EDITOR'S LETTER
Birds of prey experience in Aurora with HawkQuest
The Value of Industry Associations
Beth Buehler, editor CONTACT ME AT BETH.BUEHLER@TIGEROAK.COM
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF AN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION and active in the group’s happenings? If not, maybe you should be! It’s one of the most common pieces of advice the magazine’s Hall of Fame inductees have every year for people who are new or hoping to advance in the meetings and events world. I’m constantly amazed at the education, networking, awards programs and community service efforts coming out of associations like ILEA, PCMA, MPI, NACE, ILEA, HSMAI and more. It may take a while to grasp what all these acronyms stand for, but it won’t take you long to figure out that the Colorado-based chapters of these associations and others are creative and like to have fun when meeting. Look at our Snapshots section at the end of each issue to catch a glimpse. I also appreciate the initiatives and research coming out of the international level. For example, during the PCMA EduCon event in Los Angeles in June, the PCMA Foundation and Steelcase Event Experiences released a research case study “5,000 People, 5,000 Personal Journeys.” The research utilized 2019 PCMA Convening Leaders as a live case study with researchers observing attendee behavior, conducting on-site interviews and developing a framework of six insights. Supporting Diverse Needs: Business event professionals should determine where their audience
falls on the spectrum of wanting something for everyone vs. one path to success. Offering many options can be valuable when the audience has varying experience levels, but it also can overwhelm and lead to analysis paralysis. Enabling Meaningful Experiences: Some participants may have higher engagement with interactive experiences, while others are more interested in traditional education methods. Accommodating Connection Strategies: Connecting does not solely mean meeting people,
although many do network that way. Instead, those with more industry experience connected with their senior-level peers by utilizing the opportunity to be in the same place at the same time. Enabling Learning Strategies: Some participants may engage with inspirational and motivational education content, while others seek tangible ROI through ideas bring back to the workplace. Supporting Participant Well-Being: Business event professionals must determine where their event falls on the spectrum between creating a supportive environment for each individual or for the audience as a whole. Designing for a Journey: Utilizing pre-existing gathering spaces or designing for a specific
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journey and experience by creating work, networking or waiting lounges. All food for thought!
| FALL 2019
10/3/2019 4:46:30 PM
