How a Convening is different from a Conference

by Circle Generation

• A collective journey. We’re a small group in a shared experience from start to finish. Not a small fish in an ocean of attendees popping in and out of simultaneous sessions and tracks.
• It’s participatory. Rather than being in the stands, talked to from a sage on stage, your engagement is essential. Sessions are curated for active sharing and discussions that draw in multiple perspectives.
• Flexible spaces. No amphitheatres or classrooms here. We bring people together in a variety of ways through the day, often in circles, rarely around tables. We shapeshift to shape new ideas.
• Intentional design. Sessions are crafted to weave experiences and learning over the course of multiple days. What happens at the beginning sets the stage for the fruits that emerge at the end and beyond.
• Relationships + Content. Convenings are about connecting people in ways that make more possible. Activities invite play to spark creativity and learning.
• Holistic + Diverse. Convenings mix it up to avoid echo chambers and groupthink. We assemble as many perspectives in a system as possible so that we can put our pieces together and become greater than the sum of our parts.

Encouragements

• • Be courageous – share successes and failures; initiate bold action and adapt to change before things are broken
  • Practice humility – be humble in the face of complexity; value people and social learning as a process
  • Integrate perspectives – actively seek out other voices, examine assumptions, and consider multiple worldviews
  • Co-create from diversity – lean into creative tension and listen for opportunities to bridge differences
  • Steward the future – hold the bigger picture in view, tell the long-term story
  • Cultivate the ecosystem – think relationally, act in service of collective flourishing
  • Foster synergies – champion cross-functional teams and inter-organizational collaborations