Hosting Generative Change: Creating Containers for Creativity and Commitment

by Mark McKergow

When the future is uncertain and the past is contested, good hosting can bring hope and co-operation into the present. Any Dialogic OD practice will bring people together for creative conversations, expanded horizons, mutual connection and committed action. The way these events are hosted can make all the difference. Mark McKergow offers an image of superb hosting as a mix of detailed planning and openness to whatever emerges, taking the lead when needed, with the intent of stepping back as quickly as possible so participants can lead themselves. This is an important resource for anyone who wants to entice groups of disparate individuals into generative conversations that stimulate new ideas and prompt committed action. It builds connections between big ideas like complexity and emergence with the small practical details of preparing, inviting people and convening a workshop, engaging people on the day, building new possibilities and refining the next steps. Dr. McKergow brings over a decade of research into the etiquette of hosting in different cultures and eras and combines it with three decades of practice in organizational development and change. The book offers a framework of six hosting roles to help navigate the inevitable ups and downs of working with large (and small) groups. Written in an engaging and witty style, the principles of hosting are brought to life in a lively and detailed case example which shows the practical impact and importance of insightful and flexible hosting. Chapter Titles 1. Why hosting for generative change? 2. Key elements of hosting 3. Six roles and four positions for a generative change host 4. Doing the groundwork 5. Building the container and finding the space 6. Crafting the invitation 7. Preparing for the event 8. Diverging and emerging 9. Consolidating and converging 10. After the event 11.Online Hosting References

104 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2020

Reviews

[Matthew Cornwall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Post COVID Update Needed

I purchased the entire BMI Series during my graduate program at Gonzaga University and found these books quite helpful. The “Hosting Generative Change” book (#3 in series) came out in 2020 and, unfortunately, found itself to be slightly outdated. This book works well for those working in industries and within organizations that have returned to an in-person, pre-COVID environment. However, for myself and others that practice change management remotely, this book would benefit from expanding Chapter 11 (Online Hosting) in order to avoid excluding those that have been impacted by the shift to remote work during COVID.