Expert insights. Personalized for you.
We spend too much time distracting ourselves from what matters. Distraction is fine, up to a point. But when we spend two trillion dollars annually on entertainment, I’d say we are well beyond that point. As Seth Godin puts it: Marvel spent $400,000,000 to make Avengers: Endgame. MORE
Earlier this year I reviewed ( 1 , 2 ) three online conference social platforms: Gatherly , Rally , and Wonder ( the new name for Yotribe since September). Since then, the Gatherly and Rally developers have been hard at work! MORE
Chapter 44 of my book The Power of Participation explains how facilitators use participatory voting to provide public information about viewpoints in the room, and pave the way for further discussion. In particular, we often use participatory voting to assess consensus. MORE
Gamification “makes about as much sense as chocolate-dipped broccoli” Education professor Amy Bruckman , coined this analogy in a 1999 paper on game software design: “Most attempts at making software both educational and fun end up being neither. MORE
One of the best and simplest ways to build active learning and connection into any meeting is to regularly use pair share. See Chapter 38 of The Power of Participation , or Chapter 27 of Event Crowdsourcing for full details.) MORE
How can we work on facilitating change in our lives? If we want to facilitate change in our lives, having a model of how change happens can be very helpful. But which model ? MORE
Is it possible to routinely start online meetings on time? But first…. Think about the last three meetings you attended. Raise your hand if all of them started on time. Anyone? Anyone? Why don’t scheduled meetings start on time? MORE
How can we create great online breakout sessions? Does this sound familiar? You attend a conference session on a topic that interests you. Perhaps you’re a novice, or an expert, or someone in between. Or perhaps you want a general introduction. MORE
The meeting industry old normal is over, and many event professionals are hoping and waiting for a new normal. See Part 1 of this post for an introduction to this point of view.]. What will the meeting industry new normal look like? MORE
If people come to meetings to learn, how can we create the best environment for them to do so? It turns out that trust and safety are prerequisites for optimum learning at meetings. Let’s explore why. How we learn at meetings. MORE
This is not an easy post to write. The pandemic’s impact on lives and businesses has been devastating. COVID-19 has virtually eliminated in-person meetings: our industry’s bread and butter. MORE
Here are five meeting design books I especially recommend. Each gets a short overview, so you can figure out which one(s) will satisfy your wants and needs. In an outrageous display of chutzpah , I wrote three of these books. [If MORE
I’ve been noticing a strange trend, ever since COVID-19 caused just about all bread and butter meetings to vanish. Suddenly, people are calling the meetings we’re holding these days virtual meetings. In the immortal words of Bob Newhart. Stop it! Virtual. MORE
In our natural desire to predict the future and make good decisions, we must always stay mindful of the danger of our drive to make sense. Nick Chater and George Loewenstein propose that evolution has produced a ‘drive for sense-making’. They argue that sense-making…. …is MORE
I’d like to be clear that I don’t hate in-person meetings , despite what some have been posting recently on a Facebook group for meeting professionals: “Often wondered why so many on this feed hate live events.” MORE
Last week I immensely enjoyed participating in a two-hour Zoom brain trust on moderating online panels. So good, it should be shared with a wider audience. So here’s a treasury of good ideas and resources we uncovered. MORE
It’s tempting and understandable to concentrate on trying to manage change. After all, we are constantly experiencing change, and attempting to manage it is often unavoidable. But never lose sight of the importance of working on what to change. MORE
Who’s responsible for association culture? The association staff, or its membership? Association culture? Here’s a definition by Jamie Notter.]. MORE
When’s the right time to solve small problems? The right answer is almost always “ as soon as practically possible! ” Why? Because small problems often become large problems if we don’t work on them in a timely fashion. MORE
Please stop treating adults like children at your conferences. For an exception, see the end of this post.). With children there’s an argument for broadcast-style learning. Schools originally developed as establishments for improving the efficiency of oral communication of information. MORE
The essential characteristics of meeting professionals. If there is a heaven on earth in the event industry, there are four essential characteristics of successful meeting professionals you’ll meet there. MORE
Many event professionals are hoping and waiting for a meeting industry new normal. The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our businesses. We want to believe that, at some point, in-person meetings like the ones we’ve held for decades will return. MORE
Despite the terrible impacts of the coronavirus on the meeting industry, there’s a silver lining. Hear me out! There’s no question times are hard. The coronavirus pandemic has already devastated lives and businesses globally, and we don’t know how much worse things will get. MORE
I find Virginia Satir’s change model to be the most useful of the many models of change. There’s a crucial fifth stage in Satir’s model that people often neglect: the integration and practice phase. The hero’s journey shortchanges change. MORE
What makes attending conferences worthwhile? As I described in Conferences That Work , the two most common reasons for attending conferences are to learn useful things and make useful connections. But there are numerous other ways that conferences provide value to stakeholders. MORE
Attention, meeting planners! Safe meeting venue ventilation for COVID-19 is critical. As we start thinking about returning to in-person events, it’s crucial to check that venues are upgrading their HVAC systems to handle potentially virus-infused air. MORE
Why implement participant-driven breakouts in Zoom? I’ve been designing and facilitating participant-driven and participation-rich in person meetings — aka peer conferences — for almost thirty years. Because participants love these meetings ! MORE
How can you support a community online during covid-19? Over the last few weeks I’ve run numerous online Zoom meetings for support groups and local, social, and professional communities. In the process, I’ve learned a lot about what makes these meetings most useful for participants. MORE
We all have different responses to adversity, and none of them are “wrong” I write this post a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked by the personal experience of an old friend, psychotherapist and author Nancy Leach. She shared the following: This was the journey. MORE
How can we successfully work with others for change and action? During the last eight months, I’ve been striving to save a tiny liberal arts school , Marlboro College , from closure. MORE
Why would you want to share information, not hoard it? In today’s cutthroat business environment, isn’t exclusive knowledge synonymous with power — and the ability to make money? Well, if you’re a stock trader or house flipper, maybe. MORE
Three stories and a presentation about “How to trust your gut” 1 • My gut meets Seth Andrew. Last week, I was about to begin an online presentation on “How to trust your gut” when a national story broke. MORE
How can we design the optimum balance between control versus freedom at meetings? First, let’s get one misconception out of the way. As I wrote in 2010: The reality is that you never had control to begin with, just the myth of control. You’ve been kidding yourself all these years. MORE
Providing downtime during any meeting is important , but it’s especially important to schedule breaks during online meetings. What happens if you don’t schedule breaks during online meetings. MORE
Conferences that Work
APRIL 26, 2021
Attention, meeting planners! Safe meeting venue ventilation for COVID-19 is critical. As we start thinking about returning to in-person events, it’s crucial to check that venues are upgrading their HVAC systems to handle potentially virus-infused air.
Conferences that Work
MAY 3, 2021
Three stories and a presentation about “How to trust your gut” 1 • My gut meets Seth Andrew. Last week, I was about to begin an online presentation on “How to trust your gut” when a national story broke.
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Conferences that Work
MARCH 29, 2021
The essential characteristics of meeting professionals. If there is a heaven on earth in the event industry, there are four essential characteristics of successful meeting professionals you’ll meet there.
Conferences that Work
MARCH 8, 2021
I’d like to be clear that I don’t hate in-person meetings , despite what some have been posting recently on a Facebook group for meeting professionals: “Often wondered why so many on this feed hate live events.”
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Conferences that Work
MAY 10, 2021
I find Virginia Satir’s change model to be the most useful of the many models of change. There’s a crucial fifth stage in Satir’s model that people often neglect: the integration and practice phase. The hero’s journey shortchanges change.
Conferences that Work
APRIL 19, 2021
Chapter 44 of my book The Power of Participation explains how facilitators use participatory voting to provide public information about viewpoints in the room, and pave the way for further discussion. In particular, we often use participatory voting to assess consensus.
Conferences that Work
APRIL 5, 2021
If people come to meetings to learn, how can we create the best environment for them to do so? It turns out that trust and safety are prerequisites for optimum learning at meetings. Let’s explore why. How we learn at meetings.
Conferences that Work
AUGUST 10, 2020
Is it possible to routinely start online meetings on time? But first…. Think about the last three meetings you attended. Raise your hand if all of them started on time. Anyone? Anyone? Why don’t scheduled meetings start on time?
Conferences that Work
DECEMBER 21, 2020
Last week I immensely enjoyed participating in a two-hour Zoom brain trust on moderating online panels. So good, it should be shared with a wider audience. So here’s a treasury of good ideas and resources we uncovered.
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Conferences that Work
OCTOBER 12, 2020
Many event professionals are hoping and waiting for a meeting industry new normal. The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our businesses. We want to believe that, at some point, in-person meetings like the ones we’ve held for decades will return.
Conferences that Work
AUGUST 17, 2020
This is not an easy post to write. The pandemic’s impact on lives and businesses has been devastating. COVID-19 has virtually eliminated in-person meetings: our industry’s bread and butter.
Conferences that Work
OCTOBER 19, 2020
The meeting industry old normal is over, and many event professionals are hoping and waiting for a new normal. See Part 1 of this post for an introduction to this point of view.]. What will the meeting industry new normal look like?
Conferences that Work
APRIL 12, 2021
We all have different responses to adversity, and none of them are “wrong” I write this post a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked by the personal experience of an old friend, psychotherapist and author Nancy Leach. She shared the following: This was the journey.
Speaker: Harlan Scott, Founder of Harlan Scott Hospitality and Industry Restaurant
Due first to necessary staffing cuts, extreme safety protocols, and now the need to rehire against outsized government stimulus, unemployment benefits and wage requirements, managing and staffing have become the most urgent conversation in restaurants today. This, adding on to the lynch-pin management style restaurants often have, has made restaurant cultures more vulnerable and volatile than ever. If your restaurant is suffering from cut staff, low morale, or ineffective training, you've come to the right place. Join Harlan Scott of Harlan Scott Hospitality, learn how to get back in control of your restaurant and your operation back on autopilot.
Conferences that Work
AUGUST 3, 2020
How can we create great online breakout sessions? Does this sound familiar? You attend a conference session on a topic that interests you. Perhaps you’re a novice, or an expert, or someone in between. Or perhaps you want a general introduction.
Conferences that Work
FEBRUARY 1, 2021
Gamification “makes about as much sense as chocolate-dipped broccoli” Education professor Amy Bruckman , coined this analogy in a 1999 paper on game software design: “Most attempts at making software both educational and fun end up being neither.
Conferences that Work
FEBRUARY 15, 2021
When’s the right time to solve small problems? The right answer is almost always “ as soon as practically possible! ” Why? Because small problems often become large problems if we don’t work on them in a timely fashion.
Conferences that Work
MAY 4, 2020
Providing downtime during any meeting is important , but it’s especially important to schedule breaks during online meetings. What happens if you don’t schedule breaks during online meetings.
Speaker: Jay Coldren, Alex Barrow, and Greer Kimsey, Street Sense Team
Behaviorists say it takes 21 days to solidify a habit. 365 days of quarantine later, it's safe to say that our customers will be keeping some quarantine habits. At the center of these habits is the digital world: online ordering, advertising, booking, reviewing, etc. It will become essential for restaurants to create omni-channel experiences for customers, and to market them effectively. Join Jay Coldren and his team in this masterclass to learn the tactics for dominating the digital restaurant sphere.
Conferences that Work
JANUARY 25, 2021
How can we design the optimum balance between control versus freedom at meetings? First, let’s get one misconception out of the way. As I wrote in 2010: The reality is that you never had control to begin with, just the myth of control. You’ve been kidding yourself all these years.
Conferences that Work
MAY 11, 2020
Why implement participant-driven breakouts in Zoom? I’ve been designing and facilitating participant-driven and participation-rich in person meetings — aka peer conferences — for almost thirty years. Because participants love these meetings !
Conferences that Work
JANUARY 4, 2021
In our natural desire to predict the future and make good decisions, we must always stay mindful of the danger of our drive to make sense. Nick Chater and George Loewenstein propose that evolution has produced a ‘drive for sense-making’. They argue that sense-making…. …is
Conferences that Work
JUNE 29, 2020
I’ve been noticing a strange trend, ever since COVID-19 caused just about all bread and butter meetings to vanish. Suddenly, people are calling the meetings we’re holding these days virtual meetings. In the immortal words of Bob Newhart. Stop it! Virtual.
Speaker: Patrick Cottrell and Joe English
Whether your state allows outdoor dining, takeout only, or a little bit of both, we're here to help. Join Patrick Cottrell and Joe English from Sculpture Hospitality, for a webinar on Jan. 26th, and get your restaurant to thrive in face of pandemic restrictions
Conferences that Work
MARCH 1, 2021
It’s tempting and understandable to concentrate on trying to manage change. After all, we are constantly experiencing change, and attempting to manage it is often unavoidable. But never lose sight of the importance of working on what to change.
Conferences that Work
MARCH 30, 2020
How can you support a community online during covid-19? Over the last few weeks I’ve run numerous online Zoom meetings for support groups and local, social, and professional communities. In the process, I’ve learned a lot about what makes these meetings most useful for participants.
Conferences that Work
FEBRUARY 22, 2021
Who’s responsible for association culture? The association staff, or its membership? Association culture? Here’s a definition by Jamie Notter.].
Conferences that Work
MARCH 16, 2020
Despite the terrible impacts of the coronavirus on the meeting industry, there’s a silver lining. Hear me out! There’s no question times are hard. The coronavirus pandemic has already devastated lives and businesses globally, and we don’t know how much worse things will get.
Speaker: Shawn Imbeault and Geoff Loukes, Sculpture Hospitality
In the past year, we've learned that maximizing margins can determine whether your restaurant stays afloat when times get hard. Join Shawn Limbeault and Geoff Loukes, in this master class that will take you through the best practices of maximizing your margins, From FOH to BOH.
Conferences that Work
JULY 6, 2020
How can we successfully work with others for change and action? During the last eight months, I’ve been striving to save a tiny liberal arts school , Marlboro College , from closure.
Conferences that Work
AUGUST 31, 2020
Please stop treating adults like children at your conferences. For an exception, see the end of this post.). With children there’s an argument for broadcast-style learning. Schools originally developed as establishments for improving the efficiency of oral communication of information.
Conferences that Work
FEBRUARY 17, 2020
Why would you want to share information, not hoard it? In today’s cutthroat business environment, isn’t exclusive knowledge synonymous with power — and the ability to make money? Well, if you’re a stock trader or house flipper, maybe.
Conferences that Work
MARCH 22, 2021
We spend too much time distracting ourselves from what matters. Distraction is fine, up to a point. But when we spend two trillion dollars annually on entertainment, I’d say we are well beyond that point. As Seth Godin puts it: Marvel spent $400,000,000 to make Avengers: Endgame.
Speaker: Mike Damphousse, Managing Partner of Category Design Advisors and Founder of Green Leads
Business as we know it is never going to be the same. Working from home has become the norm, conferences and meetings are going online, marketing budgets are being shifted, reduced or put on hold – it's time to adapt. Join this insightful and informative webinar with Mike Damphousse, Managing Partner of Category Design Advisors and Founder of Green Leads, who will discuss how businesses can be resilient during these challenging times.
Conferences that Work
DECEMBER 14, 2020
One of the best and simplest ways to build active learning and connection into any meeting is to regularly use pair share. See Chapter 38 of The Power of Participation , or Chapter 27 of Event Crowdsourcing for full details.)
Conferences that Work
NOVEMBER 2, 2020
How can we work on facilitating change in our lives? If we want to facilitate change in our lives, having a model of how change happens can be very helpful. But which model ?
Conferences that Work
NOVEMBER 23, 2020
Earlier this year I reviewed ( 1 , 2 ) three online conference social platforms: Gatherly , Rally , and Wonder ( the new name for Yotribe since September). Since then, the Gatherly and Rally developers have been hard at work!
Conferences that Work
AUGUST 24, 2020
Here are five meeting design books I especially recommend. Each gets a short overview, so you can figure out which one(s) will satisfy your wants and needs. In an outrageous display of chutzpah , I wrote three of these books. [If
Speaker: John Storm, President, BrainStorm Network
In this webinar, we’ll use a sampling of case studies, tools, techniques, and strategic stories to help you identify game-changing opportunities within your company and the world of events, and then brainstorm ways to capitalize on these ideas. Get ready to change your game in 2020!
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