Convening Design & Facilitation
Co-Creating gatherings where transformation happens through human connection
I love helping you design gatherings, offsites, retreats, and even conferences that feel like co-created stories that unfold in real time.
Almost ten years ago, I collaborated with some colleagues to create an experience for the very first House of Beautiful Business—a "time travel" session where participants would journey 100 years into the future and gather field notes from that world. Initially, I was brought in to help brainstorm.
Three weeks later, I was in Barcelona preparing to facilitate the experience!
We planned for 40 people. 120 showed up.
What happened in that room was pure magic. People didn't just participate in a workshop, they followed our design to travel. The conversations that emerged, the insights they discovered, the connections they made were all stunning. A new story unfolded moment by moment, co-authored and owned by everyone present.
Since then, I've had the opportunity to facilitate and help design over 50 gatherings of all sizes.
What has emerged is a process that honors both the individual participants and the emergent group consciousness that wants to be born when people gather in deeply human ways.
The Question that excites me most is
What are the unique opportunities presented by being with each other in real time?
How We Work Together
My approach starts long before we plan any agenda.
I help you map the emotional, physical, and learning journey of your participants.
We look deeply at where they are when they arrive versus where you want them to be when they leave. Not just what they've learned, but how they've shifted as individuals and as a group.
Then we design an experience that weaves together elements from my three decades in theater, my deep understanding of group dynamics, and practices ranging from storytelling to somatic work to strategic frameworks.
All in service of your desired transformation and strategic goals for the convening.
Whether I'm partnering with you and your team on design, facilitating key moments, or supporting you throughout the entire process, I'm there as a thought partner helping you create gatherings where the unexpected can emerge: wisdom, insight, and connection that lasts long after everyone goes home.
Recent Collaborations Include
SOCAP, Skoll Community Gathering, Opportunity Collaboration,
Nonprofit Finance Fund, Stonecrest Financial, KOKORO, Energy of Money Summit, The Nonprofit Partnership, YMCA
and organizations ranging from grassroots nonprofits to Fortune 100 companies.
Ready to explore?
Let's schedule a conversation to explore how we might design an experience that serves your gathering's unique needs and possibilities.
You can schedule a call right now. . .you can also email me directly at michael@michaelkass.co.