Hosts
How do you ignite a GROUP?
If we're to demand the time and energy of busy people at our breakfasts, then we have to make sure of two things: first that we have curated a really interesting, relevant group of guests; and secondly, that the culture and tone at the table themselves really works in everyone's favour.
Our exceptional team of volunteer Hosts and Connectors enable us to meet these twin priorities.
Who
When a group of individual brains are coordinated and function in harmony, the increased energy created through that alliance becomes available to every individual brain in the group.
Napoleon Hill, 'Think & Grow Rich'
You can be the architect of moments that matter.
Chip Heath, "The Power of Moments"
You think that because you understand "One" you must therefore understand "Two", because One and One make Two. But you forget that you must also understand "And".
Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi
A good listener is one who helps us overhear ourselves.
Yahia Lababidi
Why
We're seeking to create a space in which individuals with very different personalities, different lived experiences and different skillsets, can build rapport and trust in a short period of time. That's quite a challenge and it means the way in which we design and host our tables really matters.
How do you bring out the best in different personality types?
What makes for a great question that ignites new and useful thinking?
How do you hold the space in such a way that people feel psychologically safe and at ease?
What biases - conscious and unconscious - might ruffle the dynamic in a group?
How can you be at ease with emergent, unfolding, unpredictable processes?
These, and many more, are the issues that we have spent years studying and navigating so that we can train our Hosts and Connectors to run exceptional events.
Heritage
Just as the concept behind The Hot Breakfast is a riff on salons of old, so the design of our Breakfasts builds on the knowledge, wisdom and experience of a wide range of social scientists, philosophers and entrepreneurs.
In particular, our format draws upon:
