5 ways meetings can enhance a sense of belonging

In his book, Discovery: The Definitive Guide to Finding BelongingDan Berger identifies six broad categories of activities or strategies that can enhance belonging and meetings, he tells us convenechecks five out of six boxes. Categories include:

Dan Berg

collective experience

By definition, Berger said, events are collective experiences and can be places where people largely find a sense of belonging. “But organizers must understand how event attendees find a sense of belonging and plan accordingly.” An example shared convene By email, Stephanie D. Jones, CAE, CMP fellow, SEPC, managing director of event strategy at the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Jones said the World Economic Forum launched the Affinity Group community event at its 2023 Annual Meeting to “create safe spaces for people with common interests, identities or experiences to connect, feel empowered and share their learnings” “WEF provides meeting space, financial support for catering and AV, and each group is free to plan its own agenda or plans.”

interpersonal relationships

Conferences and associations are platforms for building relationships and connecting with others, Berger said. Organizers can intentionally create different types of experiences for participants, allowing them to recognize that “some people feel a sense of belonging by meeting old friends, and some people feel a sense of belonging by talking to strangers. Some people feel a sense of belonging by being in a small group.” There’s a sense of belonging.”

chance encounter

Conferences also offer multiple opportunities for casual encounters and small social interactions that can build connections but lack depth, like when participants “bump into each other” at an event, Berger said. “They may seem insignificant, but together they profoundly impact our sense of belonging.”

Related: Event Entrepreneurs Redefine the Quest for Belonging

build self-esteem

When people feel proud to be part of an event, it builds self-esteem, another way to gain a sense of belonging, Berger said. He said award shows can also have a positive impact on self-esteem, although many of them tend to be isolating. “If people get a sense of belonging from self-esteem, why not make it a bigger tent?”

symbolic bond

Berger said this category includes the connections people feel when they don’t have a direct relationship with someone. For example, event attendees can gain a sense of belonging when they identify with a speaker or admire an organization’s leadership.

Barbara Palmer Is the deputy editor held.