Plan for Success - Why Leadership Skills Matter to Event Organizers

It's Monday - and the start of the week makes me think meetings. In this blog I thought it would be good to post an article written by Emma Nelson. It rings true on so many levels. Many of these I will say is my secret to dealing with others. I can't wait to use some that I haven't yet before.

Here's the article:

I recently attended a leadership course where I learned that the key to being an effective leader is to determine what motivates the people you are trying to lead. Each person is different, so don’t assume what motivates you is the same for others. Remember the “Golden Rule” we each grew up reciting? The new trend, as presented in my course, is the “Platinum Rule”; treat others the way they want to be treated.  I think this is valuable advice not only for leaders, but also for event planners. Find out what motivates your participants and provide the content that your attendees want. Enable exhibitors to accomplish theirobjectives. I’ve provided, below, a few of the “Cornerstones of Leadership” to demonstrate how these principles might apply not only to leading others, but to planning successful events.

• Listen: All people like to be heard. When your attendees or exhibitors have ideas they’re willing to share, listen. And, avoid complaints by asking for feedback in advance of your conference.  A few key areas where it’s in your best interest to listen are:
  • Bring value into the exhibit hall by asking your attendees what companies they would most like to see there. Then solicit those types of companies to join your event.
  • Improve your program content by asking attendees what types of speakers and in what topics they’re interested. Then, seek those out.
  • Drive engagement to your conference by polling participants to see what would excite them. Mobile Apps? Scavenger Hunt games? It won’t work unless it fits your group, so ask them and then be prepared to listen and act!
• Be nurturing: Show people that you care. Look out for your participants’ best interests. A few suggestions:
  • Prepare for the unexpected as described in Christine’s Meeting Planner’s Guide blog post to ensure your conference participants feel safe at all times.
  • Bring value and content to attendees and sponsors throughout the year by going beyond traditional coffee break sponsorships to year-round content delivery through sponsor hosted webinars, podcasts, surveys and more. Give continuing education credits to people who participate in these webinars. This type of program sends a message that you are looking out for your sponsors’ interests as well as providing educational content to your members throughout the year.
  • Host a charity event at your conference. This shows you don’t just care about your attendees, but that you’d like to leave the world a better place too. Check out Molli’s blog post focused on how to position your organization for sponsorship success for a few ideas in this area.
  • Have an “attitude of gratitude” and show your appreciation to your participants. Providing unexpected “thank you” gifts to your exhibitors shows they are valued. Hosting a reception for your top sponsors with your leadership helps build relationships and allows for a personal word of appreciation from the “top.” Lastly, be sure to send thank you letters or emails out to your participants post event.
• Empower others: People want to feel as though they are important and their opinions have merit. Empowering your conference staff and participants is equally important. A few ideas:
  • Let your conference participants plan their own schedules onsite – allow them the flexibility to choose the sessions they want to go to, rather than requiring advanced registration. And, don’t forget to provide your attendees with a tool to search sessions, either by mobile app or searchable program online.
  • Involve your attendees! In addition to allowing them to recommend keynote speakers, help select session content, etc. you can take this one step further and put together a panel session, inviting attendees to come and sit on the panel and provide expertise at one of your sessions. Everyone is an expert on something, so engage your attendees and empower them to share expertise with others.
  • Implement a CRO (Chief Relationship Officer) as described by Lisa Petrilli at your next event – allowing participants to engage prior to the conference for more meaningful connections. Read more on Lisa’s strategies here.

By following a few leadership principles such as listening, being nurturing and empowering others, you just might find yourself following the platinum rule; providing an event that doesn’t just fit your needs, but the needs of your participants as well.