Amy Kay Watson's Posts - The Art of Hosting2024-03-28T20:36:39ZAmy Kay Watsonhttp://artofhosting.ning.com/profile/AmyKayWatsonhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2654199685?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://artofhosting.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1miimlet4x0ip&xn_auth=noArt of Developing Meaningful Conversations at 1st UU Columbustag:artofhosting.ning.com,2012-05-20:4134568:BlogPost:558162012-05-20T09:30:00.000ZAmy Kay Watsonhttp://artofhosting.ning.com/profile/AmyKayWatson
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2805673211?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2805673211?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></img></a></p>
<p>On the evening of May 19, members of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus gathered with friends to encounter "The Art of Developing Meaningful Conversations," the name given to the Art of Hosting at the church. (The name was selected by the first sponsoring body, the Leadership Development Committee, in order to appeal more directly to…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2805673211?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2805673211?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p>On the evening of May 19, members of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus gathered with friends to encounter "The Art of Developing Meaningful Conversations," the name given to the Art of Hosting at the church. (The name was selected by the first sponsoring body, the Leadership Development Committee, in order to appeal more directly to UUs.)</p>
<p></p>
<p>Our purpose was to encounter ADMC, to connect to personal purpose and community and to thrive, and to transform the way we work together by honoring our diverse gifts.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Questions for the evening: </p>
<ol>
<li>What is the hunger that brought you here tonight? (check-in)</li>
<li>What is it about our church community that nourishes you? (World Cafe round 1)</li>
<li>What else could our church be if we all brought our best selves? (World Cafe round 2)</li>
<li>What do you need in order to bring your best self to the church? (World Cafe round 3)</li>
<li>What seems possible now? (check out)</li>
</ol>
<p></p>
<p>We included some Q&A time between the last World Cafe round and check-out, and handouts were made available for those interested in more information about World Cafe and ADMC. (Handouts included a short description of the four-fold practice, "Cafe to Go," and "The Art of Powerful Questions.")</p>
<p></p>
<p>During the Q&A, it became VERY apparent that several who were in attendance wanted everyone else in the church to join the conversation. It felt like a call for a culture change in the church! Suggestions were offered to leave the harvest, the questions, the cafe etiquette, the tables and table-coverings with all the notes and doodles in order to invite others to participate less formally after the service the next day. (In the end the group realized that the benefits of the intentional planning that went into the evening might be lost on folks who didn't actually participate with us.)</p>
<p></p>
<p>Response was overwhelmingly (though not uniformly) positive. 36 participants were in attendance and we served a truly hearty meal with wine before starting the activities. Some offered feedback on the invitation, saying they experienced confusion because they expected an evening of personal development but instead experienced a conversation "to benefit the church." However, positive feedback was received from everyone who turned in an evaluation before leaving. </p>
<p></p>
<p>We now have photos and testimonials from several who were in attendance to help us in advertising for the next events. A great evening!</p>Art of Hosting at 1st UU Church in Columbustag:artofhosting.ning.com,2012-02-18:4134568:BlogPost:515932012-02-18T20:54:27.000ZAmy Kay Watsonhttp://artofhosting.ning.com/profile/AmyKayWatson
<p>I've been talking with folks at my church about AoH and the compatibilities I see between it and the church's goals and values. As a result, a couple of things have happened so far.</p>
<p></p>
<p><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2805672202?profile=original" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;" width="160"></img></p>
<p>The first and so-far biggest thing is that the leadership development committee asked me to do some leadership training drawing on the Art of Hosting body of knowledge. We formed a small core host team with myself and two others who are close friends of the church (not quite…</p>
<p>I've been talking with folks at my church about AoH and the compatibilities I see between it and the church's goals and values. As a result, a couple of things have happened so far.</p>
<p></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2805672202?profile=original" width="160" class="align-left" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;"/></p>
<p>The first and so-far biggest thing is that the leadership development committee asked me to do some leadership training drawing on the Art of Hosting body of knowledge. We formed a small core host team with myself and two others who are close friends of the church (not quite members) and who have been involved in the AoH Community of Practice (Jorie Schwartz and Chrissy Gilbert, who both work with Tom Gregoire in the College of Social Work at Ohio State). We've been joined by two members of the church and one other close friend of the church who has his UU membership in another city.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The six of us agreed to four 2-hour meetings (at least) to learn about Art of Hosting and plan for a single event at the church that would take place in the spring. Chrissy, Jorie, and I have met a few times to design each of these meetings with the core host team. We're set to have our second meeting tomorrow.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In our first meeting, we shared about the four-fold practice and the practice and principles of circle. We did a picture walk and identified what uniquely brought each of us to our work.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In our second meeting, we'll talk about paradoxes and the chaordic path. We have a cool little activity planned with stones, and I'm ready to do a little presentation on Dee Hock and the Chaordic Organization if we have time for it. Although we only have six members, we'll use a little bit of World-Cafe design for a conversation a round the principles of the work we're doing together. </p>
<p></p>
<div><p>In our third meeting, we'll talk about the art of powerful questions and start introducing some of the larger-group processes that would be possible if we get a larger number to turn out for the spring event.</p>
<p></p>
<p>More is happening, but the above is where the ripples are easiest to see. Stay tuned!</p>
</div>Bringing AoH into a historically command-and-control organizationtag:artofhosting.ning.com,2012-01-05:4134568:BlogPost:520622012-01-05T10:30:00.000ZAmy Kay Watsonhttp://artofhosting.ning.com/profile/AmyKayWatson
<p>I've found a "mate" among my coworkers! *relief*. We had a design meeting today and prepared for a conference call with the rest of our team, which will take place tomorrow. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had said something in a conference call yesterday that made me think that a hosted conversation and attention to harvest would help, so I offered to help her design the meeting. I sent her a handful of pages out of our AOH journal (the Columbus 2011 journal, pages 26-29, 42-45) to look over…</p>
<p>I've found a "mate" among my coworkers! *relief*. We had a design meeting today and prepared for a conference call with the rest of our team, which will take place tomorrow. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had said something in a conference call yesterday that made me think that a hosted conversation and attention to harvest would help, so I offered to help her design the meeting. I sent her a handful of pages out of our AOH journal (the Columbus 2011 journal, pages 26-29, 42-45) to look over beforehand, and then we talked through need, intentions, who we're trying to benefit, how the conversation will serve, and what would be most useful to walk away with, then created our calling question and two discussion questions, and rounded out the conversation with check-in and check-out questions. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm so excited!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Calling / Invitation question:</b> In shifting our culture, what path do we choose?</p>
<div>[<b>Framing</b>: We want to try to have a different kind of conversation. Invite all to think about bringing their best selves to the conversation, to listen for understanding and to speak with intention. We'll begin with a check-in question and ask that each of us consider and respond from your heart.]</div>
<div><b>Check in</b>: What are you willing to set aside in order to be present with this conversation? Each take about a minute to respond.</div>
<div>[<b>Framing</b>: Our purpose in this conversation is to choose a path, not to build it. In choosing a path, we'll identify which path has the beginning point where we are and the end point of where we want to go. The conversation we have today will help us to build the path in our next conversation.]</div>
<div><b>Describing the beginning and end of the path:</b></div>
<div><ul>
<li>If you were to paint a picture of the Hertz culture, as it is today, what elements would be in the picture?</li>
</ul>
[<b>Framing</b>: encourage all to enter an imaginative state and release skepticism, realism, practical and incremental thinking.] <br/>
<ul>
<li>Imagine that tonight, while you are asleep, the entire current system is transformed into the ideal. When you find out about it, tell us what you know is different: What do you notice is the same, only better? What is changed entirely? Tell us everything you notice about this perfect system.</li>
</ul>
<div>[<b>Framing</b>: We've entered an uncomfortable stage in our process. Our inclination will be to jump into action. Creating action plans is the next step, not this step. For now, let's bring this conversation to a close.]</div>
<div><b>Check out</b>: What are you taking away from this conversation? Each take about a minute to respond.</div>
</div>