Over the last few years we’ve come to appreciate just how important the gathering of people is to us. The Art of Gathering takes it to the next level, showing the reader how much rich possibility sits in a group of four or four hundred.
What author Priya Parker suggests in her book is relevant to the work I do with ‘Ohana Oasis and in my personal life. Her ideas challenged me to think about how I plan times with my friends and holiday gatherings as well as re-energized how I facilitate groups.
“Your next task is to fuse people, to turn a motley collection of attendess into a tribe.”
priya parker
Key Concepts:
Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are often lackluster and unproductive–which they don’t have to be. She offers personal examples of how she’s successfully (and sometimes not so successfully) transformed regular parties into memorable nights of connection. Parker’s changed boring professional conferences into productive and meaningful gatherings.
Why I like it:
She doesn’t leave you hanging with just her real life examples. Parker walks you through not only the structure of the gathering itself, but how you can effectively set the tone from the invitation to play to the follow up afterwards.
Where I use it:
I’ve been inspired me to put more effort into my personal gatherings. I’m also more deliberate from invitation to final good-bye in how retreats and online “meetings” are structured.
My Biggest Take Away:
Every gathering, no matter how large or small, formal or informal, personal or professional can be done in a deliberate way, with a particular intention that guides the participants to walk away feeling seen, heard, enriched, having learned something, and/or more connected.
Above is a link to purchase the book through a great site that supports the local bookstore of your choice when you purchase your books online through their non-profit site. And the books are available in variety of formats including audibly. Here’s an amazon link for the digital version.