hive Global Leaders Program - Day 0 (welcome reception)

This post is a part of a series to document the Hive Global Leaders Program that I went through in San Francisco, March 2014.   The other posts in this series are posted below
Introduction
Day 0 (Welcome Reception)
Day 1 (Your World)
Day 2 (Your life) 
Day 3 (Your Org)
Conclusion

Day 0 (Welcome Reception)
Early Friday evening, I arrived at the "Starship", a 4+story house in upper market which is also the headquarter of Ryan's start-up, Connect.  Upon entering the door, I immediately met a couple of very interesting people who were well-traveled and brought interesting stories to the conversations.  More impressively, they seemed to be genuinely interested in my story as well. As more people poured into the grand multi-level house, the vibe felt incredibly open and kind. 

Stairs leading up to the "starship"

After a brief introduction from the organizers, we were divided into 7 groups.  Each group had a separate dining area and was called upon one by one to get dinner.  I no longer can recall the details about the food because I was quite engaged in our dinner conversations, but I remember the food being delicious and the meal ended with some yummy chocolate truffles.  

My group of 7 hailed from countries as far as Guatemala and Australia.  We were in various different fields spanning from Food industry to Transportation to Psychology.  While everybody came to the program wanting to meet other inspiring people, each of us seemed to have a slight twist to what we wanted to get out of the program.  Some of us wanted to start a social enterprise and was looking for specific knowledge/skills while others came to learn more about themselves and expand their horizons.  I was struck by the diversity of our group and started to get more and more excited about what awaits me in the next 3 days.  

Food service area of the "starship" with a gorgeous view of San Francisco

After dinner, our group facilitator, Evan, instructed us to do a "share your life story in 5 minutes" exercise.  I had done this type of exercise before in coaching classes and other programs.  I knew willingness to be open and vulnerable is the key for this type of bonding experience to be authentic and effective.  Thankfully, Evan provided just the right instructions.  We were asked to bring our full presence and listen deeply.  We were also asked to share a little more than we are usually willing to share with strangers and speak what comes to mind.  As a result, we went beyond the usual "accomplishments-filled" life stories and shared where we came from, how others influenced us and how we became who we are today.  As I listened to everyone's story, often composed of both struggles and triumphs, I started to see the common thread that linked us together.  We were all here because we yearned for something, something bigger than our past and our current job title or organization.  I guess you can call it a dream, a vision or a life purpose.  

The night ended with a small group of us breathing the crisp evening air on the roof-top of the "starship", gazing at the shimmering city lights of downtown San Francisco in the distance.  I could not wait to see how the next three days unfold. 

Night view of the city of San Francisco, on top of the "starship". The picture did not turn out great but it was truly beautiful.

Read about my experiences during the other days at Hive
Introduction
Day 0 (Welcome Reception)
Day 1 (Your World)
Day 2 (Your life) 
Day 3 (Your Org)
Conclusion