What kind of leadership helps build resilient communities and create change? Transitioners and others from around Northern California met to explore that question at the Art of Hosting conference in Petaluma June 8-10. Hosted by Transition US, the conference drew 60 activists and professionals from Transition, permaculture, education, health care, youth action, and other disciplines.

The art of hosting is a set of ideas and methods for leadership in the face of challenges that are truly complex. When you’re tackling a problem like coming together on climate change or building resilient communities, a hierarchical leadership model just doesn’t work. Instead, leaders and facilitators need to “host” the stakeholders, inviting them to the conversation and establishing the right conditions for full participation.

Victoria Armigo, William Mutch, Barbara Weinstein, Eitan Fenson, and Alice Gardner all attended the conference. If you’d like to learn more, contact any of us, or check out http://www.artofhosting.org/.