Ask Susan!
By Susan Partnow, co-founder, Conversation Café and Executive Director, Global Citizen Journey
During Conversation Week 2007, many of
you reported that your CCs were a great
success, except for one thing - diversity, or
rather the lack thereof. The conversations
were good, those who attended were moved
by the conversations, the CC principles
worked, so why diversity?
When your Conversation
Café circle is
diverse, you will have an even richer
experience. The study of complex adaptive
systems teaches that the richest innovations
and learning happen at the edges - where
different systems intersect. Your
conversations will stretch your thinking and
stimulate your imagination the more
diversity you interject.
We have found it often takes intention and effort to bring this difference. Here are some suggestions:
- Find a person with a different background or perspective to co-host with you. That person can then issue their personal invitation to their networks
- Choose a location for your café in a different part of town where different kinds of people tend to congregate.
- Reach out to organizations and people in other parts of town such as universities, Toastmasters, community centers, mosques, Rotary etc. -- those whose views or backgrounds go beyond your usual circles.
- Think of people you work with, study with, worship with, who are different from you: often different socio-economic, age and ethnic groups will bring greater diversity of thinking.
- Go where there is a built-in group of diverse people, such as a college campus, PTA, church or synagogue or Chamber of Commerce.
- If your Conversation Café doesn't have the diversity of opinion you want, ask the group, 'Who isn't here?' Brainstorm together how to expand the circle and encourage everyone to commit to bring someone with a different perspective to your next conversation.
We are all learning how to refine this Art of Inviting, so please share your learnings and success stories to help us all develop our skills! Send your thoughts to info@conversationcafe.
