IMEX America’s training programme focuses on community and leadership

“Community Builders” is the concept chosen for this edition of IMEX America, which will be developed in the 150 training sessions taking place during the fair. ‘Whether it’s bringing together employees, customers, brand ambassadors, fans or followers, we are all dedicated to building communities through our events,’ says Tahira Endean, IMEX’s director of programming.

IMEX America previews some of the new features of its programme

Community builders: David Adler promises a lively debate in his session, a community builders forum entitled “A Gathering Point”. “We’re in the business of giving people goosebumps,” he says. ‘When organised correctly, great events don’t just fill seats. They make hearts race. They spark unexpected conversations.‘

Gracenotes: In a world where nearly half of all workers feel undervalued, entrepreneur Andrea Driessen has the solution: Gracenotes®. She describes it as ’the Swiss Army knife of modern life that takes us from invisible to indispensable. When we feel like we matter, we feel seen, important and needed.”

Leadership and culture: ‘I really did run away from home to join the circus!’ says Duncan Fisher, director of show operations for Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. He oversees all Cirque du Soleil shows, with a team of 3,200 people performing around the world. ‘In my experience, the circus is a place that runs like clockwork, led by a team of people from countless countries, speaking different languages, with different backgrounds, and who literally trust their lives to each other.’

Dr. Ferron Gray, president and founder of the Grae Matta Foundation, has made it his life’s mission to improve access to mental health services in the workplace and in higher education. In his session, ‘How to Lead with Impact in Extreme Times,’ he will delve deeper into some of the ideas he shared in the recent IMEX report of the same name. Ferron’s advice for leaders? ‘Resilience isn’t built in calm times but forged in how we respond when things go wrong.’

A closer look at event organization

The programme will also include space to develop and learn about the more practical aspects of event organisation, such as logistics, experiential event design (including expert guidance on neuroinclusivity, unconscious bias, sober events, sporting events, festivals, transformative experiences, etc.), impact (covering ESG – environment, society and governance – CSR and net zero emissions, as well as impactful and personal stories and ideas), trends and research, and well-being, among other interesting topics.

Remember that the training is free and that many of the sessions offer points towards Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) and ICCASkills accreditation.