The First Eight Meetings
What follows is an outline with a few highlights of each meeting. The manual contains procedures for meeting preparation, a complete agenda, as well as a script that the meeting’s leader can follow. I highly recommend that the leader have a manual in hand in order to confidently guide each meeting.
Men will bond no matter what they are doing for eight weeks. If they, for example, went to ball games together for eight weeks they would have some level of bonding. But if they do things that are more challenging, like boot camp, they will bond faster and closer. In addition, by following this manual, your group will acquire the communication tools that you will need for the group to function as a special kind of intentional community.
During these eight meetings there will likely be some conflict in the group. Because we are trying to become a community of men, we will not avoid it. We will welcome it and we will resolve it. After we do, we will be a more intimate group. If we avoided conflicts, our community will not develop.
Meeting One – Adventure Time
Opening Round
A round is a procedure where each man takes a turn speaking. The opening round is a time to check-in. As this is the first meeting it will also be a time for each man to introduce himselves.
First Exercise: Communication Awareness
This is a participatory exercise in which the men talk about anything they like, except their profession. However no one may ask questions.
Second Exercise: Ownership of Your Statements
In this exercise, each statement must start with “I”.
Third Exercise: Introducing the Laws and Guidelines
In this exercise, the laws and guidelines are reviewed in depth. Objections must be voiced, changes noted, and all members must sign the revision ultimately adopted by consensus as a group.
(See The Laws and Guidelines click here.)
Closing the Meeting
As the group opened with the ritual of the Opening Round, the group ends with a shorter whip round. A Whip Round is any round that is less than one minute per man.