Art of Hosting

This blog post sprang from a conversation between George Pór, Matthieu Kleinschmager and Helen Titchen Beeth in Brussels in September 2008. The conversation was prompted by our shared passion for capturing the essence of conversations that we have participated in so that they can have a longer life and a greater impact than just the fading memories and flip-chart sheets of the original participants.
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Here is a harvest poem from an open space session on AOH and business from Steve Skinner from Leeds in UK. (recent  Art of Hosting training in UK).

Going Commercial
 
With the public and private sector, how do we make a start?
Do I just talk about their problems, or ask what they feel in their heart?
 
And how do I get an invite? Should I focus on just one thing?
Shall I make a dynamic, high profile, power point presentation -
Or just turn up and sing?
 
And what is my marketing strategy – how can I best explain?
When really I just build relationships and heal their hurt and pain.
 
Can I use a dialogue? What’s my methodology?  read more »

Through the Art of Hosting emaillist Chris Corrigan send out the message that Dave Pollard had written a blog post on his recent experience in an Art of Hosting training.

Having read a lot of Dave's blogpost - most of them inspiring and thought-through - I was really curious what he would write. Because I know he can be very critical too!

He gave very good points to what we bring in the world and gives some language too! Thanks Dave and go on with your good work!

As a gift from our mate Phil Cass (click on: The Art of Calling) and the Columbus Medical Association /  Foundation here is the first evaluation report made on the effect of the 6 Art of Hosting trainings that has happened in Columbus since March 2005 with almost 200 leaders. If you are interested in the whole process from 2005 till now, all harvest reports are available online!

You can find the report for uploading now in our Community Library (see link in the left orange sidebar).  read more »

Silas, one of the members of Kufunda village - a learning center using the Art of Hosting as operational system - has send the report of three AoH trainings they did in July '08.

It is worthwhile reading!

Action or no action - What a mystery....

Is acting from confusion worth the act ?

What if acting kind in the face of  cynicism
Is a powerful wise act ?

What change do I seek?
Whom am I serving?
What is really needed now?

How may I be the action
That brings us to remember
That we are human beings
That can so easily
Learn from acting
Give and Receive
stay awake

What if acting as life
Is nothing but courage and timing ?

What if the common good it not just a nice idea
But our nature is of the common good ?

What has a peaceful heart got to do with it ?
What has love got to do with it ?
What has I, we and it got to do  read more »

moving from my heart
I enter the unknow

finding life each day...
as the scale grows organically
I respond as I can best
almost as a relunctant warrior for peace

but what have I got to loose
by giving of myself

letting go
to the hidden
but subtle harmony
within

On my 50th birthday I invited friends and family on an outdoor-open-space. I gave the honour to my parents to set the theme on which people could post their burning questions. "Education." was the most important issue for them, even in their old ages. While the 'personal' questions were very diverse; we had 10 conversations at 5 different 'open-fire-places'; which resulted in an harvest of.. a very amicable festivity in the evening.

You can find an impression + questions (in Dutch) on:

http://picasaweb.google.be/Buiten8kans/50?authkey=ruj1_NB_VNA#

 

 

 

This birth-day open-space/World café didn't stay unnoticed.  read more »

Being in a hosting team there is always some learning that happens afterwards. We used our hosting team debrief to share these.

* First of all we declared the gathering to be a success. Even though many of us hadn't met eachother before, and the purpose of the gathering wasn't always crystal clear - was it a Pioneers of Change gathering? was it about multigenerational? was it about pioneering? - all participants had a learningful, inspirational and sometimes transformational time.

* During the time prior to the gathering we learned that above all the clarity of 'ownership' is crucial in making an event like this manifest.  read more »

The text below was offered by one of the participants in the intergenerational gathering. We read it in the circle before moving into a peer-coaching exercise. (If someone knows who is the author, then please tell us!)   read more »