Can We Talk? A Community Conversation, 1/30, Billings, Montana

A Humanities Montana event to promote civil public discourse.
Hosted by Parmly Billings Library and PBLF Foundation, Leadership Montana,
MSU Billings College of Professional Studies and Lifelong Learning

Your invitation to participate in a process for collaborative change.

“Managing in the new economy requires not just change programs but a changed mindset. Conversations are the way we discover what we know, share it with our colleagues, and in the process create new knowledge for the organization. In the new economy, conversations are the most important form of work.”
Alan Webber, Harvard Business Review

When: Friday, January 30, 2009, 10am – 4pm

Location: MSU Billings Downtown Campus

Registration: $20.00, thru MSU Billings College of Professional Studies and Lifelong Learning
after January 1, 2009; includes lunch and a copy of “Gracious Space,” by Patricia Hughes.

http://www.msubillings.edu/canwetalk , 406 896-5890

Objective: In learning the concept of Gracious Space (hospitable space), participants are invited to join in a community conversation on behalf of positive change. Participants will leave the conversation with a greater understanding and awareness of the complexity of issues our community is dealing with. They learn from each other’s diverse viewpoints and come away better prepared to do the difficult work of social or community change.

This conversation encourages and enables the formation of new groups who commit to working together after the event to make progress on an issue they care about.

Agenda:

10:00am Introductory keynote on public discourse/community conversations: Brian Kahn, Artemis Common Ground and Host of “Home Ground” public radio program

10:45am Gracious Space Workshop: Patricia Hughes, author of “Gracious Space”

12:15 LUNCH provided, with luncheon conversation

1:00pm Gracious Space Workshop continues

2:30pm Introduction of the “World Café” (Community Café) concept.

3:00pm Practice Community Café conversations in three rounds
Tables facilitated by Leadership Montana members

4:00pm Report on conversations. Set time, date, place for follow-up World Café.

4:30-5:00pm Social Conversations with refreshments provided