HOST LEADERSHIP GATHERING

Hosting is an ancient yet modern art to build relationships with others. The act of inviting someone, of welcoming them, of responding to their needs whilst taking responsibility for their safety offers a frame through which many dimensions of leadership can be viewed.

Think of yourself as a host, and the others involved as your guests. Imagine, how this idea will change behaviour.

One of the most important aspects of leading as a host is the art of stepping forward – and then stepping back. People expect leaders to step forward – after all, that is how they get attention, get their message across, begin to engage with people. Good hosts know, however, that it is equally important to step back, to allow space for others to engage, for people to connect, for multiple conversations to develop. When good leaders step back, they are not simply vanishing from the scene. They are alert, aware, looking around, talking to different groups, seeing how things are going. That is how they know when to step forward again, and in which role.

In Host Leadership, we talk about roles (instead of rules). A role is something you take on when needed and hosts change roles often, depending on the circumstances. The six roles are: Initiator – getting things moving, Inviter – involving others, Space Creator – building the context for interaction, Gatekeeper – negotiating the boundaries, Connector – link people and expertise together and, of course, Co-Participator – leading AND joining in.

Learn more about Host Leadership at http://hostleadership.com/ and in brief through this article Lead as a Host not a Hero – Leadership that Builds Engagement and Performance by Mark McKergow.