Golden Civilization Conversations are not your average conversation or gathering of friends and/or family. While the prescribed structure is simple and designed to be easy to follow as a facilitator, the role that the other participants play requires them to be far more vulnerable and purposeful than they may be expecting, depending on how the conversation was introduced to them. These conversations are dynamic and participatory by design to make each participant, or conversationalist, feel included, heard, and motivated to become a part of the solution.
Before hosting your first Golden Civilization Conversation, why not consider some of the tips found in master gathering facilitator and race relation consultant Priya Parker’s book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters? Here are a few of the tips Priya includes in her book and how they might be applied to the hosting of Golden Civilization Conversations.
KEY IDEA #1: GATHERINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, BUT TOO OFTEN WE DON’T GIVE THEM MUCH THOUGHT.
George Kinder founded Golden Civilization Conversations based on this very idea. Participative democracies, which represent democracy at its truest, most pure form, are fueled by meaningful conversations of its citizens. The exchange of ideas and alliances that form between those uniting around a consensus are the path out of this codependency that we currently have with our government. Many people feel overwhelmed by the division between political parties and disillusioned by the seeming inaction of candidates that they helped to elect to office. Even if they feel “involved” in the process, the average person suffers from the fatigue of not knowing when real change is coming or how to get there.
Golden Civilization Conversations provide a platform for people to come together about things we all have in common, create a vision for a Golden Civilization that speaks to everyone, and then figure out how to get there, through our own personal actions. These conversations can happen anywhere, with anyone. The critical condition is that instead of just letting our meetings be “normal,” why not give them a purpose? And why not make that purpose be the bettering of our world?
KEY IDEA #4: HOSTS WHO ACT WITH GENEROUS AUTHORITY WILL ALWAYS DELIVER BETTER EVENTS THAN HOSTS WHO ARE OVERLY LAID-BACK.
Anyone can take on the role of Golden Civilization Conversation facilitator. The framework is easy to follow, and we welcome customization to fit your participant group and to ensure continued engagement, the purpose of hosting them. However, as Priya mentions in her book, committing to being the host of a purposeful gathering comes with some essential requirements, mainly that the host cannot be laid-back and expect that the conversation will be a success. The facilitator of Golden Civilization Conversations must be a moderator and play an active role in encouraging those gathered to participate.
Now that some conversations are being held over Zoom, this could mean setting some ground rules at the beginning that require everyone to have their video on and sound muted unless they are contributing and monitoring that conversationalist comply. The facilitator also must set the tone for the conversation, leading the group in a meditation of some length to start the meeting and get everyone in the right headspace. The moderator will also make sure that the conversation is not a place of judgement. An example of this would be to include every idea contributed when it comes to crafting the Vision, Obstacles, and Action Steps & Commitments flip charts.
KEY IDEA #8: TOO MANY EVENTS FIZZLE OUT RATHER THAN ENDING WITH A BANG, BUT THERE ARE SIMPLE WAYS TO END GATHERINGS WELL.
The ending of Golden Civilization Conversations is essential to their success. The format of the conversation is purposeful and follows the EVOKE® life planning methodology, which is meant to energize financial planning clients to subscribe to the plan given to them by financial planners. The Obstacles chart, which tends to have the most overwhelming effect on participants is sandwiched between two higher energy charts: the vision and the action steps it would take to bring about the vision. It is essential that at the end of the conversation, as many participants as possible share personal commitments they will make within the time between this conversation and the next to help bring about the group’s vision of A Golden Civilization. The key is to end the meeting with the optimism that we can all make a difference if enough people are committed to living somewhat differently, no matter the size of any individual contribution.
Priya also points out, in this chapter, that so often, people end a meeting with logistics and the meeting’s lasting impact is dampened by the host’s failure to end on a memorable and meaningful note. She advises taking care of mundane, but important announcements second to last so that the meeting ends memorably, with a sentiment that is more in line with the feelings brought up during the meeting. The closing should be a commemoration of what was shared by the participants and a way to reenter society after the gathering. So, as the Golden Civilization Conversation is ending, make sure to tell everyone when and where the next conversation will occur, and then ask everyone to share their commitments to accomplish before that meeting’s date!
We hope that this post was helpful in getting you excited to host your first Golden Civilization Conversation. For resources to host your first and recurring conversation, visit our Resources page.
Get a copy of George’s book, the inspiration for Golden Civilization Conversations here.
Priya Parker is a master facilitator, strategic advisor, acclaimed author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters and the host of the New York Times podcast, Together Apart. Parker has spent 15 years helping leaders and communities have complicated conversations about community and identity and vision at moments of transition. 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. Read more…