Yes!
And to everyone out there who wants to explore this with us – it’s all going into the World Cafe Hosting Fundamentals course with Fielding, and the Learning Program Muryah and I are hosting for the community of Tampa Bay in Florida, both starting in September. Let us know if you are interested.

Yes Amy I think there is so much more to explore within the principles. I realize you create the opportunity and emphasize the principles in the Fielding course which establishes the trained hosts as “carriers of the principles”. I must pull up some of the notes that the Signature Learning design team created describing the cultivation and practices of World Cafe hosts. It fits well with your question of examining our personal assumptions and biases toward each principle. Will share in separate communication. We may follow-up with our insights in response to your question here. Stay tuned.

You are EXACTLY right, Muryah. Thank you.

As one of the designers of the process you know that’s why the World Cafe’s Hosting Fundamentals (our Signature Learning Program with Fielding) is centred around a deep understanding (and application) of the World Cafe Design Principles. They are presented as the ground for all World Cafe hosting practice.

So much of what I’m thinking about in terms of integrity is linked to that all-important beginning principle – Setting the Context – which of course first requires that we UNDERSTAND the context we are working in (easier than it sounds :-).

I believe all the time we could spend unpacking each principle would be repaid ten-fold in our practices.

Thank you for responding – this kind of exchange is so valuable!
I’m wondering … do you see the self-responsibility we have as World Cafe hosts to examine our own assumptions and unconscious biases, etc. (and help each other see them) connected to a particular principle? Or is it embedded in context, hospitable space, questions, etc.? If so, do you see value in making that aspect of our hosting practice more explicit?

Again, I really appreciate the exchange, and your wisdom, Muryah. Thank you.