Our LinkedIn feed is filled with wrap-up posts about the excitement and energy of LeadingAge Boston. Conferences do that exceptionally well. Whether it’s a global gathering of senior living professionals or a more niche group meeting, attendees emerge energized. And then real life slowly strips away that energy. Enthusiasm for change erodes in the face of budgets and habits. So, we wonder, was it a waste of our time? The answer is, it depends.
Ripples of Impact
It’s a great theme. And there were many interactive opportunities and speeches driving home the power of ripples to create an impact. The keynote by chef José Andrés of World Central Kitchen illustrated and underscored this theme. One man acted on his belief that when people are hungry, you send in cooks today, not tomorrow. Not when you have all the answers. As a result of his decision to act when Haiti was hit with a catastrophic 7.0 earthquake, a single idea has blossomed into a global initiative.
A single idea: food is a human right. Cooking under the most difficult of conditions. Using local food resources, guided by regional tastes, and learning from community chefs, World Central Kitchen is a model in how to connect to others with dignity and compassion. An idea that is central to senior living.
People not Pixels
My LinkedIn feed is filled with grateful posts about the impact of the LeadingAge conference. Nearly all of the posts mention they’re thankful for meeting old and new friends, making new connections, hearing new ideas and the power of AI. But a non-conference related post from O’Keefe & Partners caught my eye with this line: “Technology will always enhance how we work — but culture is still built through people, not pixels.”
People, not pixels. That’s really the unique selling point for every single senior living community. Human connections are made every time two people interact. And when two people come together for any reason, there are and there will be ripples of impact. Each time. Every time. A quick smile might elicit a responding smile for a minute or three. A kind gesture might make someone’s entire day. A little extra effort might resonate in a hundred different ways. For the majority of us, we’ll never know or see the full extent (or all the ripples) our actions have on others. But that can’t stop us from trying.
Making an Impact
While we left the conference in high spirits, energized by great conversations, empowered by new partners, excited about new professional possibilities, that must give way to our day-to-day realities. The dog must be fed. The work-life balance is an effort. We have a never-ending stream of email waiting to be read. And the conference is reduced to a good memory. (How cool was it that the keynote speaker ‘zoomed’ in because of a hurricane somewhere!) So here’s our promise to you: Until we meet again in Philly next October, we’re going to see each one of you as a priceless opportunity to make a lasting impact. Whether you’re asking for a list based on ZIP® codes or specific ailments, we’re going to listen more carefully, more strategically, and more intently to be sure we truly understand your needs and your goals. We’re going to work to be a very real difference maker for each of you.
So test us. Challenge us. Believe in us. Let’s keep those ripples of impact going long after your next event!
Photo credit: World Central Kitchen/WCK.org
