Taster events - experiences

[Ria Baeck]

From the emaillist, Dec.'12:

Hey again dear AoH community,

There has been a request to arrange a "taster event" about AoH in Helsinki (before the actual training in May): 2-3 hours in some evening in March-April.

Do you have experience in short events like that?  I can imagine it's not the same than a 3-day event, where people really have some time to start to resonate with each other and the call. How to introduce AoH properly in a short time?

yours,
Tanja

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Hi Tanja!  
I just hosted a 3 hour taster session here in Hing Kong yesterday for 30 people. It had this flow:  
Welcome 
Framing 
Check-in circle (first name & place, then why is engaging leadership important to you right now? In trios) 
Appreciative Inquiry: pairs interview 
Debrief the interview in World Café 
A little in AoH (there could be a smal teach here, if time) 
Check out  

We put the focus on: 
Engaging leadership 
Community 
What is Hong Kong's gift to the world?  

The objective is to give people an experience before talking about "what it is".   

Hope that helps!  Mary Alice
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Hi Tanja 

 

Just reading this and wanting to offer in a couple of experiences we had here as well.  I've done 3 tasters and each one was really different, they are a great way  for people to literally be in an small embodied experience of a real question, just like a full training and also a great way for a hosting team to sense the field and listen in more closely to the call of a full training, although it's always a bit of a challenge to know what elements to bring.  

 

Working with a real current question or inquiry and building the day around that seems to be more significant than speaking about AoH, so finding that, as you would with any training is probably the most important bit. And speaking about AoH in context seems to work well, so story telling 'how we are using what we have learnt' seems to makes it more real and illuminate something for people.

Here are some flows from tasters we have held.

 

Scotland – what is wanting to emerge in Scotland? 

 

Framing – bit of context about why this taster, why now, whats the question we are working with

Check in – - what do you love about this country that inspired you to be here today

World café – bit of explanation of world café, what it is, how and when you use it – then into a café – What time is it in scotland right now, what are you seeing and experiencing in your work in your life?

Harvest – bit of explanation about what a harvest is, then into harvesting – What is ready to emerge in scotland that is yet to be realised

Refections on the world café: Q and A 

Input – meta view of AoH – what are the methodologies, models, world views that inform this way of working ? Bit of teach on living systems

Stories of how AoH has gone to work in the world – story telling harvesting

Check out – whats been my learning today, what stays with me?

Community news – what happens now 

 

Tasting the future (for people working in the food system wanting to know how to convene more productive meetings) 

Check in – why Im here, what Im curious about

Sharing our stories of art of hosting – Egypt and tasting the future – showing story telling harvesting

Meta view of AoH – methodologies, models, world views that underpin this practice

Knowledge café – on the different methodologies

Open Space – what questions do I have that will strengthen and inspire my ability to host meaningful conversations

Convergence – what do we see now?

 

Leeds –what new questions does Leeds need to be asking itself for the 21st Century? 

I've enclosed the harvest from this one so you can see it as well. (see below)

Hope that’s helpful, tasters are GREAT, I always love a little amuse bouche, an appetiser, before I sit down to my main meal ! 

Love Linda xx

[Amanda Fenton]

more on this conversation from the email list January 2013:

Hi Tanja,

I only just stumbled on your thread - I am running a one day taster session for my company (about 20 people) on Tuesday, and if it's of interest, you can see the hosting guide here: https://docs.google.com/a/nixonmcinnes.co.uk/spreadsheet/lv?key=0Av...

You are welcome to re-use anything that you think might be useful.

I don't know if we're trying to pack too much in - I am aware I can't recreate the same experience I had over the four days I spent in kalundborg last year but equally I want to make sure they get a sense of the spirit and essence of art of hosting, as well as an experience of the tools and methodologies.

Very happy to hear any feedback.

All the best,

Max