In chapter four of his guide, exclusively serialised on KnowledgeBoard, Peter Bond, director of Learning Futures Consulting, looks at conversation and the formation and maintenance of high-performance communities.

This chapter will explore the nature and function of conversation in the formation of social networks, organisations and, in particular, workplace communities of practice. So far in this series of publications on KnowledgeBoard, the accepted orthodoxy has not been challenged. What has been stated can, more or less, be situated in the current paradigm of organisation development, systems theory and knowledge management, largely based on an information processing model of how knowledge is transferred and performance improved. This we might refer to as Paradigm 1.0. 

By adopting the unique and novel interpretation of language and conversation developed by Humberto Maturana, we are taking some positive steps towards a new paradigm which, given the popularity of the number two at the moment, I will call Paradigm 2.0. If this sounds to you like it's going to be another reader's challenge then you're right, but we're only going to deal with two concepts: community and conversation.

To find out more, please click here for the rest of the chapter.

Improved collective performance: Investing in Web 2.0 

Chapter Three

Chapter Two

Chapter One

Overview