My Top Eventprofs Reads for 2016

Inspired by others sharing their top ready, below are books I have read, use to teach with, have learned from or think you will find useful as you build or evolve in your event / meeting career. From the "basics" to the inspirational, these are among the best I have found across the sectors that are driving us forward.

1. Convention Industry Council's 9th Edition because it is the base for the CMP exam for a reason. If you are seriously into planning meetings, and believe in lifelong learning, and work somewhere that recognizes the benefits of this designation, or want to, this is a good read for you. A nice companion read is Professional Meeting Management, 6th edition.
2. Event Design Handbook - Roel Frissen, Ruud Jannsen and Dennis Luijer. This builds the story of the #EventCanvas which captures the process of design - from building stakeholder empathy maps, why this matters and defining needs, goals and measurements - both real and visceral. It lays it out in a way that is systematic and ultimately for your event owner - compelling. As a book, it is (of course) really well designed and therefore both easy to read and to pull relevant content from.
3. Winners Dream by Bill McDermott. Why do meetings and incentives matter? This explains why - from the perspective of this CEO. 
4. Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Meetings and Events Industry by Elizabeth Henderson and Mariela McIlwraith. We share one world, we have the ability to have the biggest impact on it - much of it positive once we understand our power and pay attention to the planning and design process with an eye on sustainability. This book breaks it down without being preachy.
5. Gamestorming A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers and Changemakers. Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo. If you don't like the title, this is not the book for you. That's okay. If you want to work with your teams and committees and even on-site at your events to change up formats and deliver more actionable learning, this is a great book for you.
6. Resonate by Nancy Duarte. If you are a content creator, an event producer, or just love the way storytelling can be used to deliver great messages, this book is practical, has lots of great examples and will spark new ways to deliver content well - and make every presenter you share it with look better too.
7. Trending Topic by Gerrit Heijkoop and Paula Vos is described as a 'management novel' and it really is just this - an easy read that you learn from. If you are thinking you still don't really understand social media or how it can benefit your meeting, event or association and its members, this book is an easy way to create understanding. Social media is simply another medium we need to understand as event professionals, and this makes the learning, yes, fun.
8. Wine Drinking for Creative Thinking by Michael Gelb. If you know me - the title says it all. If you want to delve into the process of creativity, enjoy some great storytelling, and pair it with chocolate, this is exactly the book to do it with.

Happy reading!

5 lessons from PCMA Educon

Day 4 - 7, PCMA Educon
Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
Wellness rating: Wellness rating: 4.6/5. Good variety of food items at all meals and special meal requests on plated lunches met by the facility.  Great natural light in both hotel and convention center open areas and active outdoor open air networking in the evenings.  Limited fitness centre but opportunity to walk between venues. Good balance of time in the program. Points lost on last evening with lack of options for food and beverage, although a stunning location.  I am adding a wellness rating to these meetings because when you are spending 34 days on the road, every day counts.

The road to learning is this way... a short walk between the hotel and the Broward convention center was marked with these making it easy to find (or an air conditioned shuttle was available) and a highlight on the return journey each day was first a lemonade stand, and as we neared the hotel, a cool towel with a laundry basket 50 steps later! It is these small details that make PCMA stand out, and make Educon a particular favorite for many meeting professionals to attend.  While my first Educon, it was one which had been recommended as a "must attend" for a number of years and I am happy I was able to experience PCMA learning in action.

So what does PCMA do that makes this meeting stand out?

1. They experiment.  They take risks with the format, and they openly talk about what worked and why, and what didn't work, and why. After it is all over, they adjust and consider what to try next.  The picture above is but one example of some excellent seating options they showcased, in this case combined with what the venue offered. Each environment offered a different feeling which was interesting to see how people responded - generally very positively! 
2. They think deeply about the flow of the event and made choices that made sense for the participants, fit the venue, and showcased the sponsors on an ongoing basis with the timing and location of meals and breaks. It cannot be overstated how important this balance is, and how delicate. 
3. They use mobile smartly. I am fortunate to work with their mobile partner QuickMobile and I know the thought and work that goes into the various integrations and use cases that are considered to build it into their overall meeting design and I LOVE WHEN MOBILE IS USED WELL! 
4. A good host / facilitator, this time Adrian Segar, is crucial to weaving a story through your meeting and this was done well - the right information at the right time. Each meeting will have its own unique needs, and for this one Adrian was the choice that made sense.
5. Everyone arrives at your meeting with a brain and having John Medina who really explains how our brain works at a meeting and in life - and is completely fun to listen to, was an absolute highlight of the meeting, as a great keynote should be!  This is certainly a meeting I would return to, thank you PCMA! 

June - Road to Learning

I am very fortunate to be able to represent QuickMobile at many events throughout the year, and I have a few of my favorites coming up in June.  The first I will attend (narrowly missing AIBTM which we have sent two other lucky people to) is Collaborate Marketplace. I first attended this Collinson Media event in Denver, and found the quality of format, presentations, and take-away information to be of the highest caliber.  I am simply thrilled to be participating again and look forward to seeing many friends there where I expect to be having at least this much fun!

Whan life gives you lemons... juggle! Event created while at Cantrav in 2010.

From here it is straight across Florida to PCMA Educon, where they will be again offering up a day of hybrid sessions and where we are again partnering to do their awesome app.  This is a group that pushes boundaries and shows meeting professionals alternatives - I always appreciate that! 

GMIC beckons again, and the longer I teach Sustainable Event Operations at BCIT for, the more I know there is to learn to deliver events which meet a triple bottom line.  The passionate planners in this room are our greatest brain trust and I love the conversations we are able to have.  Also so happy we are doing their app again! At our space there we will be giving away this fabulous brand new resource, Meet Better, authored by experts Nancy J Zavada, Shawna McKinley and Mariela McIlwraith - just come and have a conversation with us for your chance to take home your own. 

Where will I see you next?

Social Media vs Magazines

social-media-influencers on MeetingsNet

I LOVE magazines - consumer and trade. I love flipping pages, pulling out pages, adding post-its and sharing with friends. I recognize it is not the most sustainable choice, and I have not yet developed exactly the same love affair with digital magazines, but I am learning.  I am enjoying the layout and ease of finding information on the digital edition of Event Solutions and I am learning to get through the pdf versions of association magazines I have long enjoyed such as MPI's The Meeting Professional and PCMA's alternate approach to sharing Convene digitally, in a click and read format. What I was very impressed with most recently is MeetingsNet app, as I found the information was very easy to "flip" through, and my conversion may be starting...

What I love most about Twitter / LinkedIn / Facebook et al is the easy ability to share information, a quick link away, and you can while away an hour or a day learning about innovations, reading different perspectives and generally enjoying the mind-stretch. I was lucky to learn from Jenise Fryatt at the beginning of my journey, and embraced her #EIR - Engage, Inform and Retweet philosophy. More than three years later, I have continued to meet amazing people and hear inspiring stories and ideas on a daily basis, and I LOVE SOCIAL MEDIA for its knowledge and its connections. 

I was truly honoured when MeetingsNet chose me as one of their 11 social media influencers for this year, and I think most of us smiled when we saw it was first Richard Branson... and well then all of us who are focused on smaller audiences and rather more of a specific area or industry.  Likely many of you have had in your minds too the "dream companies" you would work for, and for me Virgin has long been part of my short list, so the irony of being so close and still so far was not lost on me! 

Anyhow... I had a lot of fun reading about these other influencers, and I hope you do too!

Vancouver-Wellness-PCMA

I LOVED being part of PCMA last year, and blogged about all the things I learned that were related to the Letter C - check it out here.

This year I found it was increasingly busy as 2013 marched forward, and I found that I was focusing on the wrong things, and made a conscious decision to focus a little differently in 2014, and I wrote about some of the reasons why I wanted to focus on Wellness and some of the tips I have collected to do so for Corporate Meetings Network here. 

Shortly after this was written (but long before it was posted) I was invited to support an incredibly generous initiative your Vancouver meeting team has created for PCMA Convening Leaders this coming week.  All attendees are invited to join us during the breaks and lunches at the third floor Vancouver ReVitalization Lounge and learn from experts about improving YOUR fitness, sleep or nutrition patterns for the coming year - and beyond.

I hope if you are reading this you will share this message widely so lots of our industry partners take advantage of this during PCMA Convening Leaders this week!

It starts with a short survey, ahead of time or on site and then a one-on-one, face-to-face appointment with leaders in sleep research (primarily on Tuesday), fitness and nutrition (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning) - sharing information to help YOU make 2014 the best year ever.  We really hope to see you there!

PCMA and the Letter C

This week I attended (and presented at!) PCMA Convention Association in Orlando, and as nearly 4,000 meeting professionals gathered, there was a definite theme that came up over and over again. 

The letter C. Let me explain, using all the words that came up.

Connection. From handshakes to hugs, from meeting new people, to finding those that you knew from phone conversations and social media, to renewing ties with friends and colleagues known over the years, the human to human connections were continuous from Day 1 until the end.

Hyper Connectivity. The state of the world currently, where we have multiple means to be connected globally through multiple channels. This is a game changer in the way we do everything from shopping to traveling to meeting and we simply must adapt to what is a digital revolution.

Communication.  Messages from the main stages, from PCMA headquarters to the many media in attendance, with letters from members to their government, from presenters and in Peer2Peer discussions, this meeting was about communication at every level.

Collaboration.  We know that no meeting or event happens unless there is collaboration between associations and cities, organizations and venues, planners and their supplier partners, stakeholders, sponsors, presenters… and the audience, the list of ways we need to collaborate and the amount of people required for success is humbling.  Seeing this in action from the perspective of an attendee, a great reminder of what we do and the inherent value.

Coaching.  This is primarily a group of seasoned professionals, with a healthy influx of the next generation of meeting professionals, and being a mentor, a "yoda", a coach to bring them along is critical to the continued health of our industry, and often incredibly satisfying.  Add some appreciation, some "cheering" and the feeling of reward will grow.

Critical Thinking. Thomas Friedman reminded us that in the future, adaptability, resilience and critical thinking will become the most important skill that employers are looking for, and the importance of developing it in ourselves and our children must remain foremost as we move to the future.

Curiosity. Many new things were tried, from session formats to trade show concepts, the addition of a game and more. Meetings should encourage curiosity and embrace discovery.

Community.  One of the key reasons people attend a meeting, one of the key areas associations must focus on for continued growth into the future.  While we are at the beginning of building true online communities that foster year round growth in our associations, PCMA's new Catalyst is an excellent example of a community in progress.

Clarity. In our vision for where we want to take ourselves and our companies, clarity in understanding who we are is important. Clarity, transparency even in our communications with each other - planner to client, planner to partner - will become even more important.

Creativity. We all have the ability to be creative, and with the urgent need for resiliency and innovation, we must all find ways to truly tap into our own style of creativity, and collaborate with others to create our own future.

Creation. Designing our environments, designing our on-line, off-line, f2f and combined experiences is a skill that must be developed, nurtured, embraced and exploited.

Culture. I have said before that culture eats strategy for breakfast, and it has never been more true than now.  David Novak told us every time he meets a group they do the YUM cheer, a great example of a strong culture in action.  Building our organization and association cultures that are brand aligned and attract the right talent to build from is another critical future-facing function.

Curation.  We are familiar with curating content, a strategy for creating an attractive program that brings in the audience, and satisfies the needs of the community.  Curation of audiences is a newer topic, and one being hotly targeted as competition for audiences' time and attention becomes tougher to get. Bringing in key influencers as part of this audience creation is a strategy that some are using, others are learning, and one that some disagree with. We can all agree though that there is no one size fits all solution, and curating is here to stay.

Commitment.  Or Passion. The people who are doing work that matters to them will be the most successful, the happiest, and the best able to adapt to changing circumstances as they follow their heart, and use their heads to make a difference.

Content. 2012 was the year we heard "Content is King" and as the internet continues to explode with content, curation and context will become more critical.  Capturing, repurposing, creating revenue streams with… ensuring your association is offering the best quality content is the reality of what needs to happen NOW.

Context. Content without context is like reading a trashy novel, enjoyable in the moment but not ultimately satisfying. When we are able to provide excellent content, and provide time, discussion, tools and space for learners to find their own connection to and relevance of the content being shared, this is when you will have the most success, and create the desire for people to return again for the excellent learning available.

Cool. PCMA is definitely cool. It is for many I spoke to the "hot ticket", the one meeting they can't wait to come back to, and I think I can safely say that I sure hope to return! 

Blah, blah, blah - Making presentations relevant

My tween-age daughter plays soccer, very seriously, and has played since she was in kindergarten. They have excellent coaches, parents who also take the game seriously, while making sure the girls enjoy the sport and the experience. Occasionally, the coaches will get a little overzealous in their descriptions of play, or how the team played and can get a bit long - winded in their motivational turf-side talks. Or as Julia described it when she was ten "Mom, we're just kids, don't they know after the first few minutes all we hear is blah, blah, blah?"

 

Don't you find yourself thinking the same thing in a meeting where Mr/Ms Agenda goes on and on about their topic that you might not find as fascinating as they do? How about when you attend a conference and find yourself in a session where you are being talked at for an hour? How much of this do you actually retain? Not only retain, but find a way to apply what is hopefully new knowledge or an interesting perspective to apply to your own situation?  

 

Imagine if... you are given some information, then given an exercise to help you process and apply that information. This might be some time where you work solo on a small exercise, or where you break into groups and discuss and share ideas about what has been presented bringing your own input and application. According to tested learning theory, we know that we retain 20% of what we hear, 40% of what we hear and see (making powerpoint / prezi / keynote potentially useful when used 'correctly') and 80% of what we see, hear and do something with. Let's face it, 100% of knowledge retention is not even that practical unless you are studying for a rote exam in university, but being able to extrapolate the bits of information relevant to you from a conference is highly valuable and can lead you on the way to new solutions or innovations that support your needs. There are so many ways to encourage your speakers in facilitating conversation, sparking ideas and leaving participants thoughtful, and inspired.

I am very excited to attend PCMA in Orlando in January, and honoured that in addition to the session I will present with Andrea Sullivan, to be part of their pay it forward program including facilitating the session on Peer2Peer Learning that was brainstormed by the PCMA Education Committee, and to see, hear and share what learning formats are working for people, and being able to integrate some of these into our client's meetings. I am excited to see friends and colleagues and to know that January offers some awesome knowledge sharing!

Eventprofs friends... let me know if I will see you there!