It’s quite ironic actually. Our brains do everything they can to avoid change. Yet at the same time, our brains increase their engagement and focus when change is involved. Our brains crave change to keep us connected to the situation at hand. Wired To Be Risk-Averse Our brains are naturally wired to avoid any type of threat. We prefer familiar and predictable circumstances to the unknown. Author and cognitive psychologist Dr. Melanie Greenbert says that our brains are like prediction … [Read more...]
Four Basic Conference Principles You Must Adopt
Brain drain or brain fuel? Which would you rather create for your conference attendees? Brain fuel for sure! Unfortunately, most conferences are nothing more than brain drains. The Traditional Conference Tension Conference organizers have to balance a common tension: fill seats versus creating a unique attendee experience. Usually, conference organizers land on the side of trying to fill as many seats as possible. Their solution to this challenge is to secure as many presenters and … [Read more...]
Overhauling Your Conference To Adapt To The Lean, Mean, Thinking Machine
Regardless of one's age, culture, gender or race, we share one thing in common: Our human brains love to learn! Our brains are a lean, mean, thinkin' machine. It's always on the prowl for new things to explore. It is genetically programmed to learn. Brain Boredom Our brains are always paying attention to something says education researcher Dr. Pat Wolfe. There is no such thing as not paying attention. If the brain is deprived of stimulation, it turns inward and begins to create its own … [Read more...]
6 Barriers That Impede Conference Attendee Attention
Everyday our brains make a payment of their precious resources. We try to pay attention. We attempt to listen, read or work on a single task for as long as we can. Our visual and auditory systems strive to lock into the work at hand. Can I Have Your Attention? To pay attention, we have to adjust, engage and maintain our neural networks, our biological systems that process information. And we must exclude or suppress external and internal distractors. Plus, we have to do it day-in day-out in … [Read more...]
Social Isolation In The Midst Of A Crowded General Session
Rows and rows of chairs in straight lines face the stage. Aisles separate sections of chairs so people can navigate the room. The large ballroom easily seats 5,000 people theater style. The air is cold and stale. The lights dim. A dancing image appears on the front screens and the delay screens hanging from the ceiling. Why this setup? Why this method? What's the goal of this ballroom-style general session? Efficiency Not Effectiveness As some iconic image from Apple's 1984 Mac commercial, … [Read more...]
Creating Sizzling Audiences: From Essential Sparks To Combustible Motivation
Imagine for a moment that you're preparing for a presentation for an upcoming conference. Close your eyes and visualize that your audience appears to be actually sizzling in their seats with enthusiasm. They are on fire for your words. Now imagine you have that same experience every time you present. Creating Audience Combustible Motivation This vision is not unrealistic. You can create experiences that foster audiences with combustible motivation! How? By eliminating the … [Read more...]
The Mirage Of Conference Information Tsunami
Your attendees rate the learning impact of "massing" as superior at your event. Massing in the education world is defined as receiving large blocks of information in condensed amounts of time. Attendees feel that the more information they can receive, the higher their performance. Unfortunately, the conference information tsunami is a mirage. It is a short-lived, instant gratification that quickly fades like a gummy bear sugar rush. And back in the office, it leaves the attendee feeling … [Read more...]
Connecting The Dots Critical To Brain-Friendly Conference Learning
Do you remember the children's activity connect the dots? This paper and pencil puzzle contained a sequence of numbered or lettered dots. Your task was to draw a line connecting dots in the right series so that the outline of an object was revealed. As we got older, the dot to dot activities became more complex. Sometimes we had to solve math problems or interpret symbols to identify the next dot in the chain. Your Brain's Web Of Connected Dots Your memories are like large dot to dot webs of … [Read more...]
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