Most meeting organizers invest a significant amount of time creating the educational programming for their annual conference. Models vary, but most include a 15- to 20-person conference committee (slotters) and army of reviewers (graders). Progressive organizers are shifting to a blended model, where conference committees act more like content curators and advisors and less like graders and slotters. Session and abstract submissions are still an important part of the process, but a greater … [Read more...]
On Becoming A New Normal Leader
It’s a common, well-accepted, well-worn and overused term: the New Normal. It’s also stealthily deceptive and destructive. It’s critical that successful leaders understand that linear thinking is just an exit ramp in a world of exponential change. Many of today’s leaders, especially association board of directors and CEOs, think that the new normal will eventually stabilize. In reality, accelerating change is constant and ongoing. It’s not a finite phase or a period of time that will stop. … [Read more...]
How to Pick Forward Thinking Conference Topics
Forecasting! The mere word may cause fear, apprehension and the thought “I don’t know how to do that! Much less how to apply forecasting to picking future-focused conference and education topics for my customers.” Don’t worry you’re not alone. More Than Predictions Forecasting is more than predicting or foretelling the future. And if you’re under the impression that forecasting is something only strategists, governments and scientists know how to do, you’re going to be pleasantly … [Read more...]
Five Steps To Take Your Education Programming From Blah To Wickedly Smart
Curation: it’s more important than you think. And it’s extremely critical to the success of your education programming. When it comes to choosing education programming, curation involves deep excavation of the right content for the right audience at the right time for the right issue. Authentic Curation For Education Programming Curation is more than just identifying content for your customers. It’s picking the right education issue that is like currency and helping attendees exchange … [Read more...]
The Person Who Chooses Your Conference Content Has All The Power
"If we live in a world where information drives what we do, the information we get becomes the most important thing. The person who chooses that information has power," says Seth Godin. Currently many conference hosts put the power of their conference content into the hands of administrators focused on shuffling speaker proposals and scheduling speakers. Or they allow a volunteer committee that is often focused on personal agendas to choose the conference content. Rarely do either the … [Read more...]
