The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker. In the year of COVID why would anyone consider reading a book about gathering? Admittedly it crossed my mind when I received notification from my library. On the contrary this book taught me how to make gatherings a great memorable experience.
Priya is a professional meeting facilitator and certainly has been accumulating a deep understanding how creating meaningful gatherings creates an amazing impact. Yet this is an area we have been overlooking since office meetings began with Powerpoints.
Subsequently I never realized how much we have all lacked advice for making others feel comfortable, engaged, and authentic in social and business gatherings.
As you can see, one may view this book as simply focusing on gatherings. Yet Priya is delivering a solid book on leadership.
Constructing meaningful gatherings is revealed to be a core leadership skill. Priya shares meaningful examples she has facilitated. For all those reasons she breaks down the “how and why” gatherings can work so well.
Decide Why You’re Really Gathering
Her journey to create memorable events begins with a simple challenge. For this purpose many of us are unaware of what is actually required to fully commit to gatherings.
For business meetings this is why defining a clear purpose and an agenda is critical. This includes prepping your guests prior to the event, and establishing meeting rituals from start to finish.
This book can change the why you think about the purpose of any gatherings. Many chapters will bring out the “aha moment” that will make you wonder why her insights were not thought about before. Part Two: ‘Who’ and ‘Where’ can lead to many of those moments. Besides Priya reveals the need for awareness to fully understand ‘hosting’ requirements and understanding.
Leadership
Nevertheless, this book should be mandatory reading for leadership development programs, courses and seminars. From corporate retreats and strategy sessions to even academic lectures and administrative meetings. This is the most important books I have read. The message can transform how you think what is required for creating meaningful and lasting experiences. Generally speaking this can apply to growing relationships and for organizations seeking the change to build teams that can move mountains.
In conclusion, I’m going to have to reread this again to let Priya’s larger lessons sink in. This book can serve anyone seeking to truly transform the stereotypical events we stumble into without understanding what is actually possible. Just read it.
TED | 3 steps to turn everyday get-togethers into transformative gatherings
Strand Book Store | The Art of Gathering
RSA | The Art of Gathering with Priya Parker