Avoid These Hazardous Conference Planning Thinkholes [Part 2] July 20, 2016 by Jeff Hurt 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 … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference planning thinkholes, reflective thinking, strategic thinking, thinkholes, thinking
Common, Yet Hazardous, Conference Planning Thinkholes That Inhibit Uniqueness July 14, 2016 by Jeff Hurt 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 … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference planning thinkholes, reflective thinking, strategic thinking, thinkholes, thinking
Exposing Your Mental Model For Conference Education August 14, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Most conference organizers are not even aware of the mental models that drive their decisions—especially when it comes to conference education. Rarely do we openly examine or actively process our mental models. We just act. So those beliefs continue to govern our thoughts and decisions, without our awareness or knowledge. As a conference organizer, your … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , adult learning, cognitive bias, conference best practices, conference education, conference learning model, education best practices, facilitator, mental model, speaker tips, thinking
Your Mental Model Influences Your Conference Success August 12, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Imagine walking down the hall of a conference venue. You stop and enter one of the rooms. A speaker is telling the audience the three steps that they must follow to be successful. The audience sits quietly. Some write or type notes. Now imagine walking into another room at the same venue. The audience is … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , cognitive bias, conference best practices, mental model, thinking
Since We Are Already Doing What We Are Doing It Cannot Be Too Risky-NOT! December 9, 2014 by Jeff Hurt We frequently avoid change. We take comfort in doing the same thing over and over again. It feels safe. When it comes to making changes to a conference or association service, we opt to do what we’ve done in the past. It’s easier. We know the outcome. We believe it’s less risky than changing. Putting … [Read more…] Filed Under: Ramblings Tagged With: , association best practices, association issues and challenges, conference best practices, risk, status quo, strategic thinking, thinking
The Traps And Transgressions Of Traditional Thinking December 8, 2014 by Jeff Hurt That won’t work for us because we are different than everyone else. We’ve always done it this way. We don’t need to change. We’ve tried that in the past and it failed. These are just a few of the traditional thinking excuses we face every day. Whether we are trying to create a new conference … [Read more…] Filed Under: Ramblings Tagged With: , association best practices, association issues and challenges, conference best practices, strategic thinking, thinking
When Opinion By Committee Can Lead You Astray October 22, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Last night we went to a local chain restaurant. It wasn’t great. It wasn’t bad. It was average at best. After our meal, I told others about my visit. My relatives all had an opinion about the restaurant. So did my spouse and my friends. I started to post a comment in Facebook to ask … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , association best practices, committee best practices, committees, decision-making, opinions, thinking
Practicing Strategic Thinking To Strengthen Intellectual Capacity September 5, 2014 by Jeff Hurt It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that. ~ The Red Queen, Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass Strengthening Strategic Thinking Muscles Becoming a strategic thinker is not as difficult as it … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , reflective thinking, strategic planning, strategic thinking, thinking
Boost Your Strategic Thinking While Improving Your Memory Of Minutia August 26, 2014 by Jeff Hurt How strategic is your thinking? Do you crave information? Do you believe that more is actually better? Do you desire data, data and more data? If you hunger after more and better ideas at all cost, your info-craving habits actually zap your brain’s energy. The persistent pace of focusing on details makes it more difficult … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult learning strategies, conference best practices, education best practices, reflective thinking, strategic planning, strategic thinking, thinking
Your Brain Wants To Avoid Thinking In Conference Settings August 14, 2014 by Jeff Hurt Your brain is built to survive! It’s in the biology and chemistry of your brain to survive at all costs. Survival and protection are at the top of the list when it comes to brain activity. It even outranks thinking in priority. Survival Trumps Thinking Your brain will avoid thinking in order to conserve energy … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , brain science education, brain-friendly conferences, brain-friendly meetings, conference best practices, conferences, education best practices, thinking
