3 steps to turn everyday get-togethers
into transformative gatherings.
Priya Parker
1 Answer the questions:
1. What does an everyday gathering mean?
2. Why do people do gatherings?
3. What gatherings do you do? Which one is your favourite?
4. Do you have a set of rules at your gatherings (office, family, friend, social ones)?
2 Remember the words and phrases:
1. everyday get-togethers - повседневные посиделки
2. gatherings - встречи
3. atheist [ˈeɪθiɪst] - атеист
4. It doesn’t take a shrink to do sth - и не надо ходить к психиатру, чтобы …
5. in the field of conflict resolution - в сфере разрешения конфликтов
6. to facilitate dialogues - способствовать налаживанию диалогов
7. despite all odds - несмотря ни на что
8. with integrity - честно, добросовестно
9. to fall flat - idiom - не удаваться, звучать неуместно
10. facilitator - посредник, координатор, куратор, помощник, фасилитатор
11. to strip everything away - всё отбросить
12. canapé [ˈkænəpeɪ] - канапе
13. to start with an off-the-peg (=off-the-rack) format - начинать со стандартного формата
14. to address [əˈdres] the needs = to meet the needs - удовлетворить потребности
15. to embrace a specific disputable purpose - преследовать конкретную неопределенную/спорную цель
16. an expectant mother - беременная женщина
17. the baby shower - бейби шауэр, обычай устраивать вечеринку для будущей матери и праздновать рождение будущего ребёнка
18. to dread sth [dred] - бояться чего-то
19. to help her in labour - помочь ей родить
20. to make a vow [vaʊ] - клясться
21. to create good controversy [ˈkɒntrəvɜːsi] - создать хорошую полемику
22. to preserve harmony - сохранять гармонию
23. to be at crossroads - idiom - быть на распутье
24. to rev sb up - «активировать» кого-то/«заводить» кого-то
25. to break the impasse [æmˈpæs] - найти выход из тупика
26. to foot the bill - informal -оплатить счет
1. What does an everyday gathering mean?
2. Why do people do gatherings?
3. What gatherings do you do? Which one is your favourite?
4. Do you have a set of rules at your gatherings (office, family, friend, social ones)?
2 Remember the words and phrases:
1. everyday get-togethers - повседневные посиделки
2. gatherings - встречи
3. atheist [ˈeɪθiɪst] - атеист
4. It doesn’t take a shrink to do sth - и не надо ходить к психиатру, чтобы …
5. in the field of conflict resolution - в сфере разрешения конфликтов
6. to facilitate dialogues - способствовать налаживанию диалогов
7. despite all odds - несмотря ни на что
8. with integrity - честно, добросовестно
9. to fall flat - idiom - не удаваться, звучать неуместно
10. facilitator - посредник, координатор, куратор, помощник, фасилитатор
11. to strip everything away - всё отбросить
12. canapé [ˈkænəpeɪ] - канапе
13. to start with an off-the-peg (=off-the-rack) format - начинать со стандартного формата
14. to address [əˈdres] the needs = to meet the needs - удовлетворить потребности
15. to embrace a specific disputable purpose - преследовать конкретную неопределенную/спорную цель
16. an expectant mother - беременная женщина
17. the baby shower - бейби шауэр, обычай устраивать вечеринку для будущей матери и праздновать рождение будущего ребёнка
18. to dread sth [dred] - бояться чего-то
19. to help her in labour - помочь ей родить
20. to make a vow [vaʊ] - клясться
21. to create good controversy [ˈkɒntrəvɜːsi] - создать хорошую полемику
22. to preserve harmony - сохранять гармонию
23. to be at crossroads - idiom - быть на распутье
24. to rev sb up - «активировать» кого-то/«заводить» кого-то
25. to break the impasse [æmˈpæs] - найти выход из тупика
26. to foot the bill - informal -оплатить счет
3 Answer the questions:
1. Why did Priya end up in the field of conflict resolution when she was a child?
2. Why did many Priya’s everyday gatherings fall flat in her childhood?
3. What is the role of a facilitator? What do they do?
4. How is it possible to change our everyday gatherings to focus on making meaning by human connection, not obsessing with the canapés?
5. What are the new rules of gathering according to the speaker? (1. to embrace a specific disputable purpose; 2. to create good controversy; 3. to create a temporary alternative world through the use of pop-up rules)
6. What do you think about baby showers?
7. What are the topics you should avoid at the dinner table to preserve harmony?
8. Do you find invitations with a set of rules boring or useful?
4. Comment on the statements:
1. ‘As a facilitator, you're taught to strip everything away and focus in the interaction between people, whereas everyday hosts focus on getting the things right - the food, the flowers, the fish knives - and leave the interaction between people largely to chance.’
2. ‘The best gatherings learn to cultivate good controversy by creating conditions for it, because human connection is as threatened by unhealthy peace as by unhealthy conflict.’
3. ‘Rules are powerful, because they allow us to temporarily change and harmonize our behaviour.’
4. ‘The way we gather matters because how we gather is how we live.’
1. Why did Priya end up in the field of conflict resolution when she was a child?
2. Why did many Priya’s everyday gatherings fall flat in her childhood?
3. What is the role of a facilitator? What do they do?
4. How is it possible to change our everyday gatherings to focus on making meaning by human connection, not obsessing with the canapés?
5. What are the new rules of gathering according to the speaker? (1. to embrace a specific disputable purpose; 2. to create good controversy; 3. to create a temporary alternative world through the use of pop-up rules)
6. What do you think about baby showers?
7. What are the topics you should avoid at the dinner table to preserve harmony?
8. Do you find invitations with a set of rules boring or useful?
4. Comment on the statements:
1. ‘As a facilitator, you're taught to strip everything away and focus in the interaction between people, whereas everyday hosts focus on getting the things right - the food, the flowers, the fish knives - and leave the interaction between people largely to chance.’
2. ‘The best gatherings learn to cultivate good controversy by creating conditions for it, because human connection is as threatened by unhealthy peace as by unhealthy conflict.’
3. ‘Rules are powerful, because they allow us to temporarily change and harmonize our behaviour.’
4. ‘The way we gather matters because how we gather is how we live.’