The Women's Place at the Ohio State University

The Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations (AoH) is gaining momentum at OSU and in the larger Columbus community. AoH is a practice that borrows from ancient philosophies of creating space where deep conversation can take place, the collective consciousness can emerge and innovative and comprehensive solutions can be achieved. Specific state-of-the-art postmodern social technologies are used in AoH to optimize participant’s ability to have conversations together around important subjects that do not have simple answers. The practice allows a group of stakeholders through addressing thoughtful and provocative questions, to move their issues and ideas into wiser action and more sustainable solutions. Utilizing AoH practice and principles can be transformative for participants and consequently, the culture in which they exist.

AoH principles and techniques can be applied to the vast majority of team meetings, strategic planning processes, orientations, team building, skills trainings and a myriad of other uses. The growing community of practitioners at OSU is available to assist your group or unit with exploring this method of thinking together and creating innovative solutions. Contact Deb Ballam (ballam.1) or Jennifer Beard (beard.140) for more information.

The Women’s Place is invested in the Art of Hosting Meaningful Conversations at OSU with the following goals in mind:

To create a community of practitioners at OSU to build the capacity of the institution to practice new ways of interacting and accomplishing goals
To diminish the core divisions that exist across the university and promote One University.
To create the conditions to support sustained efforts by students, staff & faculty to call conversations that will move us forward and together
To root OSU as a part of the growing community of practice in Columbus and become a part of this city’s community that learns together.

More information regarding the Art of Hosting Conversations is available at following links: