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My Favourite Annual Professional Pilgrimage
Almost exactly 10 years ago, I attended my first ever RendezVous of the Purposeful Planning Institute, not really knowing what to expect.
Before the end of the first day, I vowed to attend again every year for as long as I’m able, and have yet to regret that decision.
I just returned from my ninth in-person version, and having also attended the RendeZooms in ’20 and ’21 for reasons you can guess, my streak remains alive.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s event, even though, similar to a decade ago, I don’t know what to expect.
Well, that’s kind of true but also not, because even though the content for RendezVous ’25 is still a mystery to everyone, the culture and vibe are pretty consistent, and why I return each year, to “refill my pitcher”.
Fifty-One Weeks of Pouring Out
I came up with my “pitcher” analogy a number of years ago, as a way to explain why I always attend RendezVous, and during my most recent Rocky Mountain journey, I shared it freely with other attendees, to good effect.
As I explained to both newcomers and seasoned attendees, I spend most weeks of my professional life pouring myself out to others, regularly explaining to people, both members of families and the professionals who serve them, what purposeful planning is, and why they need to be doing more of it.
As someone who “gets it”, it can be tiring to continually spend time and effort explaining just why involving more family members in their planning yields much better results.
After pouring out from my pitcher every week, it’s wonderful to be able to refill it at RendezVous, congregating with the converted.
Reconnection, Sharing, and Learning Together
One of the great benefits of attending the same annual event is that you get to know a lot of people, and seeing them again after a year is heartwarming.
Many of my best friends in the field are those I reconnect with each summer in the Denver area at RendezVous.
The conference is also set up to encourage so much sharing among participants, allowing us all to learn together, from one another.
There’s always one outside keynoter, but the bulk of the content, both mainstage and breakout sessions, is self-developed by the members.
Some of the mainstage sessions include an interactive component, as do all of the breakouts.
That “culture and vibe” I noted above is so welcoming, non-judgmental and inclusive, that just about every person mentions it.
New Relationships Born Each Year
Each year there are a few dozen first time attendees, I always love to meet them and give them a bit of a heads-up on what to expect.
By the last day, when I see them again, I usually get strong confirmation that this group is very different from anything they’ve experienced before, and that’s never a surprise to me.
I also have a natural inclination to play the role of “connector”, and it’s great to have so many wonderful colleagues right there for fresh introductions.
I lost track of how many times I learned about someone’s work and asked them “Do you know So-And-So?”
When the answer is “No”, I always promise to be on the lookout for that person so I can introduce them.
In a majority of cases, I manage to complete the loop, often within minutes or hours, just because we’re all together.
Inspired by Like-Minded and Like-Hearted Colleagues
Interactive breakout sessions with like-minded colleagues, who’ve been in similar difficult situations as you, are automatically fertile learning ground.
Being with others who do similar work with families, and sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly experiences with each other is as inspiring as it gets.
Sharing with like-hearted friends about your own tips and tricks, and ways of being in family meetings, and having them thank you for sharing, well, that’s pretty cool too.
Are You Intrigued?
I’ve just completed a seven-year run as part of the event’s organizing committee, and remain on one of the Committees of the Board.
I’ve met lots of people at RendezVous over the years who told me that I was a part of their decision to attend.
So, if you’re intrigued and want to talk, please reach out.
Footnote: Here are the blogs I wrote after this conference for the past five years:
