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...]
Tactical Or Strategic: Which Best Describes Your Governing Nonprofit Board
Tactical board members are focused on the predictability of the past for today, the here and now, and getting through the year. Strategic board members think, prepare and act on challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Why? Because they care about the organization’s future. They know they can play an important role in creating their stakeholder’s future. Is your organization fostering a strategic thinking or nonstrategic thinking board? And which is more important to your … [Read more...]
Avoid These Hazardous Conference Planning Thinkholes [Part 2]
Ever run your car over some severe potholes? It can do some major damage to your tires. And to your vehicle too. Potholes can be an expensive problem for both drivers and cities. Just like potholes, conference planning thinkholes can be an expensive problem for your event. They can create some major cavities and damage to your participants’ conference experience. Adapted from author Will Mancini’s writings on organizational leadership. Defining Conference Planning Thinkholes A … [Read more...]
Common, Yet Hazardous, Conference Planning Thinkholes That Inhibit Uniqueness
Why do so many people rate the conference experience as stale, predictable and average at best? Why do conference leaders miss the mark at preparing their own unique DNA conference experience? Why do so many conference organizers miss the opportunity to create a matchless thumbprint on their event’s identity? We as conference organizers often have the common habit of neglecting what makes our event’s experience unique. Instead, we gravitate towards programs and mindsets that work … [Read more...]
Four Stupendous Strategic Steps You Should Practice Regularly
One of the biggest challenges we face—especially nonprofit association and conference professionals--is spending adequate time thinking. For some reason, we believe that doing is better than thinking. When we do something, we seem to make progress. Well, at least that’s what we tell ourselves. When we think, there doesn’t seem to be any forward movement. We’ve not checked anything off of our task list. So we believe that spending time thinking is unproductive. Poor Strategy Well Executed … [Read more...]
Ten Ways Conference Professionals Can Gain Credibility And Increase Their Strategic Value
Are you looking to gain credibility? Do you want to climb the career ladder? Do you want to be seen by your executives as a leader who can add strategic value? Sure you do. And if you’re like most, you want to do this now. You don’t want to wait 10-20 years before people respect you. The Credibility Equation Leadership and catalyst guru Brad Lomenick has identified a theory for credibility: C = T x (E+E) Credibility = Time (multiplied) by Experience + Expertise Whether you’re a new … [Read more...]
Conference Cloning: Principles Not Practices
Many of us do it. We seek the next great idea. We read lists of tips and tricks in search of one unique takeaway we can try at our event. We observe what other conferences are doing. We turn to the experts and others who have had success and ask them how they did it. We complain if an expert doesn't tell us how to do something so we can copy them. Conference Impersonators Sure imitation is one of the greatest forms of flattery as the old adage states. Yet too often, conference … [Read more...]
