Page: A Place of Belonging

Community is one of our oldest and most cherished traditions among Page members, so getting together frequently — particularly post-Covid — is something of an emphasis for the Page Board and our entire membership.

As senior communicators, we’re regularly traveling to support our executive teams at major business conferences around the world. Often, that can be a full-on experience with our teams, but in 2023 many of us thought Why Not gather Page members together, if we’re all in one place with those same teams?

So it began in Switzerland, when a number of Page members convened during the World Economic Forum in January, and earlier this month in Los Angeles during the Milken Global Conference. We’ll look opportunistically to do this at other conferences around the world, as opportunity permits.

And, as we discovered, there is a lot of commonality among member concerns: a turbulent macroeconomic environment; implications of AI and ChatGPT on our professions; regional conflicts that are disrupting business; and ongoing issues related to returning to physical office space, and policies governing employees. Gossip, too, about who the best panelists or topics were the day before, or anticipation over the next day’s agenda.

These Page gatherings, generously sponsored by members, have been easy and efficient, short and sweet, a mix of social and business with sharing ideas and inspiration as well as best practices. 

Takeaways for the business community, as well, as we look ahead to 2023: what will the markets do? Will inflation come down, and with it the likelihood of an economic slowdown or recession? How will we keep our best people motivated and engaged, if there is a slowdown?

CEOs across the spectrum articulated their worries about the banking crisis, which they see as much a ‘communications’ challenge as they do a business challenge — along with the ongoing push to punish so-called ‘woke’ companies in many states in the US and some areas of Europe.  When we talk about influence, as we did as the Spring Seminar, it’s the CCOs who are working with their Government Relations and Legal colleagues to bridge the gap in understanding what businesses are doing and why they are doing it.

Nobody has all the answers, but what we do have are ideas, in abundance — and a community in which to share and lean on each other. Remember, we belong in Page, and that brings a lot of comfort during tough times.

Our next chance is in Europe: I hope those of you near Brussels will have the chance to join us for the Page International Exchange, June 6-7, where we’ll continue the conversation as we look ahead.