EMERGING FROM THE ASHES…

Much as I was encouraged to read Harvey MacKay’s column yesterday, I was equally dismayed as I perused a reprint from the New York Times written by Joe Sharkey entitled “A new meetings industry emerges from the ashes”.

Yes Joe, our world does include irresponsible organizations holding lavish meetings that have led to what you term the “AIG Effect”. But did you confirm the outrage was caused by a meeting held in Las Vegas –a site which caters to meetings with good hotels and the biggest convention center in the nation? Or could the swell of disdain have resulted from the perception that because AIG was too big to fail and thus created the bail-out, the public viewed their meeting as inappropriate because it felt the government and thus the American public paid for it? The two issues are not the same.

Yes Joe, you may have felt the Sea World atmosphere was created just for you and thus you can exclaim about the lavishness of evening parties. But did you stop to think that all but the food and beverage are seen every day, day after day, hour after hour by Sea World guests . So the cost of that “special” whale show and most other accoutrements, have been amortized long ago over daily admission fees collected from the visiting tourists and their families. You might be surprised to learn that theme parks are chosen by planners for off-site events because it often COSTS LESS to produce there than creating a message-driven evening event from scratch. So, sometimes, reinforcing the message of the meeting in a social environment is sacrificed in order to manage costs.

Yes Joe, as we all struggle to adjust to the new economy rising out of this recession, for some, meetings and events are being redefined. But the new meetings industry you describe as emerging from the struggle is NOT necessarily based on cost control and virtual events as you reported.

In the first place Joe, cost control has been a critical tactical element for serious meeting and event planners for decades. ROI and Strategic Meeting Management were buzz words long before we knew we were in a recession. Procurement and cost control represents one important arm of meetings management – which many in the industry define as meeting efficiency. You might wish to check out http://illuminationgalleries.com/blog/2009 04 01 archive.html that was just recently forwarded to me by a colleague. Jay Smethurst created a picture that explain this very well.

Secondly , as technology advances, virtual events are indeed being experimented with in several arenas. But as the discussion continues, I think many of us are welcoming the hybrid event comprised of both live and virtual elements – not because we can, or because it is less expensive, but because it allows us to extend the audience exponentially, and thus create greater connections and engagement. Oh yes, Joe, one saves money in air, hotel and food and beverage with a virtual event, but a national meeting content producer recently pointed out to me that no one factors in the new costs – those of uplinks and television/movie picture quality production – which is needed if we expect in a virtual setting to hold the audience’s attention and create a meaningful dialog that will drive real business results.

Yes, most importantly, Joe, there is no need for meeting efficiency of which you speak, if one does not have meeting effectiveness – the arm that focuses on business results. Meetings and events that lack focus, purpose and a clear understanding of desired outcomes on the part of both the organizer and the audience are not worth holding-no matter how little or how much they cost.

EventView, the largest and longest-running annual survey of corporate sales and marketing executives, repeatedly reports that meetings, events and tradeshows far surpass advertising and web marketing when it comes to achieving corporate goals, introducing new products, cementing relationships, and enhancing a company’s brand. And they do so because face to face interaction optimizes effective communication, sharing of information, resolving objectives and obtaining buy-in. And it does this with a targeted audience that is interested, qualified and motivated to participate.

So yes, Joe, my hope for the future of the industry as we emerge from the ashes is that we scrutinize every meeting opportunity to get back to the basics – why is the meeting being held in the first place. And then, we move forward in design to accomplish this task and measure the results. In the 21st century that means we may abandon old models of talking heads and PowerPoint aimed to push information out to the audience and strive to create interactive experiences that connect, inform and engage.

We need to hold all stakeholders, planners and producers “feet to fire”. No real results; no repeat of that meeting. And along the way, we will change the role of the meeting planner from procurement experts to strategic players who by managing both efficiently and effectively, assist their organizations to market with their audience, for the mutual benefit of both.

Thanks for your patience as I vented.

ANOTHER TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY

What a day-brightener in the midst of yet another winter storm, to read Harvey MacKay’s column in the Strib this morning about the use of technology to enhance brainpower!

For 25 years, I have had a simple “reminder note” displayed in my office. It reads: “The Medium is NOT the Message”. The mid 1980s was a technology transition time in the meeting and event production business that would move us from use of communication media such as 35mm slides and 16mm-35mm film to video and video conferencing–and with the introduction of computers, the very beginning of programs that eventually were replaced by PowerPoint as the preferred method of speaker support to talking heads, – not only in general sessions, but in every break-out as well.

After the initial discussions on compromising the quality of image, we gave in to the notion that our audience was acclimated to the inferior images of video at the time because of TV and we needed to embrace it. At the same time, our passion and knowledge for message reinforcement through peer discussion in social environments, along with a long list of advantages of traditional face to face meetings allowed us to weather the scare of teleconferencing putting live meetings production out of business.

And so, with a new mindset, we slowly started to move away from analyzing the best tools and means to communicate a message to the thrill of finding that newest available technology and how we could be among the first to introduce it to our clients. It was not long before our creative brainstorming was giving precedence to technology – and not to achieving client outcomes in the most efficient and effective manner. We were selling us and our expertise and knowledge, not how we could best tell the client’s story.

As Mackay mentioned, the McLuhan theory of the 1960s stated that the medium used influences how the message is perceived, and engages the viewer in different ways. Twenty years later, an industry thought-leader expanded on that. I’ve lost the source name but not his campaign message: “The Medium is NOT the Message”. I adopted it as a primary principle – not only in our work environment in the CMG Meetings Division, but as a guiding directive over the next 25 years.

So Mackay’s affirmation of that principle definitely got my attention.

Based on a concern that we are losing the ability to think creatively because we are now focusing more on how to use today’s tools of communication than we are on how to effectively communicate, MacKay posed the question of whether creativity was lost to the medium. He stated that if communication is meaningless and useless, the whole point of having and using great tools is lost. Reminiscent of my earlier blog on Innovation and the need for leaders to foster creativity, MacKay suggested that good managers challenge employees to use technology to enhance their brainpower.

MacKay offered up some interesting exercises to get creativity and innovation moving in organizations, adapted the McLuhan theory to state that the medium ENHANCES the message, and then closed with the MacKay Moral: “Technology is a result of creative thinking, not a replacement for it.”

Even in today’s world with technological applications growing exponentially, we can’t just blindly include a new tool, it has to contribute to the purpose. My mantra still stands – the medium is not the message (or vice versa).

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY – INSTALLMENT TWO

Last month, I shared my views on our industry’s tactical trends focus; and with that mindset, I approached the sessions on trends at the State of the Industry with some trepidation.

I knew the design roundtable led by Ryan Hanson was positioned to focus on strategic meeting/event design trends – providing his audience was interested. But a quick survey of the attendees clearly indicated they were looking for more of what’s new in colors, décor and other accoutrements. Fortunately, offline, Ryan shared new and interesting perspectives from national industry people I did not know – Mary Boone and Jay Smethurst – and I went away with some great food for thought.

My original mindset reinforced, I took in catering trends and then moved on to Kris Young’s “Crafting More Strategic Meetings.” Here we had a good discussion on the use of events to advance one’s business strategy and in the course of the roundtable, we touched on changing demographics, a new approach and look to general sessions, the misuse of ROI as a term for cost-savings, and much more. The table was not physically full, but we all left full of new insights-and a great handout positioning Meetings and Events as Strategy.

So somewhat stimulated, I progressed to the Closing Session and the reason I had come to the State of the Industry in the first place….a longtime colleague, Joan Eisenstodt, was addressing the group with “Where we go from here: Future Trends”. After following Joan’s column in a major national trade magazine since the late 70s, I first attended one of her seminars in New York in the mid 1980s and left in awe. For more than 25 years since, when I have a chance, I make a point of listening to what she has to say about who we are and where we are going. Tuesday, as usual, Joan was all I expected – and more.

Ethics…Confidential assets…Climate change…Social responsibility…Changing demographics…World economy…Terrorism and other risks…Technology…and Education, Training and Professional Development Delivery-The nine future trends she addressed should not be a surprise to anyone. What lies ahead is more than GREEN and VIRTUAL. These trends are challenges faced by all of us in all industries and countries around the world.

But as we focused on the list, Joan pushed us to the next step. Knowing what is coming, she asked us to think of core competencies we each would need to manage those trends, and how we would acquire them. “Some joined this industry because they loved people and travel and were good at details or sales/marketing. Future competencies will be different.” That was an attention-getter!

I think most of us in the room struggled to respond so she shared some tips. Learn to improvise and think on your feet. Gain an understanding of the adult learning model and how it is changing. Read the American Disability Act and understand it thoroughly. Find legal expertise. Find technical expertise. What you are good at today will not help you be good tomorrow.

Then, as time ran out, she reminded us to access the many resources she had shared with us, including the World Future Society at wsf.org and closed by holding up a book I immediately recognized….DRIVE by Daniel Pink! Amen, Joan. Thank you for the jolt to move us in the right direction. You made the time I invested on Tuesday more than worthwhile.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY; INSTALLMENT ONE

Yesterday because Joan Eisenstodt was the Guest Speaker, I once again found myself at Meetings, Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal’s annual event, the State of the Industry. Thanks to AVEX, the presentation of survey results was improved immensely. But certainly, the most worthwhile elements were those that involved Joan.

I attended her breakout on Ethics and to my amazement, so much of the input from the audience was couched in a discussion that reflected the impact of the down economy on ethics – with many in the room seeming to feel it is ok for ethical principles to change in hard times.

I certainly understand lack of work and income creates desperation, but it does not give one permission to put one’s values in the closet until times improve. I so wanted to add my own two cents and direct people to John Maxwell’s “There’s No Such Thing as Business Ethics” or Minnesota’s own Bill George’s “Authentic Leadership” but knowing I am fairly passionate about ethics and its role in our industry, I held back as I tried to process what I would share so as not to look too judgmental. Fortunately for all of us, Joan was able to redirect the discussion back to the topic – Ethical Negotiations in a Changing Economy – and how an understanding of pressures on both sides can assist one in MAINTAINING ethical negotiations. And thanks to those in the audience that tracked with that, shared good input and action steps that contributed to the good discussion that ensued.

More to follow on the Closing Session “Where We Go From Here: Future Trends”. It was right on!

ANOTHER MINNESOTA BEARD AWARD WINNER

Congratulations to Wayne Kostrowski of Cuisine Concepts for being named the recipient of the Beard Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award for his work with Taste of the NFL and the more than $9 million dollars contributed since its inception to national foodbanks.

In a past life, I was privileged to work with Wayne as Taste of the Nation grew in size and prominence here in the Twin Cities. From those roots came Wayne’s inspiration to create the very first Taste of the NFL during the 1992 Superbowl held here in Minneapolis. As Operations Co-Chair of that inaugural event, I was so proud of the chefs , players, and hundreds of volunteers that worked to develop and support that event as the NFL came, judged, and found the concept worthy of being integrated into NFL Superbowl activities on an annual basis. And as they say, the rest is history.

Under Wayne’s guidance, I learned the importance of those that make our living in the hospitality world to give back to those less fortunate and how little separates us from those in need of help. But equally important, I learned the satisfaction gained through volunteerism and social responsibility as we “give back” where we can.

Wayne has continued to work tirelessly thrugh the Taste of NFL for the cause it supports. And for this, he has earned the well-deserved recognition he has been given from the James Beard Foundation.

A GUILD FOR EVENT PLANNERS?

For several years, I’ve been intrigued as I watched the 20th century business model become diminished.

First, more and more employees took advantage of technology and flex-time opportunities in the workplace. Slowly, we rethought business practices to include intelligent partnerships; and a culture of collaboration emerged where not only within a business organization but between small business, success came from working together with all voices heard. Then, the impact of Web 2.0 combined with the Millennials gaining a voice in the workplace gave rise to a whole series of new changes. We’ve watched a new paradigm of leadership in organizations emerge that is authentic, inclusive, respectful and collaborative – and it moved the emphasis away from control and pushing employees to influence and pull. That thinking was applied to relationships outside our own organization as well, as we struggle with marketing “with” rather than marketing “to” our customers – no matter what media we use to do that. And, most recently, as I shared in a past blog, existing theories of motivation are being challenged and a call has gone out to remake our business world with autonomy at the center.

As new ideas materialized – particularly in terms of collaboration, I have tried them out and for the most part, met with success, learning a lot along the way.

So, last week, Sue Peltier’s face2face blog in MeetingsNet definitely caught my attention. She was responding to an article in the Boston Globe called “The End of Office and the Future of Work”. The basic premise of the article was that as we move away from the old business model and into one where jobs change and the freelance world grows, you lose security, benefits, and the sense of belonging to a community.

And that creates a new need – that harkens back to before the world of corporations, big business, and unions – when workers, united by a common set of specialized work skills, combined elements of a social club and mutual aid society, in what was known as a guild. I would argue there are inklings of that thinking in our local ISES chapter – although still a little rough and not to the extent we include benefits.

Check out http://blog.meetingsnet.com/face2face/2010/01/17/associations-of-the-future/

More Food For Thought!

TRENDS DISCONNECT

As can be expected at this time of year, trade publications are filled with predictive event trends, and industry conferences and local meetings focus on the same.

Each year, with anticipation, I try to absorb which colors will be hot, which décor elements will emerge, which new entertainment will be the hit. And yet, as I look through the tips and advice, I am usually disappointed. I find myself thinking to myself, over and over – “that’s not new; it’s a best practice we have been using for 12-15 years”…”What? Celebrity Chefs were a key element in our selling approach before the RNC!” …”Small portions and spoons, room temp food, and food stations instead of buffets–and the new twist to that is what?”

What does this feeling of “Been There, Done That” mean? Am I so old, everything is coming around again? Is my global background and experience from a past life still coming into play here? Is our industry in the Twin Cities really that parochial? Are we still battling that phenomenon of lower expectations on the home front? Is it worse today because of a perceived need to operate under the radar in a struggling economy? Am I a trend-setter instead of a trend identifier or follower? Does this have nothing to do with me? Is the answer a mix of all or some of the above? Or am I missing the point entirely?

Every year I ruminate about this, and never come to a firm conclusion. But this year, just maybe, a theory is beginning to crystallize. I think it is the difference in outlook between the strategic planner of corporate events and the tactical vendor that serves the multiple markets of corporate, social and non-profit.

Generally, I DO look at things differently than most of my friends in the industry. An event to me is not primarily about the WOW and what’s new. It is a strategic tool in the bigger world of marketing and communications. I need to get the attention of the audience, engage them, and deliver memory joggers that move them to remember the experience after the fact so that they ACT ON message. So, I include tactical trends that help me get their attention and tell the story. Likewise, I need to gather the message from the audience for further action on the part of my client. Those things can’t be the same elements seen, heard or served at an event the guest attended last week. So I am often looking outside our Midwestern world for ideas that have not yet made their way here, and then working with my event vendors to adapt ideas and inventory and to try new things not done before.

That, together with a commitment to budget and to guest comfort, is what drives the concept and design of my events. I expect that those in the industry that play the role I play in the event can relate; while those that provide the needed tactical elements of food, décor, linens and entertainment think I am nuts.

Nevertheless, our local press tends to reflect the tactical trends, and so I will continue, I think, to yearn year after year for an article based on how we in the event world tap into emerging trends such as “Urbany”, (F)luxury, “Mass-Mingling”, “Embedded-Generosity” and use them to enhance our event efforts. Until then, I’ll continue to subscribe to Iconoculture and TrendWatching and try to interpret, integrate and move forward without help from our press or our industry organizations.

CARROTS AND STICKS – Volume II

Sunday’s paper had a review of Daniel Pink’s new book DRIVE; then on Monday morning, the STRIB had more.

A tiny paragraph reported that the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology reinforces the “self-determination theory” upon which DRIVE is based. Their study found that people feel better on weekends because they love the freedom and feel more competent. They conclude that “well-being is based on one’s personal needs for autonomy, competence, and social relationships.”

It appears the debate between traditional Motivation 2.0 and Motivation 3.0 is gaining legs.

As for my own thoughts, a little processing over the past few days had led me to open up to much of what was being said-particularly in terms of the need to connect, engage, and be heard. I’m definitely a proponent of “marketing with, not to” our customers and the fact that the world has changed-a new paradigm of leadership is evolving based on influence, not control. That coupled with my own personal experience in the corporate world where I often felt out of step because I was not working for my bonus or to be a Goalmaker – but because I loved what I did and was driven to do it well…for my company and for my own well-being and growth. And, as I look back, for most of my working life, I have been blessed with leadership that has allowed me to do that. And when I did not have that, I had to move on.

So I looked forward to the gathering at Barnes and Noble last nite to listen to Pink, get answers to my questions, and hopefully meld the two theories into something with familiar roots, and an exciting new future.

Off I went, book in hand, along with a list of questions/comments scribbled in the margins of the book as I read it. Arriving about 6:15 so I could claim a good seat, have time to browse through the B&N design section, and still be in place and ready at 7, I was met by a young lady with bad news.

Pink’s flight out of Portland was cancelled; the appearance was cancelled.

BUMMER.

CARROTS AND STICKS DON’T WORK??!!!

Once again, my world has been turned upside down by Daniel Pink. In his latest book, DRIVE, he refutes the entire industry that has been the basis of my business successes and travel around the world in the last forty years. He states the world of motivation which I knew and loved, (known as Motivation 2.0 to Pink), has now been replaced by Motivation 3.0. This is pretty unsettling! But at the same time, he put forth answers to all those nagging questions I have had through a lifetime in the Motivation Industry – so once again, he got my undivided attention-if not my immediate buy-in.

A long time ago (back in 2005) I went to hear a speaker at the Ted Mann…and my outlook on the world was altered. I heard about Right Brain Rising, the Creative Class, and why Minneapolis was a great city. I rushed out and bought the book, A WHOLE NEW MIND to learn more, and that I did. The new senses of design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning would rule in the Conceptual Age which already was upon us. As added bonuses, I also finally grasped the concept of negative space as I saw the arrow in the FedEx logo for the first time, was introduced to laughter clubs, and saw my early dyslexia tendencies-not as a problem-but as an advantage. I was hooked on the thinking of Daniel Pink.

A couple years later, he reappeared with the first business book in Japanese comic format – a career guide entitled THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY BUNKO. Great advice quickly summarized in just six salient points. I have been looking for a creative application of “Jap-animation” in my world of events ever since!

And today, I have finished reading DRIVE in which Pink asks me to put aside Maslow’s Theory, the theory of motivation I learned in the early days at Business Incentives, and practiced for years at Carlson Marketing Group. Yes, that theory whose residue surrounds me in my office as I am writing this- those clocks and crystal bowls and memorabilia from incentive trips to London, Rome, Israel, Rio , China, and other points around the world. It has been my life forever, but Pink is asking that I take up new banners of autonomy, mastery and purpose and help close the gap between what science knows and what business does to “rejuvenate our businesses and remake our world.”

Yes, I’ve read the book, but as a proponent of “no blind faith” – I need a bit of time to process and then re-engage with this revolutionary idea next Monday nite at the Barnes and Noble in Galleria where Pink will be making an appearance. By then, I hope to have my thoughts sorted out. Will you join me? 7PM. Don’t be late.

STUCK ON THE “WHAT”

An OP ED in this morning’s paper, aimed at taking an honest look at Afghanistan situation ended with a real thought jogger:

We are becoming very good at uncovering what went wrong—on 9/11, in Iraq, at Tora Bora, on Christmas Day 2009. We are not good at figuring out what the rapidly evolving terrorists who hate us are planning next.

That summary of the “what”, with little thought spent as to the “why” and the “what next” seems to me to be systemic throughout our world today. We focus on hind-sight, past experience, the proven truths of the 20th century and self-righteously make judgments in the context of our “glorious” past rather than the future – let alone the present.

This brought me immediately back to the Harvard Business Review “Spotlight on Innovation” I wrote about in my Dec 13, 2009 blog. Just a month ago, I made a commitment to reorient and look to the future…trying not to protect the status quo and to move forward to embrace a mission for change that would allow me to take risks and give me permission to make mistakes along the way.

I’ve spent most of the intervening month battling a lengthly illness, snow, ice, and cold, doctor appointments and an out-patient surgery. So have spent very little time figuring out how I was going to accomplish this change in thinking and move away once and for all from the tendency to protect the good accomplishments that have come before and focus on what lies ahead.

Despite minimal progress, I remain committed to this however, and think it is a worthy goal, not just for me personally, but for our industry, for our politicians and pundits, for our state, and for our American life. So I am recommitting to Associating, Questioning, Observing, Experimenting and Networking in order to improve my Innovative Abilities to better prepare for life in the 21st century.

Future success will be easier, I think, when there are more fellow travelers on this pathway.