August marks the start of the end of summer. Most of us are turning our attention to enjoying the last of the summer weather, getting kids (or ourselves) ready for school, and for us chapter leaders, gearing up for our fall meetings. Some of our chapters have gotten a great start to planning and others have finalized the agenda and confirmed their speakers. No matter where we are with the planning process, we are always looking for new ideas to infuse into our meetings. Below are some topics and networking ideas for your next meeting.
Special Interest Groups (SIG) Meet-ups – SIGs are a collective of members that have an area of practice, knowledge, or experience in common. Groups can include young or retired professionals, facility type, location (rural/urban) or staffing size. Give members the opportunity to meet and discuss the challenges they have in common as well as share solutions specific and relevant to their experience. BONUS: SIGs can continue their conversations after the meeting and stay connected throughout the year via email, text, video conference calls, or social media.
New Topics – We’re always looking to shake things up at our meetings and we can do so with some new and fresh topics. Some chapters may have already covered these areas, so consider building on them. Here are few ideas or topics to cover at your next meeting:
· Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
· Self-care/Wellness
· Storytelling session
· “Shark Tank” style session
· Self-branding/social media presence/networking skills
· Guided networking
· Technology (various skill level and topics) – Intro to ChatGP, mastering Excel, etc.
Special Events & Networking – Special events are a great way to infuse some fun into meetings. Consider hosting events before or after the meeting that are inclusive and encourage networking. Events such as:
· Yoga or Group Walks/Runs
· Tours of local culinary/foodservice facilities
· Mini-sales meetings with vendors (like speed dating)
· Group Game Night (Charades, Win, Lose or Draw, Bingo)
· Community Service projects
If your chapter is planning something new and exciting, we encourage you to share your ideas with other chapters as we can all learn from one another. Join us for our monthly Leadership Happy Hour calls to share your ideas, get feedback and hear from other chapter leaders. Our next Happy Hour will take place on Monday, August 14, at 5:00 PM CT. Please contact us for call-in information at chapters@ANFPonline.org.