Navigating change during a crisis is not for the faint of heart. During my career leading association event teams, I regularly recalibrated and redefined team member roles in order to drive innovation and improve our meeting experiences. Not every effort was a rousing success but attempting to inject new conference elements made us more nimble, creative and smarter as a team. We are in the middle, I hope, of an extraordinary time in the meetings industry. Associations are struggling with … [Read more...]
The Future of Face-to-Face is Cloudy
I am getting a little overwhelmed by the many predictions that so-called experts are sharing about the future of face-to-face meetings. The range of opinions--from wild optimism to frightening pessimism--is exhausting to wade through. The news cycle of 24/7 pandemic coverage, conversation and debate has obscured the fact that travel and meeting attendance are not always decisions made by companies but by people. People are feeling cooped up and restrained and most crave a return to normalcy. But … [Read more...]
Virtual Events: Strategy Before Execution
My mother used to tell us that “things are going to be different” as we drove home from our annual summer beach vacation. It was her way of getting the family focused on the upcoming routine and discipline of school and work. I remember feeling that her words were both a warning and a promise of adventures yet to come. That lesson is easily applied to the challenges that lie ahead for associations considering alternatives and augmentation of their future live events. While live events are … [Read more...]
Leading Through the Pandemic: Generosity + Empathy = Future Brand
This is the first in a series of blogs posts, written collaboratively by our team, which uncover lessons learned in advising our clients on their events in the time of COVID-19. Over the past 30 days, the VCC team has helped dozens of conference and show organizers with their decisions on how to respond to the pandemic. Although each situation has its own unique issues, we wanted to share some of what we’ve learned to help you with your disruption response and planning. How your … [Read more...]
Go Forward, Cancel, Postpone, Wash Your Hands, Rinse … and Repeat
The disruption to the live events industry due to the Pandemic COVID-19 is unprecedented and impossible to escape. With the mixed messages coming at us from so many different perspectives, it is difficult to gain clarity. What we may believe personally is sometimes in conflict with the practices organization and business leaders decide to follow. So what is the right path? The answer: There isn’t a simple one. Many industry organizations and business leaders have taken the position that … [Read more...]
Key Takeaways from PCMA’s Convening Leaders 2020
The Professional Convention Management Association’s Convening Leaders in San Francisco In early January served as an engaging and energizing way to kick off a new year and a new decade. I’ve been a regular attendee and active volunteer in PCMA for over 25 years and continue to be impressed at their willingness to take risks and incubate innovative ideas. Here are a few items that are top-of-mind as I’ve reflected on the recent PCMA CL. Innovate + Elevate Arena The sponsor and partner … [Read more...]
What I’ve Learned This Year Could Fill a Book
After nearly 30 years leading the event development and execution at the Society for Human Resource Management, I took the leap earlier this year to join the remarkable VCC team and focus on helping associations and organizations improve their annual events. The work we do has reignited my deep appreciation for the role associations play in society and the importance people attribute to their affiliation with a profession or business vertical. I have learned more about the importance of … [Read more...]
So Teamwork Can Make the Dream Work!
Hallelujah! The Washington Nationals won game seven of the World Series to become world champs. This is a huge deal for Washington sports fans and their story should resonate for all of us in the meetings industry as we are dependent on our teams to successfully execute our events. As I listened to the players, coaches, owners, managers and even fans celebrate and rejoice in their hard-won victory I was struck by the number of times I heard appreciation for “this group of guys.” They had a … [Read more...]
