The key to engaging a stranger in conversation is to find common ground. By common ground, I mean ...
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It's always been strange to me that alcohol (service and consumption) equaled "hospitality"; that no matter what, alcohol had to be served at events and those who chose not to drink, especially at our industry events, were bullied to consume.
Meeting planners/professionals and our vendor partners often do not question the service of alcohol. We should. Before there are injuries to people and property or there are deaths. And before we are sued.
Read more of a lawsuit over alcohol consumption. And look at questions you can ask to limit liability around alcohol service and consumption.
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How do your audiences engage or not? In what ways are attendees taught to change their thinking and actions when they are used to Q&A at the end and become participants v. attendees? Does Q&A have to be at the end or can discussion happen throughout? How do we change learning at meetings?
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Each time a tragedy strikes, we say we will do more to protect people. A story read today, where it is said we are in a 'new normal', has been written before. Our industry puts in place some plans for evacuation, for sheltering in place, for protecting people and property. Meeting planners and their employing or contracted organizations plan for "paper cuts" and believe they don't have the money or time to prepare for catastrophes.
Or will it be deja vu all over again and again and again?
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Inspired by the April 7 New York Times Magazine about food and drink, I wondered what fuels meeting planners and others when they are on business travel? in the final days before a meeting or convention begins? on-site? from room service? after a meeting?
My preferences are included and links to some of the great stories in the Magazine. They'll inspire you too to do more with food and beverage for meetings, for your own nutrition ("fuel") and for facilities.
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Recently, in the
webinar on meeting risk assessment and contingency planning for MeetingsFocus and another for a client, and in a class at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, I talked about risks faced when selecting destinations and sites, venues and vendors.
It's 2013. I've written and taught this for more than 30 years. When do you think we'll really consider
safety first for our meetings and those who attend?
Maybe this will help make our industry more aware and plan accordingly.
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Planning food and beverage (F&B) for meetings and events is a much more complex task than most assume. It's not just about 'pretty food'; it is not just about budget tho' those are both factors. We have to take into consideration the what-why-how-when of food handling and preparation, food service, allergies, religion and allergies, accommodation, and myriad other issues. Do we? Do the catering and food and beverage professionals in venues know enough to guide us? What's your experience to add to the body of knowledge?
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Some of the following five steps to smarter meetings will be 'old hat' to some; others will be known to but not practiced by many; and some will be new to your meeting planning process.
We can work smarter to plan meetings, request information, and respond to requests. Let's ask the right questions and be deliberate in planning. We'll have smarter meetings, well-planned, and our objectives will be met.
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For an upcoming meeting, there are lots of needs: hotel, restaurant, florist, motivational speaker, and AV company among them.
With the wide distribution of this blog, there must be lots of folks who can help.
Oh and there's a gift (of my choosing) for your help. It's not a bribe, commission or incentive. That would not be ethical! All will be revealed on February 8 after help is offered.
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It seemed the comments made on
my last blog and in other outlets where it was posted didn't calm me down much. Too many folks are still asking me to be patient and wait for changes. (I appreciate what Niesa Silzer said about the time it takes for change. How long
is a generation?!)
Join me in an exercise that's fun, creative and will help us find a way, from our experiences and illustrations, to make me not as cranky and angry about how slow meetings change and to help our industry at least make our own meetings more interesting.
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