The document summarizes the key takeaways from an Art of Hosting training in Karlskrona, Sweden. [1] The training focused on participative working methods and getting people committed through conversation rather than hero leadership. [2] Participants learned that a host facilitates discussion as equals rather than leaders. [3] Art of Hosting builds a global community where conversations can spread worldwide. [4] Attendees had chances to co-host sessions and learn facilitation tools to lead meaningful discussions.

1. My 10 key takeaways
from Art of Hosting
training at Karlskrona,
Sweden
Experienced and written by
Henna Kääriäinen
henna@banana.fi
www.banana.fi
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2. 1. There is something concrete
in the circle.
• I didn’t go to AoH on my first chance at 2010
because I was fed up with sitting in a circle
and talking about unconcrete things, and my
fear was that AoH would be full of that.
Eventually I got over that circle overdose, and
nowadays I believe the participative and
conversational working methods are very
concrete, relevant and most efficient for
committing people to your projects. AoH
Karlskrona showed that once again.
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3. 2. From hero to host
• At every possible moment in AoH training
there’s a request for you to stand up and
invite people to work with you. The idea is to
train hosts, while the sometimes popular
hero-leaders are not appearing, or should not
appear, in the room.
• A host is someone who ignites and holds the
space for conversation. Host is not a hero-
leader, but merely an equal with an intention.
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4. 3. AoH happens in a global
context & global community
• AoH is a global network. Therefore the
conversations we’ll have in on our first AoH
Finland for example, will expand globally via the
international participants, the harvesting sites
and the online presence of the community.
• Examples of the global AoH are the 1000 tables
dialgues in Israel & all over the world using the
Art of Hosting practices.
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5. 4. Every moment is a chance
to stand up and host
• Since the day one we were asked to co-host
sessions, eg. Open Space and Pro Action Cafe
together with the experienced hosts. Co-
hosting means that you have a chance to
learn how to conduct such an activity.
• Aside of that any participant could still stand
up and host a session in eg. Open Space or
Pro Action Café.
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6. 5. The ”nugget” is our own
stories - bring up yours.
• The most useful thing for me in the training
was ur working with stories. We worked both
with our own stories in Appreciative Incuiry,
and also with others stories in a storytelling
workshop. My takeaway is that the world is
made of stories, not atoms. (like Mary-Alice
Arthur said)
• Storytellers work on the field of sense
making. It all makes sense when it’s
connected with a story. Stories lead the world.
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7. 6. You’ll learn a bunch of new
useful tools
• Tools you learn for facilitating group dialogues
and for leading change are great, but in fact
they’re just a secondary value in the treat -
most important is that the gathering hosts
conversations that matter, and that you bring up
and host conversations that matter to You.
• As said in the point 3. AoH is international, and
the conversations we have eg. in Finland will
travel to the world via AoH community.
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8. 7. It’s all about hosting
conversations that matter
• If you want to have a specific conversation
that matters or move on with your personal
project, bring it on the AoH.
• At AoH training you can ignite a global
conversation on the thing that matters. Because
on the network the conversations we’ll have in
one place will expand globally via the
international participants, the harvesting sites
and the online presence of the community.
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9. 8. Harvesting gives a meaning
• Whatever you talk and do
with your project is in danger
to stay in the air and be
forgotten by your team and
community unless you pay
attention to harvesting it.
• Harvesting is something
taken out of any conversation
that gives a meaning to that
group.
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10. 9. Give some of your skills to
the use of everyone
• Songs, poems, stories, videos, photos,
installations, situational photo
shows...anything can come and give a
meaning for the whole crew of participants,
and you’ll get to practice your practice as a
practitioner: win-win-win.
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11. 10. Art of Hosting training
makes you know where are
you standing
• It kicks you to look into yourself, think about
yourself in relation to others and expose your
thoughts to others continuously.
• As a result you get connected with your
firmest position (in life, between projects,
physically) and find out how to stand there.
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12. Art of Hosting training happens for the first
time in Finland in 3 weeks 23-25 April 2012,
at Otavan opisto, Mikkeli
Hosted by Toke, Monica & Piret and Ville
it’s sure a pure AoH at it’s core.
Check more and sign in at:
http://aohsuomi.wordpress.com/
For any questions, notes & ideas about these slides, feel
free to contact: henna@banana.fi, www.banana.fi
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