IMA Global upcoming events

IMA hosts the 14th World Administrators Summit, Berlin, Germany (21 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Next 21 & 22/10/2026

More information here

IMA 52nd International Annual Conference 2026 - Upskilling (23 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Registration is OPEN NOW!!

Click HERE to find out all the event details and how to participate!

✨We look forward to meeting you in Berlin!

Leading through Grief, Loss and Change (5 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Leading through Grief, Loss and Change

Leadership during grief and change isn’t optional. Grief awareness and confidence is a core leadership skill that ensures teams are fully supported, engaged, and high-performing.

Overview:

Loss is universal, yet often unspoken, and even concealed, at work. Grief – from bereavement, divorce, or chronic illness – cannot be left at home, but comes to work within all of us. Nor can workplace losses such as restructuring, changing roles, failed projects, or the departure of valued colleagues.

The personal and financial costs of neglecting grief are high: from great people leaving their roles forever to presenteeism. In complete contrast, the benefits of an informed, compassionate and pragmatic response to loss can be tremendous, creating the conditions where leaders and employees can engage fully and contribute at their very best.

This session answers a question most organisations avoid: how do we lead well when people are grieving, navigating loss, or facing change and transition?

Session Outline:

1. Understanding Grief:

New definitions and fundamentals. Recognising different types of grief beyond bereavement, the cumulative impact of unresolved loss, and how grief impacts employees.

Brief pause for reflection

2. Grief Support at Work - The Cost and the Opportunity:

The business case for excellent grief support. The physiological impact of grief at work. How grief impacts productivity, morale, and retention.

3. Practical Strategies: Supporting Yourself and Others at Work

● Updating our grief toolkit: Uncovering some of the common myths and outdated habits that shape how we respond to grief, and replacing them with more effective, compassionate and practical approaches.Clear guidance on language and understanding to support colleagues effectively. Develop confidence in asking the right questions and how to respond.

● What to say and what not to say: Clear guidance on language and understanding to support colleagues effectively. Develop confidence in asking the right questions and how to respond.

● Creating a supportive culture through leadership: Practical ways leaders foster empathy, trust, and agility. How to maintain appropriate boundaries while supporting yourself and others through periods of loss or transition.

Attendees will not only better understand the impact of unresolved grief on themselves and others. They will leave confident and equipped to lead through it, influence others positively and create a culture where grief and change are acknowledged and well managed.

Jess Goyder - Byography

Jess Goyder is a specialist in supporting people through grief, loss, and major transitions. She has over a decade’s experience coaching executives, teams, and creatives at organisations including Adobe, Ogilvy, and Deutsche Bank, helping leaders navigate complex situations with clarity, resilience, and empathy. Whether through bereavement, the breakdown of a significant relationship, change in title or other profound life changes, Jess helps people work through loss at a deep level, allowing them to move beyond coping and find clarity and genuine emotional completion.

Jess delivers workshops and talks, equipping leaders and top performers with practical tools to support themselves and others through grief and change. Her expertise is grounded in science, deep human insight and lived experience. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychodynamic Studies from the University of Oxford, specialising in attachment theory, relationship dynamics, and unconscious processes such as grief, depression, anxiety and trauma. She is licensed and certified in The Grief Recovery Method

Emotional, Cultural and Artificial Intelligence as Your Differentiators (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Emotional, Cultural and Artificial Intelligence as Your Differentiators

As people increasingly rely on GenAI in the workplace, you can differentiate yourself by balancing your AI skills with old fashioned human intelligence. Think about the people you most admire and respect. Their effectiveness and impacts are in great part a result of human-centric skills that help people connect with others and achieve progress through influence.

Plan to explore a trio of intelligences. You’ll gain insights on the state of AI in 2026 before we look at cultural and emotional intelligence (CQ and EQ), often referred to as “soft” skills that help us succeed. Plan to apply these skills with awareness of the priorities and pressures today's boards and senior leadership teams are facing. IMA Training Partner Shelagh Donnelly will wrap up this session with a series of challenges to help you thrive and amplify your value in 2027 – which will be here before we know it!

Learning outcomes:

Gain an update on the state of AI in 2026 in the assistant career, and what your counterparts have to say about its impacts.
Focus on emotional and cultural intelligence (EQ, CQ) skills and their relevance in your career.
Identify decision makers’ pressure points and priorities, and consider accepting challenges Shelagh’s designed to help you thrive.

Get to know more about Shelagh Donnely here.

IMA 30th International Training Day 2027 - Upskilling (24 Apr 2027)

Fri, 23 Apr 2027 22:00:00 GMT

Date to be disclosed later.