the art and science of effective convenings

7/30/2019 The Art and Science of Effective Convenings

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THE ART AND SCIENCE OFEFFECTIVE CONVENINGS

The Art and Science of

Effective ConveningsA Rockefeller Foundation Guidebook


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Preface

Our problems are increasingly interdependent.

People, things, money, information, and ideas are rapidly moving across boundaries of all sorts, resulting in

social and environmental problems that are interdependent and dynamic.

People are more connected than they ever have been.

Were all embedded in complex social webs. With the advent of digital tools for connecting and coordinating,

leaders can find one another with increasing ease, see how their efforts fit within a broader framework of

social action, and act in concert.

Yet, theres a growing tendency toward fragmentation.

At the same time as were being pulled closer together, people are overwhelmed by the never-ending

information flows and are in search of filters that simplify and narrow what they take in. Similarly, in the

midst of so many friends, its natural and easier to gravitate towards those with whom we share similar

interests and worldviews. We run the risk of living in fragmented silos with those who are like us.

It is well known among social change makers that isolated action will produce impact that is incremental at

best. Funders are well-versed in the virtues of collaboration, shared learning, coordination and collectiveaction. Yet the means to effectively bring people together and enable collective efforts often remains elusive.

In this context, the ability to conveneto bring people together and thereby

inspire and align actionis a precious asset.

Why convene

2

Convenings help organizations navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by an

evolving external landscape.


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Preface

As the importance of convenings increases, the Rockefeller Foundation can leverage its long

tradition of bringing together visionary thinkers and problem-solvers. This guidebook provides

resources to help staff and grantees build on the foundations rich legacy to increase the

impact of future convenings.

Rockefellers rich convening legacy

3

April 23-25, 1969: Creation of the

Consultative Group on International

Agricultural Research, which played

a key role in starting the Green

Revolution

July 13-August 8, 2008:

Making the eHealth

Connection convening

established partnerships

to advance health systems

in the Global South

2005-2008:

Unified New Orleans

Plan convenings

following HurricaneKatrina

June 15-16, 1938:

Convening on the

interpretation of scienceto the public in Rye, NY

March 15, 1999: Summit at

Bellagio that launched the GAVI

Alliance, which averted over 5

million future deaths as of 2009

September 1992: Creation

of the Forum for African

Women Educationalists

March 7-11, 1994:

Creation of the

International AIDS

Vaccine Initiative

October 1983: Convening on Child

Survival that led to raising immunization

rates from 20% to 80% by 1990

March 22-23, 1935: Convening on Social

Security that led to funding for organizations

supporting the newly-created program

LANDMARK ROCKEFELLER CONVENINGS

2007 and 2008: Impact Investing convenings,

leading to the Global Impact Investing Network

and the Global Impact Investing Ratings System


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table of contents

PRODUCING A CONVENING

The guidebook: whats in it

and how to use it

What is a convening?

A convening tragedy

A convening triumph

Convening dos and donts

APPENDIX

WORKSHEETS

TO CONVENE OR NOT TOCONVENE

ASSESSING AND LEARNINGFROM CONVENINGS

DESIGNING A CONVENING

(Continued)

3

1

2

4

5

8

FREQUENTLY ASKEDQUESTIONS

7

6

OVERVIEW

6

7

8

9

10

What outcomes can benefit

from convenings Is convening the right tool for

your work?

12

13

The five components of

convening design

Defining the purpose

Why its important

How to do it

Mapping stakeholders and

engaging participants

Choosing the number of

participants

Assessing group dynamics

(Continued)

15

16

17

18

19

20

Shaping the agenda

Six stages 21

Process tools 22

Framing questions 23

Starting points 24

Understanding the issue and 25

creating a shared knowledge

base

Creating a shared 26knowledge base: pull

content from the participants

Curating the experience

General guidelines 27

Choosing the setting 28

Sample production timeline 30

Assembling a team

Typical project-length roles 31

Typical short-term roles 32

Choosing a facilitator

General guidelines 33

Ideal skills and competencies 34

Tips on logistics 35

Designing a convening 37

assessment

Common indicators of 38

convening impact

When should I use a virtual 40

convening space instead of

meeting in person?

How do I issue a 41

compelling invitation?

How do grantmaker/grantee 42

dynamics affect the

convening, in terms of those

organizing the event and

participants?

What process tools can I use 43

to build the agenda?

When and how do I use 46

graphic recording? How do I effectively manage 47

breakout groups?

How do I use comms. 48

and other tools to ensure

follow-through?

How do I engage people 49

who are not in the room?

How can convenings help 50

create and develop formalnetworks?

Defining the purpose of a 52

convening

Assigning project roles 53

Capturing convening 54

design choices

Traditional vs. co-creative 55

convening design

Sample production worksheets

Agenda and content 56

Engagement and 57communications

Logistics 58

About the Effective

Convenings Project

Background on the project 60

Staff and experts consulted 61

Internal study findings

The practice of designing 62convenings at RF

Perceived structural barriers 63to effective convenings at RF

Framing historical 64

Rockefeller convenings

Glossary 66

Resources: an annotated 67

bibliography


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O

verv

iew

The guidebook: whats in it and how to use it

What is a convening?

CONTENTS

A convening tragedy

A convening triumph

Convening dos and donts


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1 Overview

6

The guidebook:whats in it and how to use it

WHAT YOULL FIND IN THE GUIDEBOOK

This document contains guidance on the craft of designing and delivering effective convenings.Its organized into building blocks that are intended to be internalized, experimented with,combined, and ultimately customized to fit the situation. The guidebook was created withRockefeller-led convenings in mind but can also be used for providing guidance to grantees.

TIPS ON NAVIGATING THROUGH THE GUIDEBOOK

Thinking about planning a convening?Look first at Section 2, To convene or not to convene,to determine whether convening makes sense given what youre trying to achieve and the

resources you have to work with.

Already in the planning stages? Review Sections 3-5 for detailed considerations on designinga convening, what it takes to produce a convening, and how to assess its impact. Worksheets inSection 7 provide a shortcut to applying these best practices to any convening that you or yourgrantee may hold.

Take a closer look at the detailed table of contents for quick access to tips, tricks and additionalresources related to specific convening topics.

WHAT THE GUIDEBOOK IS NOT

This document is not a compendium of all the available material on convenings, much less aguide to the broader body of material on facilitation, meeting production, collaboration,

innovation, multi-stakeholder negotiation, and conflict resolution. Instead, we refer you toexternal resources for taking a deeper dive.

It is also not intended to be a step-by-step manual, since every convening must be a customdesign. Instead, we offer questions and considerations to reflect on when designing andproducing convenings, as well as starting points to get your effort underway.


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1 Overview

7

The term convening is used in reference to meetings, conferences, workshops, symposia,

and many others. In this guidebook the term refers to in-person gatherings of between 10

and 80 participants, that are at least a half-day in duration and usually a full day or longer.

Specifically:

What is a convening?PRACTITIONER VOICES

I think of a convening as a

kind of 21st-century

communityorganizing.

CONVENINGS ARE CONVENINGS ARE NOT

Solely for delivering information ora single point of view (e.g., a mediaevent)

Focused on administrative, process-related topics

Regular, internal meetings

Designed to draw on all participantsto generate insight and action

beyond what any single actorcould achieve on his or her own

For accomplishing a clearpurpose(e.g., drive towards decision-makingor alignment) and intendedoutcomes

Composed ofdiverse stakeholderswho represent a range ofperspectives (and organizations)



1 Overview

IMAGINE THIS

You get an invitation to a convening. The topic relates peripherally to yourwork, but its not clear what the goal is. Its sponsored by the Rockefeller

Foundation, so you decide to go, figuring there must be some moneyorprestigeattached to it.

Getting there is a mess, because the place is hard to find and youre given

poor directions.

When you finally arrive, youre pinned with a nametag by someone who

looks bored and tells you to find a seat at a table, pointing you to a darkhotel ballroom with ugly carpeting. Your only way of identifying the otherpeople in the room is by squinting at their 10-point-font name tags.

Youre hungry, which is reasonable given the time of the day, but theres no

food.The presentations start and drone on for what seems like hours. If you haveany reactions to what youre seeing on the screennot likely, since youre

mostly reading your BlackBerryyoure not given an opportunity to voicethem.

The only voices represented are those of the experts and a few squeaky

wheels who mostly use the mike to grandstand. Real discussion does start afew times, but the facilitator squelches it in the name of time.

Youre given a mediocre dinner and you go to bed.After another day of the same, the convening ends having accomplishednothing meaningful for you, and you wonder what transpired in the side-room meetings that were never acknowledged. The organizers leave youwith no next steps, no action plan, just a Thanks for coming, well be intouch.

You think to yourself: Never again.

A convening tragedy

8

PRACTITIONER VOICES

I was sent these incredibly

complicated instructions about

how to get a train to this

village in the middle of bloody

nowhere.

The speaker would speak, the

group would talk amongst

themselves, and repeat.

Speaker, talk, speaker, talk,

speaker talk. It was terrible.

It was an academic seminar

posing as a convening. It had

all of the accoutrement, butno sense of what we were

working on together. And

nothing creative happened in

those two days!

The facilitator lost the group

early on because he wasnt

demonstrating to them that

they were the experts in theroom and he wasnt. And once

he lost them, he still kept

pushing.



1 Overview

NOW, IMAGINE THIS INSTEAD

You receive an invitation to come to a convening. Its an issue youre

passionate about and it looks like youll able to make a real contribution.

You accept the invitation and youre well oriented in advance towards what

will be discussed, what the convening is trying to achieve, and theparticular value that you bring. Youre excited by the people youre about to

meet and connect with several of them beforehand.

Travel to the location is a pleasure. Logistics are smooth, and you evenmeet other participants during the journey, as if the universe wanted you tobe there.

When you arrive at the site, it has natural beauty that gives it a magical feel.Its as if time stops. You feel full of energy, excited about the task and ready

to dedicate your attention for the next few days.The organizers greet you with genuine warmth and immediately introduceyou to someone who shares your interests. You mingle with the crowd, andevery person you meet has fascinating stories and information to share.Youre already thinking about keeping in touch with them.

The agenda is a spacious mix of structured and unstructured time. Thelatter is often more productive than the former, as you engage with othersdirectly on the issues or take time to stroll and develop your own ideas.

The facilitator is conversant in the issues at hand and also skilled at groupdynamics and process. She knows when to push and when to step back.

The convening ends having achieved new alignment of perspectives, ashared goal, and clear next steps. With the support of a coordinator thegroup agrees to stay in touch and keep one another abreast of progress oncommitments made. You leave inspired by the groups momentum and the

sense of having begun something important.

You think to yourself, What would it take to create such a powerful

gathering again?

A convening triumph

9

PRACTITIONER VOICES

There were amazing people,

excellent facilitation, superb

ideas, unknown outcomes, a

task that mattered , and

expertise being tapped well.The location made a

difference: if it had happened

in a hotel ballroom in LA, it

would not have been as good.

We did a fishbowl with the

funder, an educator, and a

minister. We asked each to tell

a story about when they brokethrough a logjam, and how it

changed them. What they said

was amazing, and you could

hear a pin drop.

These people, from

neurotech and behavior

change, had never met. There

was real magic from them

being together for two dayswith a good design.

It was pure open space

entirely conversation. There

were really interesting people,

in the remarkable setting of

the Peace Palace in the

Hague.



1 Overview Convening dos and donts

10

DO make the invitation personal

DO choose a site that has charm andbeauty, ideally far from work

DOhelp the participants connect beforestarting the work

DO balance structured work with openspace and time for connection &reflection

DO give the group leeway to explore areasof interest when they arise

DO draw on the participants for

information, perspectives, and ideas

DONTsend generic invitations

DONTpick a venue just for its convenientprice and location

DONTprioritize productivity over the

need to first establish rapport

DONTover-engineer the agenda

DONTsteer conversation with a heavyhand just to keep to the schedule

DONTuse expert speakers as the only

authoritative voices in the room

These quick rules of thumb for creating powerful convenings, gathered from expert

practitioners, are a preview of whats to come. The guidebook expands upon these and other

best and worst convening practices in detail.



To convene or

not to convene

What outcomes can benefit from

convenings

Is convening the right tool for your work?

CONTENTS



2To convene ornot to convene

PRIMARYPURPOSES

12

The diagram below outlines how convenings might contribute to various components of RF

work: to influence, to develop foresight, to innovate, and to align and act. While any RF project

might be designed around more than one of these purposes, its important to have a primary

purpose driving the convening design. In addition to the primary purpose, every powerful

convening should help the participants build networks and share learning.

What outcomes can benefit fromconvenings

Build networksEngage a diverse group of participants, reflective ofdifferent facets of the problem. Help them connectwith one another, build trusting relationships, and

discover shared areas of commonality.

InfluenceShape the public conversation and the attitudes ofkey stakeholders by bringing together importantactors and thought leaders to discuss, improve,

and customize new concepts for their context.

Develop foresightAnticipate potential challenges and identifynew opportunities for intervention, bycollecting indicators of how the world is

evolving today and diverse perspectives aboutthe directions that it could take in the future.

InnovateExplore new approaches and enable creativedisruption by reframing, reimagining, orrecombining different elements andperspectives. Use these inputs to prototype

transformational new processes or services anddevelop ideas for their adoption and scale.

Align and actMobilize stakeholders in different parts of asystem to act in concert. Help build a sharedunderstanding of the system and the problem,develop consensus around a common vision,

align strategies around it, and support oneanother in the execution.

Share learningEnable participants to exchange information,expertise, and points of view in a form thatbenefits their individual and collective

practice.FUNDAMENTALS


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2To convene ornot to convene

13

Given a variety of options for advancing influence, innovation, foresight, and action (e.g., research/publication,

media events, inidividual capacity building), and given that convening places significant demands on time and

resources, its important to make informed decisions about when and how to bring people together.

As a first step, review your theory of change. Ask whether convening is the best tool for what you're trying to

achieve. Then, when strategic fit is clear, use the following set of considerations to determine if convening

gathering a diverse group of stakeholders for an in-person gathering of at least a half dayis the best tool.

Is convening the right tool for your work?

NO

Do you have the necessary resources (time, people): 1) ample time todedicate to the convening design and production process;2) convening facilitation, design and production support?

Is the issue ripe for making meaningful progress? Is there sufficient

energy around the issue to tip to a new level of insight or action?

When the issue is nascent, ill-defined and/or lacking critical mass,

focus on mapping the system and connecting players with shared

interests.

If not, consider other modes of engagement that make it possible

for key stakeholders to take part, such as short consultations,

interviews, or convening virtually. Note: Stakeholder engagement is

especially important for ALIGN and ACT.

When the purpose is not clear, focus first on deeper research and

framing. Be careful not to develop a too-rigid point of view. Leave

space for being informed by diverse perspectives in the future.

When the issue youre working on can just as easily be addressed

by individual actors, focus on supporting capacity for individual

action or 1-on-1 interactions. Note: Collective intelligence may be

especially important for INNOVATION/FORESIGHT.

If the work is better suited to shorter blocks of time (less than 2hours), consider convening virtually and/or adding a short focused

meeting to other events where key players are coming together.

Note: Shorter events may work for INFLUENCE.

If not, hold off until youve secured ample leadership capacity and

design/production team members, and consider more time and

cost effective alternatives for connecting the group e.g.,

conference calls, webinars, surveys, wikis, etc.

NO

NO

NO

Is an extended block of time essential to doing the work?

Does the purpose/opportunity call for collective intelligence?

NOCan the critical stakeholders be assembled?

NO

NOCan the purpose/opportunity be clearly articulated?

CONSIDERATIONS ALTERNATIVES

?

?

??

?

?

?

Do you need to be the primary convener? If other entities are holding a related convening, explore

partnerships. Note: Serving as primary convener may be especiallyimportant for INFLUENCE.?

CONTENTS


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Designing a

convening

The five components of convening design

Mapping stakeholders and engaging participants

Assessing group dynamics

Shaping the agenda

Understanding the issue and

creating a shared knowledge base

CONTENTS

Six stages

Process tools

Framing questions

Starting points

Creating a shared knowledge base: pull content from the

participants

Curating the experience

General guidelines

Choosing the setting

Defining the purpose

Why its important

How to do it

Choosing the number of participants


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3 Designing a convening

15

Once you have confirmed that convening is the best way to meet your goal , there is no

right way to design an experience. Every design challenge is unique and must be highly

customized to context. However, most situations will require attention to the following

components:

The five components of convening design

Assessing Group Dynamics

& Shaping the Agenda

Mapping Stakeholders &

Engaging Participants

Understanding the Issue

& Creating a Shared

Knowledge Base

Curating the Experience

Defining the

PurposeClarify the issue area andspecific goals to achieve.

Anticipate the differentengagement styles, internalalignments, and points ofdivision within the group. Thenshape an agenda using processtools that will tap their best

creative energy.

Identify the full range of stakeholderswhose interests the work needs toaddress, including broaderconstituencies. Then use those intereststo guide you to an appropriate numberof invitees with the right mix of

capabilities and perspectives. Usecommunications to extend youraudience and engage the broaderstakeholder community beforeand after the gathering.

Help the group collect andshare the information,perspectives, and historyrelevant to the topic. Designopportunities to share andrespond, both ahead of timeand in the room.

Create an experience forparticipants that leads to the

outcomes you care about, bothin the moment and after thegathering. Weave together thevenue, participants, agendacomponents, and content, tobuild an integrated whole.

RESOURCES

The Art of Convening.Craig and

Patricia Neal, February 2011.

Guidance on how to attend to

the overall emotional andpsychological subtleties of the

participants experience

throughout the process.

Adapted from Designing Strategic Conversations by Chris Ertel and Lisa Solomon (forthcoming).


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DEFINING THE PURPOSE

The purpose of a convening is its north star that orients all design choices: the participants

and setting you choose, the agenda you compose, and how you conduct follow-up and

evaluation. Here are some illustrative examples of the difference it can make:

Defining the purposeWhy its important

PRIMARYPURPOSES

Build networks AS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE:You might choose the participants from a group of people whowill need to work together seamlessly in the future. You mightthen design the agenda principally around building communityand sharing knowledge, with much of the dialogue shaped by theparticipants and a substantial portion leftunstructured forpeer-to-peer connection.

Influence AS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE:You might engage prestigious leaders as participants, and abroad set of stakeholders. Time in the agenda might be putaside for leaders and experts to share their point of view. Youmight invest heavily in knowledge creation ahead of time. Toadd significance, you might choose a setting with historic

meaning.

Develop foresightAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE:You might engage participants with a broad diversity ofperspectives and expertise. You might dedicate substantial time inthe agenda to exploring their views and constructing stories aboutthe future. To allow for expansive thinking, you might choose aremoved setting such as a retreat surrounded by natural beauty.

InnovateAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE:You might engage a small number of particularly creative-minded participants from a range of disciplines. You might thendesign the agenda to provide substantial time for co-creation, sonew ideas can emerge and take form. To preparefor that work,you might invest in building a shared understanding of theproblem and the system that surrounds it.

Align and actAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE:You might choose participants whose actions have a materialimpact on the system, and who are willing to collaborate. You mightinvest in managing group dynamics so that everyone feels like theyhave a stake in the work being done, and build a strong foundationfor collaboration by first developing a sense of community, thensharing knowledge about the nature of the problem.

Share learningAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE:You might choose participants who are engaged in similar orrelated practical work and will be interested in learning fromothers. You might design the agenda as an open space, whereparticipants propose their own topics and facilitate the discussion.And if the group is geographically dispersed, you might even holdthe convening virtually, to make it easier to attend.

FUNDAMENTALS


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DEFINING THE PURPOSE

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Given the importance of a convenings purpose in all decisions related to its design, execution,

and evaluation, how do you go about defining one?

Defining the purposeHow to do it

QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

Why do you want to bring peopletogether? What can you and theyachieve as a group that could not beachieved separately?

How will you know it has been asuccessful convening? What does

success look like? How clearlydefined is the target output? Whatdo you and the participants want toleave with?

STARTING POINTS

Review the theory of change for the larger initiative(s)that the convening is part of. Identify the specificelement(s) that this convening should advance, and anyother efforts within the initiative that it could connectwith.

Review the six typical convening purposes from Section2 and consider which could help you advance thoseelement(s): build networks, share learning, influence,develop foresight, innovate, and align and act.

Choose a primary purpose this convening shouldachieve and any secondary purposes. Consider how eachone will be reached over the course of the event.

Consider the outputs (whether tangible or intangible)that will be created by the end of the event.

Consider the additional indicators that you will be ableto use for demonstrating success during and

immediately after the event, 2-3 months afterwards, andsix months or more later. (See Section 5 for a list ofcommon indicators.)

As you work through the other aspects of the convening,return frequently to the stated purpose and considerwhether your design choices continue to serve itorwhether it should be adjusted based on newinformation.

WORKSHEET

See page 52 for a step-by-step

guide to developing and

expressing your convenings

purpose.


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MAPPING STAKEHOLDERS &

ENGAGING PARTICIPANTS

PRACTITIONER VOICES

People actually do want to

help other people think and

achieve things. They want

to contribute.

The participants must be

invested in creating ideasthat didnt exist before the

gathering.

Pick the size of the group based on the type of workthey need to do. (See the following page forguidelines.)

Choose people because they have an interest,expertise, or passion in the topic youre discussing,

not because of their title or organization.

Engage diverse constituencies(e.g., nationality,profession, org. type, or field) and perspectives (e.g.,political stance, upbringing, training, or worldview)appropriate for the work.

Seek participants who have something valuable tooffer, curious to learn new information, arecommitted to creating new ideas, and are capable ofengaging in dialogue with minimal ego.

Compose a group of people who will be excited tomeeteach other and who will collaborate well.Include some voices that are out of the ordinary.

Develop an understanding oftensions in the group(such as areas of disagreement or powerdifferentials) and shape a convening thatacknowledges and embraces them rather than acts

as if they arent present.

Who are your stakeholders, bothnarrowly and broadly speaking? Whatinterests and perspectives should bereflected at the convening? Who shouldbe invited?

What mix of characteristics will makefor a productive group?

What level of participation will berequired to reach the goal? What size ofgroup will enable it?

How might you engage them (e.g., give

input on the design, play a leadershiprole at the convening, help shape or acton next steps coming out of thegathering)?

What avenues of communication andstyles of engagement will be mosteffective?

In designing a co-creative event, it is critical to deeply understand the interests of key

stakeholders. Develop an intentional approach around who to engage and how to engage

them before, during and after the convening:

Mapping stakeholders and engagingparticipants

18

STARTING POINTSQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER


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MAPPING STAKEHOLDERS &

ENGAGING PARTICIPANTS

19

Choosing the number of participants

SMALLTEENS TO LOW TWENTIES

The largestideal size forintimate dialogue amongthe participants to buildtrust and achievebreakthroughs in how theyrelate.

MEDIUM

LOW THIRTIES TO HIGH FORTIES

The largestideal size forgenerative ideation where theparticipants all have thechance to build on oneanothers concepts.

Note: this is a good size for

many INNOVATION convenings.

LARGE

SIXTY TO EIGHTY

The largestsize at whichthere can be meaningfulexchange in plenary, thegroup can contribute to ashared task, and mostparticipants will have achance to meet one another.

Note: this is a good size for

many INFLUENCEconvenings.

While there are no hard and fast rules, here are some rough guidelines for assembling a

group thats a good size for your objective:


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ASSESSING GROUP DYNAMICS &

SHAPING THE AGENDA

Assessing group dynamicsSTARTING POINTS

Research the diverse learning styles andpersonalities of your audience, and designaccordingly.

Embrace this diversity. These different modesof learning and interaction are all important forgroup productivity. (See cartoon below.)

Provide time for individual reflection, groupwork, use of visuals, and other learning tools. Inour experience, most groups are made up of thearchetypes below; they all can and will makeimportant contributions if your process isdesigned well.

PRACTITIONER VOICES

Power dynamics are

incredibly important. The

challenging meetings that I

consider to have went well

all involved fruitfully

handling power

differences.

Illustration 1996 Global Business Network

QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

Is the group a groupi.e., do participants knowone another and see themselves as workingtoward shared objectives?

Where are the points of commonality,divergence, and tension?

How critical is community building to theconvening purpose and objectives?

20


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SHAPING THE AGENDA

21

Most well-designed gatherings follow patterns of convergent and divergent thinking and

activity. Here weve identified six common stages, each of which may have varying degrees of

importance depending on the convenings purpose:

Shaping the agendaSix stages

CONNECTION

DIVERGENCE

CO-CREATION

CONVERGENCE

COMMITMENT

Prioritize and refine what has been

created and note areas of remaining

divergence. Build towards a shared

overall understanding of the issue

and develop specific options for

action.

Give participants the space to spell out

their perspectives, identify the

similarities and differences among them.

Also, create opportunity to brainstorm

expansively about the topic at hand.

Welcome the

participants, give

them the opportunity

to connect with one

another on a

personal level, and

help them establish a

sense of group

identity.

Using the shared language and

divergent views as raw material,

work together on one or more

new outputs such as options,

designs, prototypes, solutions,

paths, plans, or principles.

Refine and finalize the

options, come to the

appropriate degree of

alignment and closure on

the issue, define the next

steps for the participants,

and choose a method of

staying accountable to

those goals.

SHARED LANGUAGE

Orient the group to the

substance of the

conversation: the state of

play, relevant history,

important facts, and other

shared understanding that

is foundational to the

work.

PRACTITIONER VOICES

A really great convening

makes the participants the

heroes. A lot of people think

that if they get a great

group together, they have to

have an amazing speaker to

inspire them. Id rather

draw the amazingness outof them.

Theres a metaphorical

campfire at every

convening: the source of

warmth. You want to make

sure you create that

campfire at the beginning

and return there regularly.


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SHAPING THE AGENDA

22

Each of the six stages of the agenda can be accomplished through the artful combination of

one or more structured activities (process tools), chosen and customized to fit the purpose of

the event. Here is a selection of tools to use in each stage, some of which fit in more than one:

Shaping the agendaProcess tools

CONNECTION

DIVERGENCE

CO-CREATION

CONVERGENCE

COMMITMENT

SHARED LANGUAGE

See the appendix

(pages 43-5) for

details on each tool

Structured go-around Group timeline Network-mapping Stand up, sit down Human spectogram

Asset mapping Appreciative inquiry World Caf

Asset mapping Appreciative inquiry

World Caf Facts and opinions Jigsaw Trade-show

presentations

Fishbowl Systems mapping

Human spectogram Appreciative inquiry World Caf Facts and opinions Jigsaw

Trade-showpresentations

Fishbowl

Breakout groups Rapid prototyping Scenario planning Dynamic planning

Systems mapping Open space

Jigsaw

World Caf Systems mapping Roleplaying Brainstorming Three horizons

Breakout groups Rapid prototyping

Dynamic planning Individual writing The gradients of

agreement Defining goals and

milestones Systems mapping

Systems mapping Open space Breakout groups Rapid prototyping Scenario planning

Brainstorming Roleplaying

PRACTITIONER VOICES

[A convening] is a dance

between joining and

differentiation. People can

only have a joining

experience for so long

before they need to

differentiate. And, for the

group to keep doing its

work, that differentiation

can only happen for so long

before there needs to be

some joining.

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SHAPING THE AGENDA

23

Shaping the agendaFraming questions

PRACTITIONER VOICES

You want clarity of

purpose, but also to

empower the community to

amend, adapt, and co-

create its own sense of

purpose.

If the purpose is

introspection, one has to

give people time for it. Ive

heard it said that

convenings should be a time

for the soul to catch up to

the body.

There is no easy recipe for how to shape a powerful convening agenda since convenings

are custom-designed to address a specific purpose, audience and issue. Start by deeply

considering the framing questions below and the design principles on the next page.

FRAMING QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of your convening and how might that impact how youshape the agenda? (E.g., if your purpose is innovation, there will be a focus on co-creation. If youre focused on action, ample time will need to be devoted to

convergence and commitment.)

Who are the participants? Do they know each other? How do they best learnand work together? What are their points of commonality and divergence? Howmuch tension will be there be in the room? Who will be natural allies?

How familiar are people with the issue? If its deeply familiar, what will make thisgathering fresh and exciting? Whatknowledge needs to be shared anddeveloped over the course of the convening?

Whatoverall experience do you want participants to have and how can the

agenda help deliver that experience?

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SHAPING THE AGENDA

24

Shaping the agendaStarting points

PRACTITIONER VOICES

You have to pay attention

to the fact that youre

initiating people into a new

belonging, and making that

feel really good. Its

fundamental to whether or

not the magic will happen

in the room.You need to give people

the sense that they can give

something of themselves

and truly contribute.

Without that youve missed

an opportunity to tap into

something fundamental in

the human spirit.

KEEP PARTICIPANTS AT THE CENTER

Facilitate participant ownership of the

convening. Plan for how each participant canmake a meaningful contribution, and design-inchances for them to start contributing early including by providing input to the agenda.

Serve multiple learning styles by mixing up themodes of interaction to include variation betweentextual and visual, analytical and emotional,creating and reflecting.

Engage participants whole selves by breaking upwork that is mental and analytical with activitiesthat are and creative and intuitive such asstorytelling, collage, or contemplation.

Plan to improvise. Have a strong agenda andexpect that it will need to be adjusted in real-timein order to meet the groups needs.

CREATE CONNECTIONS

Create experiences that offer the opportunity for

new relationships to be born. For example, thinkcarefully about which people to seat together atdinner.

When working on sensitive topics, invest extratime in establishing connection and trust amongthe participants, so that there is a safecontainer for the exchange of emotionallycharged perspectives.

Provide opportunities and information thatenable participants to connect in advance of theconvening.

ESTABLISH GROUND RULES

Discuss principles at the start for how the groupwants to interact.

Set norms with participants about when andwhen not to use cellular and internet connectionsover the course of the convening.

Establish how the conversation will be capturedand communicated beyond the room. Thatbegins with an agreement of how participants willshare what is said whether real-time, via socialmedia, or afterwards. It should also include adiscussion of any organized method of capturingand harvesting the insights.

PAY ATTENTION TO FLOW OF THE AGENDA

Balance structured and unstructured time.Leave plenty of time for one-on-one connection(e.g., meals and walks).

Balanceserious contribution with playfulness,fun and creativity.

Remember the importance ofbeginnings,transitions (from one activity to the next) and

closings.

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UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE &

CREATING A SHARED

KNOWLEDGE BASE

25

Productive collaboration requires the group to work from a shared foundation of information,

perspectives, and history relevant to the topic. It is often worthwhile to spend time collecting,

sharing, and responding to that content, both ahead of time and in the room.

Understanding the issue andcreating a shared knowledge base

STARTING POINTS

Interview knowledgeable participants beforehand and sharetheir perspectives as a pre-read to help get the group up tospeed.

Engage in collective history-telling and landscape-mappingfor the issue to give each participant the chance to have their

point of view heard early in the session and surface anypotential disagreements.

Research and share background information on unresolvedquestions when the participants would not know the full picturethemselves, or when there is not time to construct the picturecollectively.

Choose presenters for what they can contribute, and for theirability to stimulate conversation and advance understanding asfellow participants, not for their prominence or position.

Make sure all presentations are easy to follow. Encouragespeakers to connect with the participants by sharing theirpersonal experience, and to end their presentation with aquestion about something they dont yet know.

Provide ample time to absorb any material you send ahead oftime, but dont assume that anything other than the participantbios will be read by everyone. For non-native English speakers,it is especially helpful to include presentation material with thepre-reading.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

How does this discussion buildon the history of effort toadvance progress on the issue?

What knowledge of the topic is

shared by the group, what isknown only to some, and whatis unknown or not fully clear toanyone?

What perspectives aregenerally accepted and whereare the points of controversy?

What additional knowledgemight help provoke newinsight?

Who are the best sources ofinformation and perspectives?(The convener, theparticipants, additional

experts, or a combination?)

C i h d k l d b


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UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE &

CREATING A SHARED

KNOWLEDGE BASE

26

Creating a shared knowledge base:pull content from the participantsGENERAL APPROACH

Source: Visual Teams by David Sibbet, page 8.

The traditional use of content in a conference is described as apush model by David Sibbet in Visual Teams. He gives it thatterm because it puts the audience in the position of constantlyreceiving a pre-determined set of information, with the eventordered by the organizer and each sessions ideas ordered by the

speaker. While this is often the best format for conveying ideasfrom one person to many, it also offers very limitedopportunities for input and exchange, which creates resistancein participants and dampens their participation.

He recommends balancing the typical push approach with

pulling participation where the choices of what to discussand the content of the conversation are drawn out of theparticipants. This gives the participants a series of clear andfocused opportunities to add value to what the group wasgathered to accomplish.

EXAMPLE: THE IMPACT SOURCING CONVENING

When the Rockefeller Foundation set out to accelerate the field of impact sourcingin Africa, it took the approach of working with Monitor Inclusive Markets to gather

points of view from the fields leading actors and combine those with independentresearch to produce a whitepaper on the fields emergent form and direction.

A typical push approach might have been to commission the researchers to

collect information, publish a whitepaper, and then release it at an event where theleading actors were invited to hear it and ask questions.

Instead, the leading actors were all invited to a convening where they wereencouraged to comment on a draft of the research and provide specific input intothe fields boundaries, direction, and potential for growth. The event served to

weave tighter connections among the players, and the final whitepaper carried far

greater weight for including their input.

RESOURCES

Visual Teams: Graphic Tools for

Commitment, Innovation, &

High Performance. David Sibbet,

2011.

Shares best practices in using

visualization to provide teams

with a common language.

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CURATE THE EXPERIENCE

27

Curating the experienceGeneral guidelines

STARTING POINTS

Keep your desired experience top of mind at all timesduring the convening design and production process when engaging participants, crafting the agenda, framingthe content, and managing the logistics.

Account for how different participants may experiencethe event, including how the experience may shift overthe duration of the convening. Anticipate and be ready tomeet their needs.

Design the event to reflect a personality: the groups,Rockefellers, or the issues.

Make itmemorable. Create new and uniqueexperiences. Provide giveaways that will triggerparticipants memory of the convening in the future, and

give them a reason to tell a story about it to others. Produce materials that reflect the purpose and intended

feel of the gathering. For example, invest in high qualitydesign, use as many visuals as possible,and make anyprinted content stand out (such as through unusualpaper stock, size, binding, and bold color).

Select a venue that will enable the type of experienceyou want to create.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Whattype of experience do youwant to create? Intimate?Groundbreaking? Concrete? Whatwould you like to hear participants

saying about the event?

What type of experience will be agood fit with your purpose? Forexample, if your purpose isinnovation, you may want aconvening that feels disruptive.What might disruptive look like

across all components of conveningdesign and production?

How might the RockefellerFoundation brand be reflected inthe convening experience?

What spaces and activities cancreate such an experience?

All of the design and production work of a convening ultimately creates an experience for

participants that helps them contribute to the outcomes you care about, both in the moment

and after the gathering. Think of yourself as a curator weaving together the participants,

agenda components, and content, to create an integrated whole.PRACTITIONER VOICES

There should be a sense of

excitement that were

embarking on something

that mattersfor our

sector, our field, or our

country.

If Im developing an event,it doesnt have to be glitzy

and glamorous and high

production value. It has to

be on-brand, whatever that

brand is.

At first we were focusing

on logistics and plenary

speakers, but as the yearshave gone by, weve gotten

to focus on the smaller

details, which weve

discovered can be the most

important part of a

persons experience.

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CURATE THE EXPERIENCE

28

Location and surroundings of a convening have far more effect

on the groups productivity than is commonly believed. Here is

a checklist of qualities to consider seeking:

Curating the experienceChoosing the setting

PRACTITIONER VOICES

Meetings at convention

centers and hotels seem

easier to plan and get to

and but are literally more

difficult to squeeze

something good out of.

Creating space that isphysically and

psychologically welcoming

is hugely important to

creating positive

outcomes.

Dont underestimate the

value of beauty, especially

nature. Its not the fancyhotel that were at. Its that

someone put flowers on the

table that they brought

from their garden.

SOMETIMESVALUABLE

FREQUENTLYVALUABLE

ALWAYSVALUAB

LE

Natural light and access to outdoorsTo provide physical and mental energy

Uniqueness that the group will appreciateTo help the experience stand out, in the moment and in recollection

Ease of travel, whether centrally located or remoteSo participants have a smooth, non-stressful arrival and departure

Good acoustics

To promote sound projection so that everyone can be heard

Multiple roomsFor breakout groups or parallel sessions

Movable chairs and tablesFor easy setting and resetting of the space, such as from a single circle to small groups

Off-site, and perhaps even far awayTo separate participants from everyday concerns and allow for deep conversation

The opportunity for leisure, new experiences, and group outings nearby

For promoting connection within the group

Substantial open wall spaceFor graphic recording and working with flipcharts, where tape can be applied

Relevance to the purposeSuch as being in the home country of key participants, or the topics global hotspot

Multiple seating options (sofas, high chairs, caf tables, etc.)To promote an informal and open group conversation

Limited or no Internet connectivity

To promote particularly deep conversation & reflection

CONTENTS


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Producinga convening

Sample production timeline

Assembling a team

Choosing a facilitator

Tips on logistics

Typical project-length roles

Typical short-term roles

General guidelines

Ideal skills and competencies

4 S l d ti ti li


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4 Producing a convening

30

Producing a convening requires substantial advanced planning, and has to happen on a carefully

managed timeline. If a grantee is the convener, additional lead time will naturally be needed for

issuing an RFP and selecting a partner. Here is a rough timeline for a convening of ~80 people:

Sample production timeline

6 months EVENT

Assemble the team,find partners, and runRFP process (ideally at12 mos.)

Define the objectives(ideally at 12 mos.)

Brainstorm designideas

5 months 4 months 3 months 2 months 1 month12 to 9 months

Draft & circulate ahigh-level design

Begin research forpresentations & pre-reads

Gather and respondto design input

Continue researchfor presentations &pre-reads

Map stakeholders(ideally at 12 mos.)

Identify core invitees(including potentialpresenters ifneeded)

Interview coreinvitees (about theirinterests, availabilityto participate andothers to engage)

Issue core invites

Identify second-waveinvitees

Issue second-waveinvites (includingpresenters)

Identify backupinvitees & presenters

Request bios &special needs

Choose the date andlocation (ideally at12 mos.)

Contract with a localpartner (if necessary)

Issue RFP to hotels

Process travel visas

Choose venue (if nota hotel)

Choose a hotel

Research dinner andouting prospects

Contract with agraphic designer

Make dinnerreservations

Develop first draft ofouting agenda

Refine the design

Continue researchfor presentations &pre-reads

Contract for A/Vservices

Finalize outingagenda; beginarranging details

Print & ship simplepaper products(signs, flipcharts,handouts, nametags)

Assemble & shiptable supplies

Print complex paperproducts (e.g. biobook)

Work with venue onlogistics, setup, andcatering

Continue to refinethe design

Create first draft ofpresentations & pre-reads

Iron out microdesign (e.g.,facilitation guidelines)

Refine presentations& pre-reads

Create templatesand supportingmaterials

Finalizepresentations &pre-reads

Purchase air andground transport

Finalize outing details

AGENDA AND CONTENT

ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

LOGISTICS

Request remainingbios (if necessary)

Produce bio bookcontent

Recruit participantsto blog & tweetduring or after theevent

Request remainingbios & special needs

Finalize bio-bookdesign (if formal biobook is needed)

Issue backupparticipant andpresenter invites (ifnecessary)

Communicateimportant inforegarding travelreservations

Communicateimportant travel,logistical and prepinformation

Initiate any sharedonline space wherethe participants canconnect

Critical period when additional staffing will be needed

WORKSHEET

See page 56-58 for worksheets

on each of the three

workstreams.

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31

A convening team will often not require more than three or four members, but there are many

distinct hats to wear in the process. A typical set of project-length roles includes:

Assembling a teamTypical project-length roles

PRODUCER

Manage the budget, project productiontimeline, and on-site staff and logistics.

Ensure that the meeting design fits with theavailable space and logistical support.

Design for flawless logistics so that

participants can focus their energy on thework at hand and feel well cared for.

Manage all other production tasks (seeTips on logistics below).

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Communicate with participants before andafter, skillfully integrating social media.

Collaborate with Director to determine thebest post-meeting content deliverables.

Work with Producer on the editing andproofing of all deliverables.

Manage production of post-meeting

deliverables.

PROCESS FACILITATOR

Advise the Director in developing themeeting design.

During the event, run the process as definedby the Director.

If the meeting takes an unexpected turn,work with the group to improvise a

productive new course.

DIRECTOR

Conceptualize the intellectual program andagenda.

Coordinate all aspects of content and design.

Work directly with Producer to ensure

production/logistical support for meetingdesign and to determine additionalcontent/design staffing needs.

Collaborate with the CommunicationManager on pre- and post-meeting contentdeliverables.

WORKSHEET

See page 53 for a worksheet on

assigning these roles

4 Assembling a team


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32

A number of roles in creating a convening only require short-term or more episodic

involvement. They are:

Assembling a teamTypical short-term roles

CONTENT & DESIGN CONSULTANTS

Advise the Director and Producer onelements of the content and event design,such as in the initial conceptualization of theevent, event materials, and final deliverables.

RESEARCHER

Support the Director with research andmaintaining meeting design documentation.

Identify potential participants and speakers.

Develop the content and presentationmaterial with the Producer andCommunications Manager.

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

During the event, provide logistical support tothe Producer as needed.

(Rule of thumb: have one producer or production

assistant at the event for every 50 participants.)

LOCAL PRODUCTION PARTNER

Support the Producer by identifying, pricing,and arranging appropriate venues, vendors,transport, support staff, and other resourcesin the area where the convening is to be held.

(Helpful for planning an event that will be held in

another country.)

WORKSHEET

See page 53 for a worksheet on

assigning these roles

4 Choosing a facilitator


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33

Choosing a facilitatorGeneral guidelines

RESOURCES

The International Association of

Facilitators directory of

certified facilitators:

http://bit.ly/vAeAob.

Note: this and any other

directory should be used as a last

resort or a supplement to trusted

recommendations.

FINDING A FACILITATOR

Since youll need to have a high level of trust in the facilitator, youll be best served by recommendationsfrom trusted colleagues, or by having seen the facilitator in action.

There are directories of facilitators (listed on the left). If you choose to go this route, give yourself ampletime to vet and get to know candidates. Keep in mind that there is no standard credentialing for facilitation:being included in a directory or notdoes not have any bearing on the persons skill level.

ENGAGING A FACILITATOR

Involve the facilitator as early as possible in helping engage participants and shape the agenda.

HOW TO DETERMINE A GOOD FIT*

Skills and competenciesdoes the facilitator have the skills and competencies critical for your situation?(See the list on the next page.)

Values and characterdo you share agreement on what impact is desirable and how it should beachieved?

Working styledo you have similar taste in the level of structure you bring to the task?

Relationship chemistrydo you have smooth conversations and find it easy to make decisions?

Timingis the facilitator available at the time and place that is required? Also, be sure to consider theextent to which the facilitator may perform some of the front-end work designing the convening andengaging participants.

Costis the facilitators fee a match for your budget and sense of fair value?

* List adapted from The Change Handbook by Peggy Holman, Tom Devane, and Steven Cady, 2006. Page 38.

The convening facilitator plays a critical role in ensuring that the group can achieve its full

potential. Below are a few guideposts to assist you in finding and choosing a facilitator.

PRACTITIONER VOICES

A facilitator is at once the

most humble and most

confident person in the

room.

As a facilitator, difference,

diversity, and conflict is my

friend, not my enemy. Its

from difference that the

new thinking will emerge.

Its from clashes that new

power will be found. If

youre just being polite and

agreeable with everyoneelse, your opportunity for a

breakthrough is much

reduced.

4 d Choosing a facilitator
http://bit.ly/vAeAobhttp://bit.ly/vAeAob


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34

Choosing a facilitatorIdeal skills & competencies

Process experience and capabilities that specifically fit your convenings purpose. For

example, experience with futures thinking tools may be important when your purpose isdeveloping foresight.

Emotionally centered, confident, and humble, to ensure they're accurately measuring andmeeting the needs of the group.

Credible as a result of being conversant in the language and issues central to the conveningtopic.

Flexible enough to adjust during the convening.

Puts the group first, especially in challenging moments.

Neutral in engaging diverse perspectives on the topic; has excellent listening skills and wontpush his/her own agenda.

Balancescontrol and emergence, and therefore able to facilitate focused dialogue and workwhile giving the group ample space to take the conversation where they want to.

Attunedto participants diverse cultural outlooks and perspectives.

Capable ofprobing gently to encourage full participation, draw out underlying beliefs andpromote mutual understanding.

A capable user of a wide range ofprocess tools, both in the advance design and in the moment.

Skilled atstorytelling and real-time synthesis.

Good atpreparing the group for the upcoming stages of work so that they know what to expect.

* List adapted from The Change Handbook by Peggy Holman, Tom Devane, and Steven Cady, 2006. Page 38.

A good facilitator should have many of the following skills and competencies:PRACTITIONER VOICES

A facilitator should have a

ferocious concentration on

the quality of the humanexperience, on clarifying

and aligning around the

purpose, and making that

as participative a process

as it can be.

Great facilitation pays

attention to the whole

being: spirit, soul, mind,and body. People have

different emphases.

No matter how much prep

you do, and how much you

think you know the group,

groups react in

unpredictable ways. A

facilitator who can change

everything on the fly,

without making it seem

chaotic and disorganized,

has real skill.

4 P d i i Tips on logistics


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35

Skillfully producing a convening benefits from the judgment that comes with experience. Here

are some guidelines offered from seasoned producers (and note that, as with effective

convenings in general, executing on these tips takes time to do well):

Tips on logistics

Use a local partner: When producing a

convening abroad, its invaluable to work with alocal event production company that is wellconnected with local vendors. Those that aremedium-sized (staff size of approximately eight)are typically the best balance of being largeenough to handle the work but small enough totreat it with care.

Shop around for the venue and

accommodations: To get the best price on a

hotel, put out an RFP out to 3-5 venues, negotiatewith them, and visit in person if possible. Aprofessional meeting producer will often be moresuccessful at securing the best value.

Discover participants needs: When you get apositive response from an invitee, follow up with arequest for not only their bio but also any relevantinformation about their particular needs, e.g.,meal preferences, translators, and any other

information that will be helpful for meeting theirneeds and/or integrating their experience into theagenda.

Provide good food:The basics are essential toproductivitycoffee, tea, water, breakfast orlunch as appropriate, and snacks. Ideally, foodshould be available at all times, and should bechosen to be high-quality and healthy. Avoidswings in physical and mental energy by

minimizing heavy main dishes, sugary snacks, andcarbohydrates.

Provide ample table supplies: Anticipate

the participants needs and support theagendas activities by providing ample table

suppliespens, paper, sharpies, large stickies,voting dots, flipcharts, and easels. For a touchof playfulness, include fidget toys such as

silly putty, slinkies, Legos, stress balls, oranything else that people can manipulate withtheir hands.

Check on connectivity: Establish how

strong and reliable the Internet and cellularconnections are at the site, and work with theDirector to make sure that the design can workwithin those constraints.

Make backup plans: Anticipate how tohandle any potentially disruptive outsideforces, such as unusually bad traffic, weather,or shipping delays.

Site-related logistics: Make sure all theparticipants have the information they need totravel to the location and find their wayaround.

PRACTITIONER VOICES

Make it easy for people tobe there. Make it feel like

the universe is aligned with

them coming, at this time,

to do this thing.


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Assessing

and learningfrom convenings

Designing a convening assessment

Common indicators of convening impact

CONTENTS

5Assessing and learning Designing a convening assessment


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5g g

from convenings

37

Rockefeller convenings are part of larger efforts to change complex systems. Assessing that

work is challenging since causality is hard to assign and the time horizons required for change

are long. Assessing the impact of an isolated convening within a broader systems change effort

is a similarly difficult proposition. Here are some guidelines on how to track and reflect on

what has worked:

Designing a convening assessmentPRACTITIONER VOICES

The one way I judge in the

instant is body language.

You read people.

Things that produce deepand lasting change you

wont be able to see

quickly.

Often people really

overestimate whats

possible in a convening!

You need to dial back, be

realistic, and get people to

recognize that groupprocess is slow.

STARTING-POINTS: DESIGNING AN ASSESSMENT

Design the assessment plan at the start ofthe work, in tandem with defining theconvening purpose and intended outputs

Identify where the convening fits within a

broader theory of change and plan for action

Assess multiple timesimmediately after aconvening, 2-3 months after and 6+ monthsafter

o Emphasize learning, action, and lastingchange over simply the transfer ofinformation, since convenings often plant

seeds for the future

o Focus on meaningful contribution towardimpact, rather than attribution

Capture and share what is learned, adding toinstitutional learning about holding effectiveconvenings, as well as programmaticlearning

STARTING-POINTS: SHORT-TERM FOLLOWUP

Survey the participants at or immediatelyafter the event, and ask questions that diginto the quality of the experience andparticipants satisfaction with the

investment of their time. Be ascomprehensive as you can without over-taxing their attention span. If the event ispart of a series, keep as many questionsconstant as possible for longitudinalcomparison.

Debrief the process with all the organizersin a way that is open and honest, and capturedetailed notes for how to improve theprocess in the future, for this specific groupor for convening production in general.

Follow up personally with the participantsand any key stakeholders after enough timethat they can start to see what value theconvening produced for them, which is oftenat 2 to 3 months. A phone call is more likelyto get a thoughtful response than an email.

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5g g

from convenings

38

Different aspects of a convenings impact can be measured at different intervals after the

event. Every convening serves a different contextual purpose, so there can be no single

standard, but the list below is a starting place for what indicators are often relevant.

Prior to the convening, be sure to gather data on participant expectations what they say

want to get out of the gathering and integrate into your indicators of impact.

Common indicators of convening impactPRACTITIONER VOICES

Our scenario work in East

Africa seems to be behaving

a bit like a wine, maturing

with time. People will comeback occasionally and say:

You know, those things you

said about 7 or 8 years ago,

are now recognized in the

common vocabulary.

Be realistic about the

goalposts: not every

convening will achieve

breakthrough results.

CONVENING

DURING & IMMEDIATELY AFTER 2-3 MONTHS 6+ MONTHS

Level of participantengagement

Strength ofcommunity (e.g.,new connections established;level of trust)

Extent to which participantsenergized and motivated toact (e.g., commitment ordemonstrated willingness to

take part in follow-onactivities)

Level ofknowledgeextracted from what wasdeveloped during theconvening

Tangibility and usefulnessoutputs (e.g., a newprototype or protocol) and

concreteness ofnext steps

Levels of ongoingcommunication and otherinformation flow amongparticipants (e.g., listservactivity)

Level ofknowledge appliedthat was developed during theconvening

Progress made on next steps

articulated at convening

Continued work on the outputs

Extent to which participantsinitiate new projects oractivities inspired byconvening

Emergence of newcollaborations among

participants who connected atthe convening

Same as 2-3 months after, plus

Whether the convening isviewed as making an importantcontribution to:

Shifts in the public discourse

New tools or services beingdeveloped

Stronger performance by

organizations and groupsworking in the system

Progress on desired field-leveloutcomes

Note on timeframe: many of

these indicators may not be

visible until several years after

the convening

CONTENTS


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Frequentlyasked

questions

How do grantmaker/grantee dynamics affect the convening, in

terms of those organizing the event and participants?

What process tools can I use to build the agenda?When and how do I use graphic recording?

How do I use communications and other tools to ensure follow-

through?

How can convenings help create and develop formal networks?

How do I issue a compelling invitation?

When should I use a virtual convening space instead of meeting in

person?

How do I engage people who are not in the room?

How do I effectively manage breakout groups?

6 Frequently asked questions When should I use a virtual convening


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6 Frequently asked questions

40

Virtual meeting spaces are very flexible and are naturally suited for speeches, seminars, training courses, or

meetings of far-flung teams and already-established networks. But while online gatherings may sound easier,

they pose challenges to achieving that sense of community and high interactivity which give convenings their

special feel. Here are some guidelines for how to use virtual space well:

When should I use a virtual conveningspace instead of meeting in person?PRACTITIONER VOICES

Virtual work is great for

planning and transactional

exchanges, and even

designing an object. But if

youre trying to build trust, I

dont know how you get

around being there [in

person].

If theyre good, online

communities can

meaningfully connect people.

CONDITIONS FOR CONVENING VIRTUALLY:

The participants have at least moderatecomfort with socializing online

The participants all have sufficientconnectivity for easy participation

There are too many people to gather in

person

The urgency is high enough thatorganizing an in-person meeting wouldtake too long

There are participantavailabilityissues, they lackresources, or there aresome other hard constraints whichprevent meeting in person

VIRTUAL CONVENINGS VS. VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES:

A virtual convening is a one-time gathering for a specificpurpose, whereas a virtual community is an ongoing meeting-place where a group can meet repeatedly and for a variety ofpurposes.

One example of virtual convening would be for a group of 30

content experts to provide input into scenario planningthrough a time-bound conversation on a mailing list, with astrong facilitator to lead and structure the conversation.

By contrast, an example of a virtual community is SocialEdge, asite hosted by Skoll Foundation where participants in thethousands converge to read and discuss content connected to acertain broad-based set of current affairs.

IF

IF

RECENT EXAMPLE: THE CASE FOUNDATIONS MILLENNIAL DONOR SUMMIT

When the Case Foundation wanted to highlight the latest trends in giving and engagement by

the Millennial generation, it considered both in-person and virtual options for bringing

together about 1,000 of its target audience of executives across sectors. Both formats would

have served its goal of broadening the dialogue around the second annual Millennial Donor

Survey, but Case felt it was especially important to involve individuals from a wide range of

backgrounds and industries who might not have been able to participate otherwise. For the

complete details on the lessons they learned, see:

Your Virtual Seat Awaits: Key Takeaways from Planning and Executing a Virtual Convening,

available at http://bit.ly/tQAZC9.

IF

IF

IF

TOOLS

Go2Meeting, Adobe ConnectPro, or FreeScreenSharing for

webinar-style sharing of slides,

video, and live demos during

conference calls

MeetingWords for making real-

time notes captured visible

WikiSpaces for co-creation of

content in a wiki format

WordPress or Blogger for

publishing blog posts and

getting comments over time

Google Groups or Yahoo!

Groups for discussion over time

using email

Ning or the groups feature of

Facebook or LinkedIn for

discussion over time in the

setting of a social network

6 Frequently asked questions How do I issue a compelling invitation?


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6 Frequently asked questions How do I issue a compelling invitation?

41

PRACTITIONER VOICES

The more personal the

invitation, the better.

People show up for people.

One has to compellinglyinspire participants to

invest their time.

The essential and often-

overlooked quality to make

an invitation effective is

sincerity No matter what

the form, an effective

invitation is extended withgenuine hospitality,

generosity, and conviction.

COMPOSITION: DELIVERY:

Tailor the communicationbased on the cognitive andemotional impactyou wantto make on that individual,e.g., giving them hope for theoutcome, giving a chance tomake a difference, or givingthem exposure to an elitegroup.

To lay the groundwork for acollaborative atmosphere,ask people to come becauseof their background,capabilities, and interests asindividualsnot because of

their position or becausethey represent a particularorganization.

Use language that ispersonal, direct, warm,and speaks to the person asan important relationship,whether existing or new.

Make the convenings

objective clear andposition it as part of thelarger objectives that itserves.

Word the topic as one ormore questions ratherthan general issues, topics,or problems, to suggestthere will be something todevelop and explore.

Trust that people will wantto contribute: emphasizenot what the person willgain but what they have tooffer to the work.

Convey the invitationthrough existingrelationships whereverpossible, since a personalappeal will be considerablymore effective.

Use a combination of in-person, phone, email andhard-copy invitations. Onetype can be used to followup on the other.

Give the invite an eye-catching design thatconnects to the topic and ispart of the style for the restof the materials.

The first function of the invitation is to attract participants to come; for those who accept, it

is also the beginning of their experience. Here are some general guidelines for making it

effective:

GENERAL APPROACH:

6 Frequently asked questions How do grantmaker/grantee dynamics


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42

STARTING POINTS

Stay in touch with the conversation happening inthe field and choose the topic of a convening basedon listening to what the field needs.

Find partners for designing and facilitating theconvening who are seen by nonprofits as respectedand neutral, and can skillfully help you play aproductive role.

At the opening of the convening, acknowledge yourposition as a funder and describe the role you

intend to play in the convening.

Be fully transparentabout your and Rockefellersmotivations, goals, and perspectives, while alsoworking within the chosen role.

Speak personally and authentically throughoutthe event, offering reflections from both the heartand the mind. Do not observe without participating.Participants need a view into your opinions.

Be open about any grantmaking conversations

that need to happen at the event by making a publicannouncement of when and how they will occur.Make time for them, but keep them separate fromthe rest of the convening.

How do grantmaker/grantee dynamicsaffect the convening, in terms of thoseorganizing the event and participants?

PRACTITIONER VOICES

[As a funder] you need to

have a good balance of

listening and contributing.

You want to let leadership

emerge by listening but

need to talk enough to let

people know where you

stand.

[Convening is about]

creating safe space for

people to tell their truth.

When a foundation is

sponsoring this space, the

problem around safety and

truth telling becomes

harder to deal with because

people want somethingfrom a foundation. They

gauge what theyre saying

to what the foundation

thinks they want to hear.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

How can you contribute to creatingthe environment for an authenticconversation?

What role(s) will you play at theconvening? Whats most appropriaterole given the purpose of the

convening? (E.g., emcee may be agood fit if your purpose is toinfluence, while participating as apeer may be well suited forconvenings focused on stakeholderalignment and action.)

How will you address and manageexpectations around grantmaking

associated with the convening?

6 Frequently asked questions What process tools can I use to build the


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A wide range of process tools can be used to compose the agenda. Here is a selected list, each

of which can be used in one or more phases of the event as shown in the diagrams on the

right, with more detail available in the sources listed on the following line:

43

What process tools can I use to build theagenda? (1 of 3)

Structured go-around: participants taketurns sharing introductions (clockwise

around a circle, tossing a beanbag, or

popcorn-style).

Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making.

Sam Kaner et al., 2007. Pp. 101, 146-7.

The World Caf:participants rotateamong small groups to discuss the topic,

building on the previous conversation and

sharing the results in plenary.

For a summary, see page 179 of The Change

Handbook by Peggy Holman et al. in 2006. For the

original book, see The World Caf by Juanita Brownand David Isaacs in 2005.

Appreciative inquiry: participantsinterview each other about the strengths

of the community or field.

The Change Handbook. Peggy Holman et al. (2006),

pp. 73.

Asset mapping:participants from an

existing community build mutualunderstanding of one anothers

capabilities and needs, to find ways to

support one another.

Community Summits.The Change Handbook.

Peggy Holman et al. (2006), pp. 365. For the original

theory, see Building Communities from the Inside

Out, by John Kretzmann and John McKnight.

Human spectogram: describe twoopposing perspectives that form a

spectrum, and ask participants to line up

along it to show where they stand.

Human Spectogram. The Knowledge Sharing

Toolkit. http://bit.ly/rFkmYM.

Stand up, sit down:have the groupstand or sit to show a series of answers to

questions about background.

Stand Up Sit Down.Teampedia.

http://bit.ly/rHkUQf.

Network-mapping:visually map therelationship connections among the

participants.

How Networked Nonprofits Visualize Their

Networks. Beths Blog, January 25th 2011.

http://www.bethkanter.org/network-mapping/.

Group timeline: participants placethemselves on a visual timeline of the

groups previous work.

Visual Teams: Graphic Tools for Commitment,

Innovation, and High Performance. David Sibbet,

October 2011. Pp. 101-102.

NAME PHASE(S) NAME PHASE(S)

Connection

Connection

Connection

Connection

Connection and

divergence

Connection and

shared language

Connection, shared

language, and

divergence

Connection, shared

language,

divergence, and

convergence

RELATED POINTS

Description of the six stages of

the agenda: page 21

6 Frequently asked questions What process tools can I use to build the
http://bit.ly/rFkmYMhttp://bit.ly/rHkUQfhttp://www.bethkanter.org/network-mapping/http://www.bethkanter.org/network-mapping/http://www.bethkanter.org/network-mapping/http://www.bethkanter.org/network-mapping/http://bit.ly/rHkUQfhttp://bit.ly/rFkmYM


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44

What process tools can I use to build theagenda? (2 of 3)

Rapid prototyping: identify pain points,generate potential solutions, and flesh

them out into plans for a testable

prototype.

The Monitor Institute innovation toolkit for

philanthropy: http://bit.ly/w4Guww.

Scenario planning:participantscontribute a range of perspectives about

how the issue could evolve in the future in

unexpected ways and construct narratives

of the divergent possibilities.

What If? The Art of Scenario Thinking for Nonprofits.

By Diana Scearce, Katherine Fulton, and the Global

Business Network Community. 2004. Available for

download at: http://bit.ly/rDRiGz.

NAME PHASE(S) NAME PHASE(S)

Facts and opinions: create a separatelist of facts and opinions about the issue

in order to get information on the tablequickly.

Facilitator's

the art and science of effective convenings

Documents