BOOK CLUB FOR THE 21st CENTURY

My top book capable of preparing us for the 21^st century is The World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter by Juanita Brown, David Isaacs and the World Café Community. In my opinion, this book is very valuable and I thought it was worth sharing this information with my colleagues. The core message is that through conversations that matter we are able to co-produce a world in which we want to live in. “The World Café reintroduces us to a world we have forgotten. This is a world where people naturally congregate because they want to be together” (Foreword of the book, by Margaret J. Wheatley).

The book is divided into twelve chapters. The first two chapters emphasize on the fact that conversation matters and view the conversation as a “core process”. The co-author David Isaacs also talks about the World Café and its beginnings. The World Café is a way of hosting conversations in small or large groups. It’s an evolving discussion through several rounds in which a conversation about a core question is first initiated and then people begin to rotate to new rounds of dialogue keeping their critical ideas from the first round into the next. Through several rounds, core ideas are generated, innovative possibilities become accessible and the patterns become clear. The World Café was born in Juanita Brown’s (the co-author) living room in a dialogue on intellectual capital and knowledge management involving people from different countries. These people then went out of that gathering and began hosting in their own regions. As a result, the initial dialogue in that living room evolved into a global dialogue movement in order to build cultures of dialogue around the world. Chapters three to nine expose and give an in depth look into the principles that strengthen the practice of a successful World Café. These principles are respectively: set the context, create hospitable space, explore questions that matter, encourage everyone’s contributions, cross-pollinate and connect diverse perspectives, listen together for insights patterns and deeper question, harvest and share collective discoveries. The last three chapters give us an insight on the Café process and illustrate the art of creating a learning culture through dialogue. This book is different from others in the sense that it’s a living story accompanied by many deep insights. “The World Café works like the window of a cathedral whose light reminds people to tap into their innate sources of natural wisdom” (Rev. Jan Willem Kirpestein). This book is an immediate and extremely efficient source of learning.

In my opinion, this book is noteworthy for 21^st century professionals, leaders and societies in the world in the sense that it will extend one’s perspective on the importance of dialogue as a core process in one’s life and work. As proof, World Café dialogues were hosted by Nokia Corporation around their global values for the company as a whole. This book is a way for people to discover how to create their best ideas through this system of discussion and also a way to build those powerful relationships in order to bring those ideas to action. The World Café presents a map to this divisive world in which we live in. A map that is a must for anyone aspiring to leadership, healthy relationship or quality conversation. This map has been used to support non-profit organizations, church organizations, universities by people who are trying to shape their futures through conversations that count. “This book is required reading for anyone who cares about a better tomorrow. The World Café offers tools that can convert analysis into profound change and provides a structure for connecting people that is pure genius”(Peter Block, author of Stewardship). The promise is that by following those suggested processes for taking action we will be able to shape our future. Based on the book, quality conversation is a must for managers in the 21^st century. Through quality conversation many important ideas will develop leading to the benefit of everyone and especially managers who seek leadership.

There are three main concepts learned from this book. The first one is that through quality conversation, collective wisdom becomes more accessible. In this way, problems, conflicts and issues of all humanity can be solved leading to a better world, a welcoming one shaped by us. The second concept is a key one I believe; Juanita Brown tries to show the reader that unlike the general opinion, conversation is action because it’s the source from which relationships, which play a big role in our lives, are created but also because it’s the only process that creates trust. The third important concept states that in order to have a good conversation it’s important to listen. It’s important to learn not to interrupt, letting the speaker share his ideas while you process the information and then share yours. In this way, key ideas become clear and as said before patterns get noticed.

To conclude, this book is a great way to learn a process for hosting conversations that matter. If you’re looking for deeper relationships or curious about different ways of tackling real-life issues then this book is a must.

RAMZI RAHBANI#260230521