Bring vibrant life to what matters
How you take action, especially with others, makes all the difference
Discovering your new direction is only the first step. Now you have to bring it to life...
It's an amazing feeling to find a question that provokes a new vision, or to discover the power of a new story, or make a breakthrough with a challenge. Suddenly, more is possible. The door is open. A new road beckons.
Or maybe you find yourself at a crossroad. A dramatic change is called for and turbulence is ahead. You're worried that others might not make the transition.
Now comes the greater challenge -- bringing the change to life.
As anyone who has gone through a change process at work can tell you, the going can get tough.
Often those leading the change are already far down the track. They don't understand why everyone else can't see what they see.
They usually don't understand that conflict isn't a matter of values or data, it is about storytelling.
Most of the time we get into conflict for one of two reasons:
- We believe others are in the same story as we are. And they are not.
- We believe that others are in the same place in the story as we are. And they are not.
This is not a matter of better comms or more directives. It is a matter of a simple truth...
Transformation needs hosting.
Hosting is all about creating an environment where people help to shape the future they want to step into.
Anyone can learn the capacities to host conversations that really matter and bring out the best in people.
These capacities are even more useful in times like these, when we don't know what might come next, when complexity is rising and when we need the combined resources and skills of all of us to navigate the turbulence.
Hosting helps build a foundation for people to care about and work on something together
The concept of hosting is based on the idea that participatory leadership creates the container for people to meet. It starts with something we care about. Something that matters to us. Being in conversation and inquiry together leads naturally to co-creation. Sharing resources, worldviews and responsibility means that we also share commitment and take ownership.
Our story moves from being something we talk about, to something we share, and then something we embody. Our story comes to life.
Moving from hero to host is a journey
Hosting is both a practice and a skillset. The practice includes how you show up, how you participate, how you invite others to step in and how you work together. The skillset includes a variety of methods that help people work well in groups and navigate complexity together. These skills are easy to learn. If you keep on practicing them, they move from being methods to an art.
Hosting helps people stay the course to make real change happen. The story sticks. And grows.
Hosting is a capacity that anyone can learn and practice
Teachers can host the learning with their students. Young people can host conversations that make a difference towards sustainability. Action teams can host their community into transformation. Leaders can host a bigger vision so their organization moves from surviving to thriving.
When we change the story of who we can be by working together in new ways, we embody the change we're looking for. Let me host you to build the capacity to bring your vision to life.
What's the focus you're inviting others to gather around?
Participatory Practice
Our workplaces and communities are becoming more intergenerational and diverse. Knowing how to work well across diversity using participatory processes is a key to being successful as more challenge and complexity comes our way. Work with Mary Alice to build capacity through the principles and practices of participation. Host a generative learning field where you live and work.
Meetings That Matter
Take your event from ordinary to extraordinary with event hosting. Focus on your vision and potential. Build in participatory process. Add a dash of storytelling. Work with your team to move from being the organisers to the hosts of your event. Move your participants from consumers to contributors. Make a memorable event that gets results. Work with Mary Alice to design, deliver and delight your participants!
Online Design
Wondering how to get your online space to be as participatory and results oriented as a face to face meeting? We offer design and production support for online meetings together with Amy Lenzo of WeDialogue and others. We can work with you to clarify your goals and format, and host your participants — or support you to do it! — as well as host all the technology. We help you create meetings that are warm, engaging, supportive and effective.
