LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Too many gatherings don't end. They simply stop." Priya Parker

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

This quote caught my attention because it's so true! I often put all of my energy on how to START a gathering: Getting people there, setting up the room, working the agenda and making sure everything flows smoothly, but then I don't spend a lot of time thinking about the END.

Parker would say:

" Endings give meaning - they help participants reflect, transition and carry something forward. When gatherings just fizzle out, people lose the chance to make sense of the experience or feel closure."

I experienced this a couple of times over the past number of weeks:

• A great lunch meeting and presentation that was quickly wrapped up because we ran out of time, and people simply stood and left.

• A business gathering where participants began "slipping out early", and eventually the leader said, "Well, since people are leaving, let's just close our time."

• A large event that was running really long, and people left early because there was no clear end in sight or expectation of when the end would come.

• A coffee meeting that was cut short because of another appointment, which led me to dash out without bringing things to closure.

We do it all the time! I do it all the time.

Sometimes, by the time I get to my car, I find myself wishing that I could have finished better!

Parker shares these thoughts on ENDINGS:

1) ENDINGS GIVE MEANING: "The end is your final opportunity to help people understand what the gathering was really about."

2) DON'T LET IT JUST FIZZLE: "Even 2 minutes of structure at the end can transform how the gathering lands."

3) MARK THE TRANSITION: Make a toast, share a takeaway, a collective gesture (clapping, standing), a ritual.

4) LOOK BACK, THEN FORWARD: "Good endings REFLECT back, and PROJECT forward.

5) SAY GOODBYE WITH CARE: "A personal farewell - a thank-you, a handshake, a hug - communicates value and closure."

Think about a GREAT ending you experienced recently. What made it so powerful? (I'll share mine below)

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"A gathering begins at the moment of invitation. It doesn't begin when people walk in the room." Priya Parker

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

I'm repeating this quote today because last week I ended up chasing the word ENGAGEMENT and ASSUMPTIONS. Today I want to come back to this word ANTICIPATION.

When Parkers says, "A gathering begins at the moment of invitation..." my immediate response has been this:

• I want people to have the logistics needed for the gathering: time, place, what to wear, what we'll eat, the schedule and most importantly, what time we'll be done.

• I want people to know what will happen during the time: who's speaking, what topics we'll cover, what to expect

I do this because I want to make it really EASY for people to attend my gathering. Again to my comments last week, "I'm assuming they are really busy and are just doing me a favor by attending." (which is a wrong assumption) Read last weeks post HERE.

If a gathering truly begins at the point of invitation, then I need to not focus solely on logistic, but I need to drive PURPOSE. I've talked about this and I can't tell you why I keep forgetting this.

Logistics can be read and scheduled. Purpose has to be felt.

Parker explores this in her book:

• Anticipation signals PURPOSE - This isn't "just another meeting"

• Anticipation begins shaping CONNECTION & VULNERABILITY before people meet.

• Anticipation creates PSYCHOLOGICAL OWNERSHIP - participants start investing their imagination and attention early.

This is powerful!

Can you think of a meeting, a gathering, an event you participated in that used ANTICIPATION beforehand to prepare you for what was to come?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"A gathering begins at the moment of invitation. It doesn't begin when people walk in the room." Priya Parker

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

I love this thought from Parker on gatherings. It's the word ANTICIPATION.

Anticipation is simply looking forward to a future event or the feeling of excited expectation for something that is expected to happen. The other word used there is EXPECTATION. Expectation is the state of looking forward or anticipating.

The quote simply reminds us that there is incredible POWER in using anticipation and expectation to help people get ready for a gathering. It doesn't start when people show up, but much earlier!

I have missed this so many times. I assume that a meeting or an event just takes place during the timeframe I've put on my calendar. I know that I am thinking about it and preparing for it ahead of time, but I don't want to assume that others are thinking that way.

In my head, here's what I'm assuming you're thinking about prior to my meeting or gathering:

• I'm assuming you're really busy, and you're not thinking about it at all.

• I'm assuming you're regretting confirming and that you aren't looking forward to getting together.

• I'm assuming you've got better things to do with your time.

• I'm assuming that you're going to attend for the "bare minimum" because you want to get home early.

• I'm assuming you're just doing me a favor by attending.

All of these assumptions might be correct or they might be completely wrong, but the reality is that they have the potential to radically affect how I plan, prepare and anticipate the gathering we're going to have.

Why do we ASSUME people aren't excited about the thing we're working on? Why do we ASSUME people are just being nice in attending, and that they don't really want to.

We need to STOP.

While there might be truth in some of this, we need to help people to engage in a deeper way, and we do that by bringing purpose, energy and creativity into every gathering we host or lead, from a small staff meeting to a large event.

There will be people who aren't able to engage, but we need to plan for those that are willing, who want to anticipate what's coming and who really care about what we're focused on!

Do you think about this when planning a gathering? Do you try to determine everyones motivation or lack of engagement? How does this affect you?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"To gather is to risk. You're asking people to trust you, to come together for something that might change them." Priya Parker*

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

This quote has been adapted by a number of things Priya Parker said, but it's been attributed to her. The line, "To gather is to risk" is 100% Parker. She raises the bar for every gathering and reminds us that bringing people together is a privilege and that we are asking people to trust us enough to come.

Years ago, I was invited to travel to Cuba to see what was happening in the church and to be available to do some teaching and training. I took with me a young guy from my youth group, and then 2 youth workers from Ecuador. We took off, by invitation, to meet with leaders and young people in Eastern Cuba. Santi, Ivet and Danny came with me because they trusted me. The truth though, is that this was a big step. I was taking people someplace I had never been before, and that challenged my sense of responsibility and it pushed my leadership. I had to in turn trust Francisco, our friend and partner in Santiago de Cuba, and he assured me that all would be fine.

Off we went.

I wish I could share the many stories that came out of this first-time trip to Cuba. We were challenged when our visas were cancelled, I was not allowed to teach and train with a cancelled visa, so Santiago and Ivet had to carry the load. We had some travel problems, some money problems, some food issues, and we were all living on the edge for a week of our lives.

However...

We were changed forever. Changed by the generosity and hospitality of everyone we met. Changed by the young people following Jesus through some really difficult circumstances, and we were changed as we contemplated how God might use us in Cuba and outside of Cuba investing in the lives of leaders.

27 years ago, we took a risk to pursue a really unique gathering, and as the quote points out, each of us were radically changed.

This led to many other trips to Cuba for us and a long-lasting partnership with leaders there who continue to serve with generosity in difficult circumstances, who reflect hospitality to everyone they come across and who relentlessly pursue Jesus, their hope and their life.

I had no idea that this little adventure to the island would mark me in ways that I am still discovering.

Don't underestimate the power of gathering people together, inviting them to trust you and taking a risk to enter into an opportunity for growth and impact.

Think of a time you stepped out and took a risk to engage in something unfamiliar or unknown? How did that impact you?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Connection doesn't happen on its own. You have to design your gatherings for the kinds of connections you want to create." Priya Parker

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

I love the line of Parkers quote above that begins with: "Connection doesn't just happen on it's own."

That is so true! I think that sometimes we assume that we only need to invite people in, and the rest will just happen.

In her book, The Art of Gathering, she really spends the book talking about being INTENTIONAL. Sometimes her words are so obvious, but I found myself relating so much to my lack of intentionality and the lack of effort.

Getting people in the room is just part of the event. Getting people to truly connect with each other is a whole other issue.

I remember an event I was leading a couple of years ago, and this young guy on my team came to me with an idea to help people connect. My first reaction was, "this will never work." I knew the Community, and I didn't think they'd respond well to being pushed out of their comfort zone. However, after thinking about it, I gave the guy a green light, and he did his thing, pushing people to engage in genuine conversation in a room of over 200 people. The results? People Loved It! They engaged, they enjoyed it, they commented on it, they built new relationships and they had fun.

I had to realize how many times I haven't tried new things because I didn't think this could ever work! (Good call Austin!)

Helping people truly connect takes being intentional but it also means taking some risk.

How have meetings you've attended been INTENTIONAL in helping people connect?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"The way we gather matters. Gatherings consume our days and help determine the kind of world we live in, in both our intimate and public realms. Gathering - the conscious bringing together of people for a reason - shapes the way we think, feel, and make sense of our world." Priya Parker

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

I've always understood the importance of bringing people together. I've been doing that my whole life: meetings, gala's, special dinners, celebrations, outreach events, leadership teams, church, young people, teams, sports events, community groups and on and on.

Much of my job is about connecting with people.

Parkers quote above is something that is just resonating with me: "The way we gather matters."

While much of my life has been about gathering people together, I wish I could say that most of my energy went into planning these gatherings.

Sadly, as I look back at the thousands of opportunities, I realize that I didn't always put my best work into it.

I remember one time as a brand new youth pastor, I probably had been on the job for 4 weeks. I was riding my motorcycle down the road, on the way to a youth group meeting, and I was trying to figure out what I was going to do. For the past 3 weeks, I had given them the 3 Bible Studies I had in my pocket, I had pulled out some games, and I had basically "winged it", and now, just a month into the job I realized that I needed to plan and prepare what would happen. I was just 21 years old and I remember thinking to myself, "I'm in trouble!".

I have not idea what I did that night, and I'm pretty sure no ones life was changed because of the words I shared, whatever they were.

I regret that I had a room full of a couple of hundred young people and I didn't think it important enough to prepare something for them that would minister to them and challenge them in their faith.

Gratefully I learned the importance of a team, I learned how to plan and prepare and I learned to prioritize my time and energy to fulfill the basic purpose of my job! Oh to have those opportunities back....

As we explore these quotes and thoughts this month, I want to challenge you to think about your NEXT GATHERING. Think about the next time you're going to bring people together around a purpose, and simply ask yourself some questions that bubble up through this conversation and let's see what happens along the way.

Think about a gathering you attended that impacted you, or created a moment to remember?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." Ralph Waldo Emerson

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month we've been talking about PACE, and I want to leave you with this last quote today.

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

It's interesting that I would write about PACE while in a really busy couple of weeks.

Once again, this weekly blogpost is much more about me and what God is teaching me than it is about anyone who might read this.

Friday evening, Gina and I went on a walk at the beach. It was a wonderful end to a very full week, and as we walked, we just enjoyed the beauty. We saw dolphins swimming, we saw rain clouds in the distance, we saw surfers in the water, we saw the sun setting and the glorious images of light through the clouds on the water. It was beautiful.

It was also life-giving. Walking with her, taking that in, slowing our pace to get out of our routine, it's so healing.

When I think about this quote from Emerson, here's what I'm thinking:

• If I would just slow down, notice the things around me, see God's beauty in everything, breathe deeply, then I could understand what the "pace of nature" is all about.

• If I could learn to be patient, to not rush things, to not power through things, to learn to pause, to learn to wait, then I could understand what pace is really all about.

• If I might understand that this isn't a SECRET! Everyone talks about pace, everyone talks about the impact of a hurried life yet we keep moving and increasing our pace. It's not a secret!

I hope that this month as you've looked at these quotes and thoughts on PACE, you've been challenged and encouraged to look deeper into your own pace and the motivations for how you do life.

Funny thing... I received more comments from the post on September 16th when I shared, "I'm pausing today to catch my breath and find my pace". People sharing that they felt the same way.

Don't ignore it. Find your PACE. Look at nature to find and understand the secret. It's all around us!

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"There is more to life than increasing its speed." Mahatma Gandhi

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

September is here, and if you're like me, it came with a bit of SHOCK. How can it be September? I've been thinking about the idea of PACE. Back a couple of months ago, I spent some time on RHYTHM, and I realize that PACE is different. I'm going to dive into it this month. Join me...

To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.

Last week, I just needed to stop. I was in the midst of busy 14-day stretch, and I sat down to write and there was nothing there.

For years, I've learned to power through these times, working my list, getting stuff down, pushing beyond my normal limits, and this thought from Gandhi just hit me: "There's more to life than increasing its speed".

It's not always about producing and getting things done. Yes, there are going to be busy times, but for years, I've come to realize that one busy time just runs into the next.

"There's more to life..."

Last week, I still had to push through some things, but there were a number of moments where I was able to recalibrate along the way...

• A deep conversation with a colleague in Kansas City

• A long walk in an airport terminal just to move, think and wander

• A few hours on a stream in Colorado fly fishing

• A long drive through the mountains with Gina

• The quiet of my office early in the morning before anyone else was up

• Playing with my grandkids

• Spending time with good friends

Even when I pause to write about it, what I felt was that I was just running full steam, from one thing to another, missing any opportunity for real connection or purpose, yet as I look back, these past 14 days have been sprinkled with moments that have sustained me, fueled me and reminded me that it's not always about the list or the things I need to get done. It's these moments, these connections that mean so much.

That's what Gandhi was talking about. Forget about the increased production, the accomplishments and the latest technology.

Find what the "more to life" is for me today!

Look back at your last 14 days. What moments can you find littered among the accomplishments that remind you of that "more to life" idea?