An IPRN AGM is always an experience. I am sure that all members that have attended them can attest to this fact. Face-to-face interactions result in a richness of relationships that cannot be attained online, and the host member (and country) delivers a fantasia of culture and events that in my experience, are unrivalled.
The AGM that took place in Pune, India, in September 2024, leaves a few footprints on my mind (and soul). My luggage was lost for 4 days (this is not India’s fault-that would be the airline), my credit card was fraudulently accessed and cleared (that too was not India’s fault, that was hackers from outside of the country), and I contracted some terrible stomach pestilence that appeared on the plane, which was the result of my brave independent expeditions into Old Delhi and refilling of bottled water from drinking taps. Despite these challenges, there were some generous and wonderful interactions.
The first interaction that will stay with me is that of Astrum – the organizing member. The city they chose, the incredible hotel, and the detailed thought that went into every experience was a testament to decades of comm’s experience. Astrum knows how to experientially communicate.
There was a hamper awaiting me in the room when I arrived containing Chai spice and a mouth refresher. This theme continued into the gourmet curations that we would experience over the next three days. There were flowers on the conference tables, an experienced tech team, superb catering and the agenda was stuck to. These may seem like small things in the greater scheme of things, but when travelling vast distances for an AGM, they speak volumes about preparedness and welcome. The Astrum team were hospitable, warm, professional giants, and engaged.
The rest of us were engaged too. It was a particularly exciting AGM as it focused on the organization. On where we could grow, and how. On our positioning. On the model and what can be improved. And we all engaged with these topics with vigour and energy. There was a pull in the room towards critical and strategic thinking, towards solutions and an investment in the success of the network that I have not seen at this level before. It made me grateful that I could attend, as the energy directed towards moving forward gave me great hope for the future of our beloved network.
And we had FUN. This is not to be underestimated. The fun consisted of curated gastronomic experiences that travelled the length and breadth of India. We all put on lots of contented weight and gained an understanding of the extraordinary diversity of the nation and country that we were hosted in. We had dinners, we had lunches, we had road trips, and we developed new relationships and solidified older ones. In my experience, these relationships always hold long-term fruits. Whether they are shared business or referrals or a ‘strategic soundcheck’, they are worth gold.
So, if anyone is on the fence about attending the next AGM, please don’t be. It does take some time out of your business, but it’s about working on the business instead of in it. The AGM discussions generate innovation, they provide valuable insight into global strategies and their implementation, and they are the bedrock of relationships that are at the heart of being in a network of this nature. Join us at the next one. You won’t be disappointed.
By Nicole Capper, MANGO-OMC, South Africa