preferences of the participants and the process began. At that moment the ambience soared into a cooperative buzz of sharing, as the participants took ownership of the process. The event then evolved, as the community members delved into the questions and issues that had brought them to the Council chambers.

This was the point at which I realized how powerful the conversing process is. I have been present at both Open Space and Conversing Cafés gatherings over the past twelve months, and without exception there was an emergent atmosphere of caring and respect for each member.This has been combined with the motivation to give their all to uncovering the questions that are at the heart of their issue.

As a graphic artist, I record a segment of each group's conversation on large pieces of art paper, using eye-catching colors. These finished art records are posted on the walls as the sessions proceed, and are also displayed at later sessions. This provides both a visual memory for the ongoing participants and an introduction for the newcomers.

One of Cate's Conversation Maps

When I reflect on the Marion Forums I remember how a sense of true community spirit began to emerge as the sessions progressed. The bulk of the attendees returned for subsequent sessions joined by about another dozen or so newcomers. The regulars listened attentively to the traditional lecture presentations delivered before the Café commenced.

New attendees, however would seek to raise questions at this time and initiate a debate, thinking that this would be the only opportunity to voice their opinion. From their tone of voice and body language it was apparent that they felt strongly about their ideas and had come to "push" these.

The participants familiar with the Café process would quietly wait until the café process was underway before beginning to dialogue.They knew they would have ample opportunity to express their ideas and share them with others. What set these "Café Gatherings" apart from most other community meetings were the enthusiasm, respect and warmth imbued in the quality of the conversations.The caliber and momentum of dialogue continued to flourish with each successive session.

Coincidentally, I had been to another workshop held at the Council around the same time on another complex issue which did not use the conversing process.The session was typical of any number of events that Councils or organizations may sponsor: it commenced with a lecture style delivery and then moved into a sharing session with one speaker sharing a comment or question with the whole group still remaining in rows. Consequently the attention of participants began to wander because shared eye contact with the speaker was not possible. I could observe the growing impatience as individuals awaited for their own interest group to be invited to comment. There were many distant looks and side conversations breaking out amongst group members. The behavioral contrast to the Conversing Café process was quite dramatic.

Alan Stewart recaps the outcomes of the Conversing Cafés

There was general consensus that the Conversing Cafés have had a major impact on the design of the Cultural Center. These sessions brought forth issues that the planners and architects had not addressed. Perhaps the biggest change to be attributed to the process was the inclusion of a performing arts component to the Center. This had been in the original design and had been eliminated due to financial anxieties. When Council appreciated the strength of feeling expressed about this by people who attended the Conversing Cafés the decision was reversed and the component is now integral to the design.

Also of great significance, was the complete redesign of the plaza area outside of the building. This has now been reshaped to be a drop-in area for young people, and to function as a place for open air concerts and fairs. Additionally, the suggested changes to accommodate the environmental impact of the Center and to link the activities there with those of a nearby Aboriginal cultural site have been incorporated.

There has been a general recognition that the Café and Open Space processes have engaged the Marion Council and its community in a stimulating and creative process of working together which has generated both good will and practical solutions to issues of significance to local people.

The Conversing Cafés can be viewed as rousing success from a variety of perspectives. The Marion Council gained a huge increase in the esteem of its citizens for providing a venue where people could express their often passionate desires in an atmosphere of respect and caring. The process allowed for these passionately held ideas to be reconciled with the pragmatic reality of city management of a publicly funded project.

Diverse and sometimes seemingly opposed ideas found creative resolution through ongoing conversation focused on what is possible, instead of the typical fragmentation which occurs when avenues of dialogue are cut off. The revised plans for the Cultural Center which resulted are more reflective of the needs of the people whom it is designed to serve. Because there was so much citizen involvement, the support and use the Center will enjoy is likely to be much higher than if the Council had simply gone ahead with the original plans. While at still another level, democracy itself was served through the direct participation of a group of caring and committed citizens; who thanks to their positive experience are far more likely to continue their involvement instead of retreating into a cynical apathy.

This augurs well for a future in which the Council is seen increasingly as representing the community, rather than being separate from it. As one Council member mused about the process:

"Our role as a Council is to create opportunities for people to converse about important matters. Our staff, elected members, and residents are learning that this approach to significant issues, no matter how complex and conflicted, invariably generates surprisingly constructive outcomes. We could now rely on this for one of our primary functions: to direct resources equitably to projects that our citizens express passion and responsibility for. And, incidentally, conversing at staff meetings could become the norm of how our organization operates."

The Construction Site for the New Cultural Center

Alan Stewart, professional conversationalist now based in Hong Kong, is the principal of an enterprise called Multimind Solutions which offers 'Facilitation of communication processes which ensure that people contribute creatively, collectively and wholeheartedly to the solution of complex issues.' A selection of Alan's writings can be found at www.pnc.com.au/~lfell/stewart.html