Janina Monaghan, freelance event professional with 20 years of industry experience, explains the importance of investing in connections
“Guess the venue?” Accompanied by an image, this question was posed to me on a message by someone I’d met at an industry event.
The event also doubled up as an educational visit, or - depending on your chosen terminology - fam trip. If you’re brand new to the industry and wondering what the term ‘fam trip’ is all about, ask your manager to explain. I’ve always been a fan of the fam trip and feel lucky to have enjoyed a wide range, all of which have created lasting memories.
I recently received a letter - yes, an actual letter! - from a close friend which began: ‘Memories are one of the things in life I treasure the most.’ These words mirrored my own thoughts; over the past few years I’ve often favoured the giving of a gift experience over a tangible birthday or Christmas present as a way to create wonderful memories. And whether it’s for business or pleasure, my friend’s words reminded me of just how powerful shared experiences are. Let’s use a conference as an example: delegates gaining new insights are connecting through a shared learning experience.
Janina MonaghanWhether an event’s primary objective is to deliver a message, share content, launch a product or showcase a destination, lurking towards the bottom of the objectives’ list is the notion of networking.
Something magical
As MICE professionals, our job is to help the client meet their objectives, bringing them to life using the delegate experience as a vehicle to do so. Once the event’s over, we ask for feedback to measure the impact: “What will you do differently as a result of attending the conference? Please rate the F&B at the venue.”
But are we missing a trick? Beneath the surface of attendees absorbing the intended educational content, something magical is happening: connections are being made. Even outside of the official networking breaks, the whole experience is facilitating human connectivity: the conversation on the coach, that chat at the bar, the discussion in the buffet line, coffee break banter and the stories shared whilst taking part in the team building activity.
A friend recently relayed a story about a fam trip to Nice. After a day of discovery, the group retreated to their respective bedrooms. My chum (reluctantly) retired but moments later a fellow fam tripper, with whom she had bonded earlier on in the evening, called up to suggest that they explore Nice’s night scene – almost 20 years later, they’re still friends.
“Experience isn’t what happens to us, it’s what we make of what happens to us”: George Kelly - A Theory of Personality. Imagine returning from an event to the ubiquitous feedback survey that includes the question: did you make a friend? What if our leaders were truly interested in the connections we had made and placed greater value on the impact of the relationships we’d built?
Yes, we’ve expanded our knowledge by exploring a new location and venturing into newly built venues - absolutely nothing rivals first-hand experience when you’re in that client pitch - but truly it’s the relationships we develop, as a result of these trips, that will ultimately present themselves as being of the greatest value.
Wealth of opportunities
The connections we make can help us grow both personally and professionally – they can even help us determine our course of life. Companies gathering their workforce together for a conference are laying the foundations upon which colleagues can strengthen bonds which may result in life-long friend or mentorships along with a greater affinity to role and sector; a beneficial move for all involved. Stats show that positive workplace relationships directly impact how we feel about our companies; they are good for our health and wellbeing and make us feel happier.
It is often said that we are a people industry but actually, that’s fundamentally true for any industry. The unique selling point for MICE is the wealth of opportunities our industry affords us to either facilitate or make real connections, boost confidence, nurture wellbeing and help to foster genuine relationships.
And in case you’re wondering, I guessed the venue correctly: the inside of a London hotel - location of another successful, shared experience resulting in a valued connection.
M&IT editor Paul Harvey is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience. He began his career in the local press, working for various titles across the north. Since joining M&IT in 2013, he has become a trusted and respected voice in the sector, championing event professionals and reporting on all aspects of the events industry for the brand.
