WHEN IT COMES TO CORPORATE EDUCATION, IT IS TIME TO DO DIFFERENT
Back in November last year I wrote an article about what we could learn from the Tuvalu presentation to the COP26 Summit in Glasgow.
If you haven’t seen any of that memorable presentation, have a quick look here:
I then suggested we take a leaf from their book and try ensure our events contain something truly different and memorable INSIDE the conference room (anyone can create magic at dinners).
Something where, when the idea was first raised, it seemed SO unlikely that it didn’t seem to stand a chance of being approved
Have I had an impact? Well, you tell me.
Think of the last one or two conferences you attended. Or the next one or two you are organising.
Did anything happen (or is anything planned) during the actual CONFERENCING PART of the program that provided delegates with a different, more meaningful or memorable experience than normal?
I think, at many event, the new and creative ideas that are introduced at events generally happen outside the conference room (typically at conference dinners) or on the periphery of the delegates’ educational experience (such as apps that help the Q&A process at the end of a session).
Sometimes, they actually diminish the delegates’ educational experience (like when the event organiser runs a session as a panel, but it ISN’T actually a vibrant back-and-forth discussion, but a series of brief presentations from each panelist, which just increases the number of presentations you’re forcing delegates to sit through.
But when it comes to delivering actual education, many organisers (and their clients) seem a little too scared to DO DIFFERENT.
They hold too tightly to the view that 'Business is serious, therefore Business Education must also be serious' (something that was totally disproved in the 1980s by John Cleese and his incredibly successful business training video series).
But the Tuvalu COP26 presentation is such a great example of how DOING DIFFERENT can deliver.
And you'd imagine that the initial reaction when the idea was first aired was a mix of resistance, scepticism, worry ... in fact there would have been a WHOLE list of reasons why this daring idea WOULDN'T work.
But daring was allowed to win in the end.
With 2022 promising a new beginning for us in the events industry, let's make it our aim to be TRULY DARING and give our events something that sets them apart from the past.
As we plan our events this year, let's do it with the aim of giving our delegates at least one totally memorable moment in the conference room.
Yes, it requires being a bit brave ... but we've all just survived a pandemic. We're pretty steely now and can surely cope with interesting things happening at our events.
Here's THREE GREAT IDEAS:
1. THE ULTIMATE SPEAKER'S PANEL
After your Conference Opening, why not collect all of your event's internal and industry speakers on the stage and, instead of having them speak, have them listen?
Give the audience a chance to tell them what they would like to hear.
It's easy to do and means that the delegates feel that the event isn't only FOR THEM ... it is BY THEM, as well. That's a whole new level of engagement!
And the speakers will become aware of some issues that they need to address that they might not have otherwise.
Win! Win!
2. INTERESTING INTERVIEWS
I get that having a profile journalist interviewing a high profile CEO at the company conference has its place.
And I also get that having a high profile journalist interviewing a medium or low profile CEO is a wonderful thrill for the CEO and can be seen to boost their image.
But for me, events are MORE about delegates THAN management. I mean, management sets the agenda and strategic direction, of course, but the event itself is ONLY a success when delegates walk away from it wanting to buy in to that direction
And, of course, the more delegates LIKE, KNOW and UNDERSTAND their managers, the more likely they are to buy in to their visions.
So, let's ditch some of those sterile, starchy and serious interviews and conduct ENGAGING interviews, instead. Think of them as 'HYBRID' interviews. They allow you to get ALL the important messages across AND showcase interesting parts of their personality.
And it is the LATTER of those two that makes them and their message connect better with their audience.
And it's SO easy to plan and run. Imagine a fascinating chat with the CEO, Chairperson or an Award Winner ... with laughter and interesting stories and insights. It would allow these people to be themselves up on stage. Why we persist in making people give presentations (when it is clearly NOT their comfort zone) is beyond me!
Trust me. I've seen it happen. I managed to get the CEO of a very large firm to reveal to his staff that he had once auditioned for a Bollywood movie! I've found out lots of amazing things about speakers when their presentations have been turned into interviews.
And, for the delegates, these revelations become the hooks that help them better remember OTHER, MORE IMPORTANT THINGS things that were shared at the conference. It's how our brain likes to work. It needs a memorable things to happen to help it remember the LESS THAN memorable moments.
And, don't forget, turning a SPONSOR SEGMENT into a mini-interview is a win-win for the sponsor and the audience!
3. IN ROOM DELEGATE INTERACTION
We have spent two years apart from each other. Now that delegates are back, let's take full advantage of it.
I have no doubt that, for a long time to come, breaks conference breaks and meals will be vibrant affairs as people enjoy being amongst people again. But let's take 10, 20 or 30 minutes while we're in the conference room to get them to interact with each other in a meaningful and slightly structured way.
Anything from having discussion with their neighbours questions that are put on the screen ... to getting them up and moving about, meeting new faces, exchanging ideas ... learning something interesting about each other.
These sessions are mentally refreshing, physically energising and bring a new dynamic to life in the conference room.
Most importantly of all, they really tap into something we discovered during the pandemic: People LOVE interacting with people.
CONCLUSION
Being brave and coming up with ideas that are different shouldn't be something that is a 'maybe' in the event planning process. And it shouldn't only apply to the dinners and activities on a program.
Let's make 2022 the year when WE are brave and our EVENTS are bold. Anyone can make eating and drinking fun, but it takes a real skilled events person to make learning fun.
Let's make our events memorable. Let's try do at least one thing in the conference room differently in the new year.
Or, like our colleagues in Tuvalu proved, think outside the square of the conference room.
Darren Isenberg is one of Australia’s most booked and re-booked Corporate MC’s and Presenters. He also speaks to groups on how to improve their Positive Influence and the Presentation Skills.