Photo by Michael Abramson
Who throws the best parties? Who knows how to run a great meeting? Perhaps it’s you. Scratch that – It’s likely you. Go with us here…
In previous Creative Juice posts, we’ve highlighted ideas from the book, Sticky Wisdom: How to Start a Creative Revolution at Work. While that publication explores themes that speak to us in terms of Creativity and Innovation, we’ve felt equally as seen by Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering with how we think about Events. (And Meetings, for that matter!)
What The Art of Gathering presents is a set of guiding principles Parker has cultivated to make any gathering more meaningful. And the ideas apply broadly, with “gathering” meaning anything from a corporate retreat to a family reunion, and “meaningful” in terms of enjoyment, purposefulness, and more.
Parker prefaces her guidance with a really impactful declaration of her bias. And while one’s “bias” in other contexts could mean a narrowing of scope or an imbalance of perspective, these personal beliefs of Parker’s offer what really amounts to encouragement to us and to you:
I believe that everyone has the ability to gather well.
You don’t have to be an extrovert. …
You don’t need to be a boss or a manager.
You don’t need a fancy house. …
Gatherings crackle and flourish when real thought goes into them, when (often invisible) structure is baked into them, and when a host has the curiosity, willingness, and generosity of spirit to try.
These statements inspire us because they empower everyone to make gathering worthwhile. They confront popular misconceptions about planning and strike them down resolutely! You don’t need a big budget or a ton of bells and whistles for success in bringing people together. What you need is belief in yourself and an open mind, to start.
To be quite honest, we at Catalyst Ranch have our own alchemy for Meetings and Special Events, but it’s only put to good use when our clients come out of the woodwork with a purpose for gathering. It’s your gathering, and it will be great. You can do it (and we can help)!
Questions for exploration:
- What are the preconceptions you have about event hosting/planning that are holding you back?
- If you’ve tackled these preconceptions before, what unlocked your confidence and potential?
With lots to unpack, we’ll be coming back to The Art of Gathering often in this blog. We’re so excited to share and discuss ideas that support our passion for bringing people together!
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Click here to learn more about having your Special Event at Catalyst Ranch.
