The Joy of Gathering - James Giroux  ## Metadata - Author: [[James Giroux]] - Full Title: The Joy of Gathering - James Giroux - Category: #articles - Document Note: # Title: Strategies to Revitalize WordPress Meetups Post-COVID --- tags: #WordPressMeetups #PostPandemicMeetups Author: The AI Source: OpenAI Reference: N/A --- ## Table of Contents: - Summary - Main Content - Notes on the Current Meetup Format - Implementing Priya Parker's Principles - Suggestions for Innovative Meetup Formats - Practical Tips for Organizers - References ## Index Creation: - Purpose & Authenticity - New Meetup Formats - Curating Guest List - Creating Rituals ## 📝 Summary: This article delves into revitalizing WordPress meetups post-COVID by focusing on purpose, intentionality, and innovative formats inspired by Priya Parker's 'The Art of Gathering'. Practical tips for organizers are provided to create engaging, meaningful gatherings that foster connections. ## 📖 Main Content: The article examines the traditional meetup format, applying Parker's principles, offers novel meetup formats, and presents practical tips for organizers, emphasizing the importance of purpose, authenticity, dynamic formats, curated guest lists, and meaningful rituals. ### 🗒️ Notes: - Current meetups often follow predictable patterns - Importance of being authentic and fostering genuine connections - Novel meetup formats for engaging interactions - Curating diverse guest lists enhances discussions - Rituals add structure and meaning to the gatherings ## 📖 References: No references specific to the content in the article. ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: Traditional WordPress meetups can be transformed into authentic spaces where engagement drives connections by following Priya Parker’s principles. Innovative formats like small group discussions, storytelling, and fishbowl discussions can create dynamic interactions. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Novel meetup formats enhance participant engagement - Curating guest lists influences the quality of discussions - Incorporating rituals contributes to the meaningfulness of meetups ### 📊 Methodology: - Conduct surveys to gauge participant satisfaction with new formats. - Analyze attendee demographics to optimize guest list curation. - Track attendee feedback on rituals to assess their impact. ### ❓ Questions: - How can the WordPress community adapt to new meetup formats effectively? - What role does participant diversity play in the success of meetups? - How can the implementation of meaningful rituals improve the meetup experience? ### 🔮 Future Research: Exploring the long-term impact of novel meetup formats on community engagement and knowledge sharing could provide insights for sustainable meetup strategies post-COVID. ### 💡 Implications: Implementing purpose-driven, authentic, and engaging strategies for meetups can potentially revitalize the WordPress community by fostering deeper connections and meaningful interactions. ### ✅ Logical validity: The article logically presents considerations for organizing impactful meetups using relevant concepts like authenticity and purpose, underlining the importance of participant engagement and experience. ## 🎯 Conclusion: Revitalizing WordPress meetups post-COVID involves integrating purpose-driven, innovative approaches, curated guest lists, and meaningful rituals to create authentic spaces that foster genuine connections and engagement. - Document Tags: [[meetup]] [[wordpress]] - Summary: This article explores revitalizing WordPress meetups post-COVID with purposeful planning and innovative formats. It suggests creating engaging gatherings that foster genuine connections and collaboration. By focusing on intentionality and authentic interactions, meetups can become powerful spaces for community growth and innovation. - URL: https://jamesgiroux.ca/the-joy-of-gathering/  #### Summary Inspired by Priya Parker’s ‘The Art of Gathering,’ this article explores how the WordPress community can revitalize meetups post-COVID by focusing on purpose, intentionality, and innovative formats. It offers practical tips for organizers to create more engaging, meaningful gatherings that foster genuine connections and collaboration. I’m gearing up to attend the first-ever [WordCamp Canada](https://wptavern.com/wordcamp-canada-wceh-announces-call-for-speakers-sponsors-volunteers) later this week. It’s a lovely season of in-person gatherings coming very soon after [WordCamp Europe](https://jamesgiroux.ca/11-reasons-why-the-future-of-wordpress-is-bright/). I’ve also recently been made a lead of our local WordPress community. We haven’t had a gathering in a while, and I’m excited to kickstart meetings there. I’ve been inspired lately by Priya Parker, who wrote a book called “[The Art of Gathering.](https://www.priyaparker.com/book-art-of-gathering)” In it, Parker discusses how the true value of any gathering lies not in its size or extravagance but in its purpose and the authenticity of the interactions it fosters. She encourages us to be deliberate about why we bring people together and how we can create environments where participants feel genuinely connected and engaged. I wonder what could happen if we applied Parker’s thinking to our WordPress gatherings. Our meetups and events have always been crucial in building connections, sharing knowledge, and driving innovation. However, as we move back to in-person gatherings post-COVID, there has not been the same enthusiasm in all places as there was before. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to rethink how we organize these events. Applying Parker’s principles, maybe we can transform WordPress gatherings into spaces where intentionality drives engagement and fosters meaningful connections. We can rediscover the joy of gathering that was such a hallmark of WordPress in the past. #### Rethinking WordPress Meetups Because of this new hat I’m wearing, I’ve been looking at how we can breathe new life into our WordPress meetups. Many of our traditional meetups have fallen into predictable patterns despite their value. We often follow a standard format: a presentation, a Q&A session, pizza, and some networking time. While these elements are important, they can sometimes lead to a lack of engagement and a sense of routine. Attendees might feel like passive participants rather than active contributors, which diminishes the event’s overall impact. Imagine wiping the slate clean and reimagining WordPress meetups from scratch. Instead of sticking to the old formats, we explored new ways to gather that prioritize meaningful interaction and authentic connection. Imagine breaking free from the constraints of tradition and designing meetups that truly resonate with the community. At the heart of this reinvention is authenticity. If I’m honest with you, right now, I just want to get together with a few folks in my neighbourhood who also like WordPress and chill with some coffee. I’m not so interested in learning anything about the platform as I am in getting to know the folks who are still around. I wonder if my feelings about meetups are similar to those of other folks. Have we gone from being too loose to too organized? Is there perhaps a middle ground that would give us the best of both? Can we be both authentic and valuable to our local communities? Authentic gatherings are places where participants feel comfortable being themselves, sharing their experiences, and connecting on a deeper level. To foster this, we must create environments that encourage openness and vulnerability and where attendees feel valued and heard. By focusing on creating authentic spaces, we can transform our meetups into powerful experiences that foster genuine connections. This is our opportunity to move beyond routine and embrace the potential of intentional gatherings within the WordPress community. #### Meaningful Gatherings Start With Purpose Every successful gathering starts with a clear and compelling purpose. Priya Parker emphasizes the fundamental importance of understanding and articulating the “why” behind a meeting. For our WordPress meetups, this means moving beyond generic objectives and identifying specific goals. Are we aiming to share the latest developments in WordPress, foster networking among developers, or brainstorm solutions to common challenges? By clearly defining the purpose, we can design our events to meet these goals and ensure that every aspect of the meetup aligns with this central objective. I’ve seen this happen in some meetup settings where, over the months, a different theme is selected. To put this into practice, we could start each meetup with a brief introduction that explains the purpose and desired outcomes. This would set the tone and help attendees understand what to expect and how they can contribute. A well-defined purpose would guide the event’s structure and create a sense of shared mission among participants. When I was at WordCamp Europe, the clear definition of what the Marketing team would be working on made it easy to get involved. We had no room to flounder aimlessly, so we got much more done than we might have otherwise. #### Why Not Try A New Format? Traditional meetup formats often involve a series of presentations followed by networking sessions. While informative, these formats can sometimes limit interaction and engagement. To create more dynamic and meaningful gatherings, why not experiment with different formats that encourage participation and deeper connections? I asked Chatty (ChatGPT) to help me out with a few ideas for meetup formats that could be fun to try; here’s what they came up with: * **Small Group Discussions**: Breaking attendees into smaller groups to discuss specific topics or challenges. This allows for more intimate and focused conversations. * **Workshops and Hands-On Sessions**: Interactive workshops where attendees learn and apply new skills can be highly engaging and practical. * **Open Forums**: Creating spaces where attendees can propose and lead discussions on topics they are passionate about. This can lead to spontaneous and lively exchanges of ideas. * **Speed Networking**: Similar to speed dating, this format allows attendees to have short, timed conversations with multiple people. It’s a great way to quickly meet many community members and identify potential collaborators or mentors. * **Unconferences**: An unconference is a participant-driven meeting where the agenda is created by the attendees at the start of the event. This format allows for spontaneous and highly relevant discussions on topics that matter most to the participants. * **PechaKucha Nights**: In this format, speakers present 20 slides for 20 seconds each. This keeps presentations concise and fast-paced, making them more engaging and allowing for more presentations within a limited time. * **World Café**: This format involves rotating small group discussions on specific topics. Attendees switch tables periodically, allowing them to contribute to multiple conversations and meet more people. * **Hackathons**: Organize meetups where attendees work collaboratively on projects or solve problems over a few hours or days. This hands-on approach can foster teamwork and produce tangible outcomes. * **Fishbowl Discussions**: In a fishbowl discussion, a few participants sit in a circle (the “fishbowl”) and discuss a topic while the rest of the group observes. Participants from the outer circle can join the fishbowl, creating a dynamic and inclusive discussion. * **Silent Meetings**: Borrowing from the concept of silent retreats, attendees communicate through writing or digital tools rather than speaking. This can be particularly effective for brainstorming sessions and allows introverted participants to contribute more comfortably. * **Interactive Storytelling**: Invite attendees to share their WordPress journey or experiences through storytelling. This format can be deeply personal and create strong emotional connections among participants. Some of these sound really fun and interesting. Have you ever tried anything like this in your WordPress meetup? How did it go? I’m kind of excited to try out the Fishbowl Discussions or Interactive Storytelling. I guess I’m just really eager to build solid connections with the people in my community who are as excited about WordPress as I am. Tommy, [a reader of my last post](https://jamesgiroux.ca/wordpress-has-a-rookie-problem/), commented that he found my writing “very general; there should be a part 2 with a more in-depth analysis.” With that in mind, I’ve spent some time thinking about what this could look like more practically.. #### Practical Tips for Organizers I am a huge fan of the American TV show Survivor. Over the years, I’ve been particularly impressed by one aspect: Tribal Council. For those who have not seen the show, the premise is rather interesting. A mix of ethnicities, genders, socio-economic statuses, and life philosophies are brought together on a tropical island, where they compete against each other to win 1 million dollars. Typically, the contestants are split into two teams competing against each other in the early part of the game to win immunity. The losing tribe must go to Tribal Council, where they must vote someone out of the tribe. As you can imagine, alliances form, lies are told, tricks are played, and feelings are hurt. This all comes out at Tribal Council. Right in the middle of all of this is the host, Jeff Probst. His role is to facilitate the conversation between the contestants, draw out their experiences for the audience, and try to reveal things that some may know and others may not. It’s fascinating. The audience knows pretty much everything: those who are scheming together, those who are innocent, and those who are following the others, biding their time. Seeing how they come together, knowing one of them won’t be returning, and how they engage in conversation—it’s a master class in social experimentation. Jeff’s excellence at guiding the conversation, pulling out thoughts and leading this intentional gathering is truly a facilitator’s master class. While we aren’t looking to build alliances or scheme our way to victory in WordPress, there is something to be said for how conversations and dynamics change the more intentional we get about our gatherings. ##### Curate the Guest List One of the most impactful aspects of any gathering is the people who attend. Priya Parker emphasizes the importance of curating the guest list to ensure the right mix of individuals is present. For our WordPress meetups, this means thinking strategically about who to invite to foster a dynamic and engaging environment. Here’s how I have approached it in past events: * **Diversity**: Aim for a diverse mix of attendees in terms of background, experience, and expertise. This diversity can lead to richer discussions and a broader range of perspectives. * **Engagement**: Invite individuals who are likely to engage actively and contribute meaningfully to the discussions. This includes both regular attendees and new faces who bring fresh insights. * **Balance**: Ensure a balance between different roles within the community, such as developers, designers, marketers, and business owners. This helps create a well-rounded conversation. I know this may seem a bit counterintuitive. I mean, we’re gatekeeping in a way. However, I have found that carefully curating attendees improves the experience for everyone. This doesn’t mean it always has to be this way; you can have open gatherings, too, but consider what could change as you become more intentional with your meetups. As a use case, at WordCamp Europe in Porto, I had a maximum capacity of 35 people at our event venue. We wanted an impact, so we prepared a full meal (sushi) instead of having the typical standing room with drinks and finger foods. We carefully selected folks to join us and had an amazing time. Three years later, folks still talk to me about how great that event was and how it was a highlight of their WordCamp. ##### Create Rituals Rituals are powerful tools that add structure and meaning to gatherings. They help create a sense of continuity and belonging, making each meetup feel special and memorable. Until WordCamp Porto, I had my own ritual of running a “Touristy Day” before the start of the event. I would invite all attendees to have a little fun and join me to see the sites in our host city if they couldn’t get into Contributor Day. Here are a few rituals I’ve found effective: * **Opening and Closing Circles**: Each meetup starts and ends with a circle where attendees can share their expectations and reflections. This creates a sense of closure and continuity. * **Welcome Newcomers**: Having a ritual for welcoming new attendees, such as a brief introduction or a special welcome message. This helps newcomers feel included and valued. * **Regular Features**: Incorporating regular features into our meetups, such as a “show and tell” session where attendees can share their latest projects or a “lightning talk” segment with short, focused presentations. * **Gratitude Rounds**: At the end of each meetup, go around the room and have each attendee share something they are grateful for that they experienced during the event. This fosters a positive atmosphere and helps attendees leave on a high note. * **Spotlight Sessions**: Dedicate a portion of each meetup to spotlight a community member’s work or project. This not only highlights individual contributions but also inspires others. * **Interactive Icebreakers**: Start with an engaging activity like a trivia game related to WordPress or a quick round of “Two Truths and a Lie” to help attendees get to know each other better. * **Community Wall**: Set up a physical or digital wall where attendees can post questions, ideas, or projects they need help with. Throughout the meetup, others can offer assistance or share their expertise. I once attended an Envato staff meetup in Denver, CO. As a remote employee, at the time, it was a way for us to connect and feel connected to the rest of the company. I remember suggesting at one point that we try to do a ritual that was quite common back at HQ, the stand-up. We all got into a circle and the idea was to share what we’re working on in a minute or less. What ended up happening was that it became a bit more of a gratitude round or sharing circle. People got vulnerable and in some cases, emotional, as we talked about how much we loved our work, our teams and how grateful we were for the opportunity to come together. You never know what will happen when you get people together, but having a few rituals or opportunities for interaction could unlock something very special. ##### Facilitate Interaction Finally, facilitating interaction is crucial for ensuring that meetups are engaging and everyone can participate. Here are some tips I’ve found effective: * **Icebreakers**: Starting with icebreaker activities to help attendees get to know each other and feel more comfortable. These can be simple games or discussion prompts. * **Small Group Discussions**: Using breakout sessions or small group discussions to encourage deeper conversations and allow everyone to participate. * **Active Moderation**: Actively moderating discussions to ensure that everyone has a chance to speak and that the conversation stays on track. Encouraging quieter attendees to share their thoughts and managing dominant voices. * **Feedback Loops**: Creating opportunities for attendees to provide feedback throughout the meetup. This can be done through quick polls, suggestion boxes, or open forums. I don’t expect everyone to be Jeff Probst or try to turn every meetup into a Tribal Council. Perhaps somewhere in the middle, there’s a space for us to move beyond passive leads who watch our events unfold to active facilitators steering them toward authenticity and connection. #### Final Thoughts One of the things I talk about a lot in my [Future of Team Podcast with Dee Teal](https://futureofteam.com/podcast/) is that leadership is intentional. I think that applies to our gatherings as well. We have many opportunities to move beyond the ‘default’ of meetups. If we were to think about our meetups the way Jeff Probst puts together a Survivor season, wouldn’t that be amazing? Beyond the alliances that would form, how cool would it be to see people interacting in different formats and seeing their strengths and ideas emerge? I encourage each of you to take these ideas and apply them to your next meetup. Think about why you’re gathering, who you’re inviting, and how you can foster authentic connections. It’s about more than just organizing an event; it’s about creating a space where our community can thrive, learn, and grow together. As we move forward, let’s embrace the opportunity to redefine our approach to meetups. Let’s create gatherings that not only share knowledge but also build deeper connections within our community. Imagine a future where every WordPress meetup is a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and genuine relationships. Let’s rethink our meetups, inspire our community, and create gatherings that leave a lasting impact. Together, we can make our WordPress community stronger and more connected than ever before. What do you think? **Author** James Giroux James is the CEO at Groundwork, a digital marketing agency and the co-founder of Future of Team. He is the former Director of Brand & Product Marketing at StellarWP of the Liquid Family of Brands and previously worked at Rocketgenius (makers of Gravity Forms) and Envato., The Joy of Gathering - James Giroux, James Giroux, 01j2yncbvnpy0gzjhnjn3nmaa4.