For centuries, explorers and those sailing the sea have relied on the North Star, or Polaris, to navigate. Long before the advent of the GPS, the North Star provided a distinctive visible position to true north. Travelers used its bright light as a guide to ensure they were voyaging in the right direction. Sailors adjusted their rudder and sails to align with it. It helped them steer and find their way through unexpected storms, turbulent winds and rough monster waves of unforeseen … [Read more...]
Conference Purpose With Power And Participants Leads To Profitability
Does your event have a clear and inspiring purpose? (If you’re shaking your head yes, then what is it?) Now imagine someone asking your conference participants that question. How would they respond? I suspect they would say “Yes, of course it has a purpose!” Then they would launch into a passionate description of your event’s annual Party with a Purpose, its pre-conference feel-good community service projects and its ongoing student scholarship fundraisers. However supporting a good … [Read more...]
Flourishing Conference Professionals Lead With Purpose
As a conference organizer, how purpose-driven are you? Successful conference organizers are purpose-driven! They grow into purpose leaders that influence others with a shared vision and purpose. They evolve into meaning-machines. They design conference experiences that become meaning-making opportunities for their participants. And they make their planning teams’ work important. Not clichéd or trivial. Critically important to their customers’ needs. (Hat tips Dr. Henry Cloud’s … [Read more...]
The 21st Century Meeting Professional: Act Strategically, Think Both Functionally And Strategically
What’s the role of the 21st Century meeting and conference professional? In the past, the answer was easy. Perform very straight forward, transactional, functional tasks related to the logistics of conferences, meetings and events. S/He fulfilled the same types of tasks on a daily basis. When asked to make improvements, s/he focused on efficiency and cost savings. Today however, many meeting professionals are being asked to balance new strategic roles while still managing their functional … [Read more...]
Even More Buckaroo Breakaway Cadillac Conference Programming Trends – Part 2
Expect the unexpected…just as Buckaroo Banzai did in the 1980s movie of the same name. Buckaroo and his merry band of cavaliers were ready to save the world from whatever came their way. They would embrace the context of each dimension much like you need to embrace these current conference programming trends. While these trends won’t help you overthrow a menacing alien dictator, they will help your participants stay in step with the every changing world around them. Take a look at them. … [Read more...]
Buckaroo Breakaway Cadillac Conference Programming Trends Looming Your Way In 2017 – Part 1
It’s the adventures of your next conference experience across the eighth dimension. Oh, wait. That’s the intro to Buckaroo Banzai about the adventures of the science fiction rock musician and his band of cavaliers. Well, similar to Buckaroo’s adventures, you have the opportunity to take your band of conference participants into the 21st Century conference dimension. These conference programming trends are headed your way. Pick a couple, study them and embrace their underpinnings to provide … [Read more...]
In Today’s Economy, Significance Precedes Momentum
So many people ask me, “If ______________ (fill in the blank) is so important for conferences, why aren’t more conferences implementing it?” “So you wait to make changes to your event once you see other conferences are already doing it?” I respond. “You wait to copy someone else instead of being the leader?” Frequently, conference planning teams wait until others have tried something before they’ll embrace it. They are risk-averse followers, gripping on to the status quo instead of … [Read more...]
Impotent Conferences Are Powerless To Influence Forward Movement
Imagine a radio station that played adult contemporary, classical, country, dance, electronic, golden oldies, heavy metal, news, pop, R&B, rock, southern gospel and talk alternating between each. What if this commercial radio station tried to appeal to everyone’s musical taste as well as news and talk radio? How successful would it be? It wouldn’t work, you say. We chuckle at that thought that this type of radio station would succeed. No one would even listen to this … [Read more...]
