The Art of Gathering

Parker resists the notion that once an event has been planned and commenced, it can run on autopilot. Instead, she insists that hosts must see themselves as responsible for creating an open atmosphere that focuses on guests. She offers an innovative “15 Ways to Make a Conference—Or any Kind of Gathering—Suck Less,” which in actuality is one distinct method called 15 Toasts, named after the number of participants the first time Parker utilized the technique (193).

She chastises events like the World Economic Forum which she claims are filled with “show-off sessions” that are “superficially intellectual” (194). Parker herself was chosen to co-create a WEF planning conclave in the United Arab Emirates; surrounded by an illustrious, international group of executives, activists, journalists, and other professionals, she set out to rein in everyone’s ego. Instead of standard business introductions, she invited people to give a personalized toast on the theme of “a good life” (196). To encourage engagement, she instituted the lighthearted pop-up rule that the final participant would have to sing their toast. She notes that the spontaneous spirit of the 15 Toasts made people comfortable enough to share intimate and even vulnerable stories—including Parker herself, who told the story of getting her first period.