Hosting as an Art
If the group is an art form of the future, then convening groups is an artistry we must cultivate to fully harvest the promise of the future.
- Jacob Needleman, Centered on the Edge
What is the Art of Hosting ? - videos on ArtofHostingTV.net
It is a pattern and a practice that allows us to meet our humanity in ourselves and in each other - as opposed to trying to be machines meeting.
The Art of Hosting training is an experience for deepening competency and confidence in hosting group processes - circle, world café and open space and other forms.
Each of these processes generates connection and releases wisdom within groups of people. They foster synergy and provide ways for people to participate in intention, design, and outcomes/decisions/actions.
The experience is hosted by a team of facilitators who are skilled/trained in at least one, if not all of these processes; and the experience is aimed at people who want to serve as conversational hosts in their work, community, and personal lives.
What could conversations also be, if I hosted them with wisdom, focus, balance and courage ?
Our work is inspired by what happens when people are hosted to gather with the intention of learning and evolving their personal, work and living practices together with others.
We have noticed that the principles of self-organisation, participation and non-linearity are key to both individual and collective learning and discovery.
This is both different and complimentary to more traditional ways of working, which are primarily based on rational planning mechanisms and which often aim at establishing control in order to manage outcomes.
We are, therefore, particularly inspired by what takes place on the edge of chaos with just enough order – the chaordic field, - formed by borrowing the first syllable of the two words.
It is here that learning and innovation takes place so that radical change and wise actions can be discovered. It is also here that we can turn to one another to invite collective intelligence and creative solutions to emerge.
This approach is particularly important in the “pre-ject”- phase, where the desired future - or a common goal – is not clear or shared.
Once we have a shared picture of a desired future we will move into the “project” - phase, which is goal and action oriented.
A dance as subtle and new as that is an Art and needs to be designed and hosted with consciousness, clarity and courage.
Conversation comes from the Latin con versare:
To turn or to dance together
What are some essentials that help us to have meaningful conversations about the things that we most care about?
* live now what future you want to create
* be in the present
* do not host it alone - be a good team of hosts
* focus on questions that matters
* go into conversation about what really matters by listening deeply to each other - beyond the words
* allow all voices to be heard so the collective intelligence can surface
* co host a good process that allows everyone to learn about themselves - each other and the purpose
* harvest good essences
* do not act before clarity and wisdom have come
* do not fear chaos - it is creative space where the new order can be born
* go through your fear however it manifests
from http://www.artofhosting.org/theart/
