Recipe for planning a global alumni day

Who doesn’t love a good recipe? One that is tested, tried and true, proven to be, not only easy to make, but also a crowd favorite. My favorite recipes are the ones that are not only delicious, but made with five ingredients or less. So, allow me to share my recipe for planning a global alumni day.

Approaching our 93rd anniversary, it was time to celebrate A.T. Kearney’s original community. Not in a small way, but in a bold and visible way. Our inaugural campaign engaged 1 in 4 alumni, with over 1,000 attending events in 36 cities across 5 continents and with a 15% engagement rate on social media. Below are the steps we took and some lessons learned along the way.

1.     The Idea. It always starts with an idea, right? Well, our idea was simple (and to be completely honest, not original)—showcase the strength of our network by bringing everyone together on one day around the world. There is an elegant power in sharing a collective experience, which is magnified by being time-bound.

Just like pre-heating an oven, you need to secure buy-in. Develop your idea and framework, brainstorm the concept with your team, then socialize it with colleagues.

2.     An Anchor. Select a date. Plan ahead and add it to everyone's diaries. For our global alumni day, we anchored on the founding date of the firm, which has meaning to us and just so happens to align with the on-boarding of new hires.

3.     Enlist helpers. You can’t be in multiple cities, so you need help. Start with those you know, then branch out. Focus on the win-win. Give colleagues a reason to participate—understand and share how you are solving a problem or need they have. Once you recruit your team—communicate, communicate, communicate.

This is like making risotto… keep stirring, don’t stop.

4.     Keep it simple + Make it easy. Don’t aim too high—our goal was to create a flagship alumni event that provides an annual opportunity for alumni to reconnect with the firm. Local teams were empowered and encouraged to plan events that suited their culture. Most events were in-office happy hours. No need for content. No need to rent a venue. No stress to secure 50 attendees. A handful of alumni reconnecting works well. The point was to simply reach out and connect.

Imagine you are making a galette... it’s imperfect and unique (by design).

5.     Carrot or Stick. Do not mandate participation. Rather, be flexible and supportive. Remove barriers and fulfill requests whenever possible. Provide funding, which is a powerful incentive.

Repeat after me: Everyone does not need to participate. Create the framework. Open the door, some will enter, others won’t. And that is ok. Remember to keep the door open.

6.     Create FOMO. Once you cross the finish line, be sure to create FOMO by taking photos and sharing stories on social media (and internally). View ours here. Capture data, collect anecdotes, and build your library of goodwill stories.

Just like all new traditions, you just need to start. Do something, anything. Your idea doesn’t need to be big, perfect, or ambitious. Just the idea is ambitious enough. Speak it into the universe, then it will happen. Your idea will become a goal. You will develop a plan and assemble a team. You will blink, and it will happen. It will be great, and not so great. But you will learn and do better the next time.

Give your alumni the power of community. Create a bridge, a reason to connect people who would not normally meet, and sparks will fly.

Save the date for our 2nd annual Worldwide A.T. Kearney Day on September 17, 2020. The third Thursday of September is the date for our annual tradition. I spoke it into the universe, so it will happen!

This post reflects my personal views. It is not necessarily a reflection of the official views of my employer.