Last of two parts
The previous part is at thevoice.us/essential-methods-in-the-art-of-gathering-important
Every day we find ourselves in gatherings, Priya Parker wrote in “The Art of Gathering.” If we can understand what makes these gatherings effective and memorable, then we can reframe and redirect them to benefit everyone, host and guest, alike. Parker defines a gathering as three or more people who come together for a specific purpose. Priya Parker is a facilitator and strategic advisor.
She is the founder of Thrive Labs, at which she helps activists, elected officials, corporate executives, educators, and philanthropists create transformative gatherings. She works with teams and leaders across technology, business, the arts, fashion, and politics to clarify their vision for the future and build meaningful, purpose-driven communities. Her clients have included the Museum of Modern Art, LVMH, the World Economic Forum, meetup.com, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, the Union for Concerned Scientists, and Civitas Public Affairs.
Trained in the field of conflict resolution, Parker has worked on race relations on American college campuses and on peace processes in the Arab world, southern Africa, and India. She is a founding member of the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network. She has been appointed a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Values Council and the New Models of Leadership Council. She is a senior expert at Mobius Executive Leadership.
She is passionate about helping people create gatherings in their work and life that are transformative and meaningful for the people in them. She is the co-creator of the 15 Toasts dinner series format and I Am Here Days. Her TEDx talk on purpose has been viewed more than 1 million times.
Priya studied organizational design at M.I.T., public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and political and social thought at the University of Virginia. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Reviews:
Jessica: “This is the most important book I have ever read. It has transformed the way I think about what has to go into creating meaningful and impactful experiences out of every meeting amongst friends, lovers, business acquaintances, and overall, what it really takes to build movements. This book reframed the lens through which I look at life, from my interactions in and contributions to groups, to my role in building communities that last.
“I’m going to have to reread this a few times and will spend a lot of time stewing on it….I think the art of gathering is a philosophy on life that is going to take tons of practice and a lot of careful thought, and executing it conscientiously is the best way to honor the time, experiences, and contributions of those you love and work with. I’m super into the thesis of this book and am going to be telling everyone I know that they must read it.
“It’s going to be important for any person who cares about growing meaningful relationships and friendships, and even business leaders who are looking to build authentic and thoughtful organizations which change the world. It’s great for anyone who hates conferences and panels and speeches and is looking for ways to transform the boring traditional spaces and formats in which we create. Please just read it. It was amazing.”
Amy: “I love how practical this book was. My idea of being host usually involves providing more food than my guests could possibly eat, a carryover from working with teenage volunteers on a weekly basis. But this book’s challenge to think about the purpose of gathering really struck a cord. I want to (be) host a dinner party! (Never mind that I still don’t own a kitchen table…or couch…or chairs…)
Absolutely coming back to this one.”
Catherine: “This book is a must read. For everyone. From dinner parties and staff meetings to holiday gatherings and funerals, we all spend so much time at gatherings that are organized by someone.
“Priya Parker points out that surprisingly little thought is given to the structure of gatherings. Because of that, many of us spend inordinate amounts of time in boring time-wasters that are often tedious and quite forgettable.
“This book changes how to think about the purpose of gatherings, absolutely all gatherings. With each chapter I had aha moments that made we wonder why I had not thought about it before.
“I will say that this book should be added to every reading list for leadership development programs, courses and seminars. Same for corporate retreats and strategy sessions. Constructing a meaningful gathering with purpose is a core leadership skill. Parker’s examples of the gatherings she has facilitated in her career are fascinating. It makes the book more of a show than a tell. Once she tells the story of a particular gathering, she breaks down how and why it worked so well.
“I think we all need to incorporate the format of 15 Toasts regularly into our dinner gatherings. Of all the concepts she introduced, I really loved this one. While communication takes place at gatherings, it does not always lead to meaningful connection among people. And why would you pursue the first if not for the purpose of the latter? I highly recommend this book. It will change the way you think about how we spend our time with one another and how with the smallest amount of effort it could be so much more meaningful.”