INDUSTRY CONFIDENTIAL

Check in every issue for the unfiltered thoughts of our guest writers and contributors as they discuss the hottest topics in sports tourism. Join the conversation by tweeting us @pushsports. In this issue our guest writer discusses the subject of communication.

Raise your hand if you know that at some point, you owe your PR team a few rounds...or for some, maybe a vacation somewhere far far away. Communication in 2020 has been a proverbial steeplechase. Midway through clearing one fence, you have to shift and start thinking about the next. A slight stumble or hesitating a moment too long can unravel your goals across the entire course. Most professionals in our industry have a common goal, delivering a fantastic experience. We thrive on the idea of making a moment, creating a memory that stays with our guests, something that reminds them of just how great life can be when you adventure out or work hard towards a goal. In a perfect world, this could be our sole focus.

As the world picks up speed, however, and the media becomes increasingly thirsty, we find ourselves spending our hours working to find the right words to avoid the landmines of social scrutiny. I’ll say it. IT IS EXHAUSTING. But, it’s not all negative, and if we can slow the pace down a tad, dig through the BS to the real meat of the issues, and work a little harder on the small actions, we will come out of this year stronger.

Here are a few things I’m learning along the way.

Share. Be ambitious, be a go-getter, but remember no one gets anywhere alone. You don’t have to give away the keys to the company idea vault, but if you find success, be willing to share what’s working.

Don’t take it personally. I am utterly guilty of this one. You work hard to craft the perfect something, put your heart into it, and it immediately gets ripped apart and taken in 40 different directions. Remember, everyone in the world is about 10 seconds from Crazy Town right now. Everyone is stressed, and everyone is hoping that SOMETHING will start falling their way. All of this energy has to go somewhere, and unfortunately, sometimes it’s the computer keyboard. Transparency. There is no fake it until you make it in 2020. Whether you are addressing if your next event will occur or your company’s approach to specific issues, honesty is the ONLY policy. Athletes, partners, and stakeholders want information, even if it’s not the answer they were hoping for. I’m not saying people won’t get upset, but the days of staying quiet or putting out bland statements pumped with buzz words with no actual information or action are gone. If you don’t know, admit it, and then invest in whatever it takes to start making progress or getting answers.

Be kind. Earlier in the year, an Industry Confidential referred to the idea of being kind to one another. It was a powerful statement then and has grown in importance now. Remember that everyone is human, everyone is facing the same insane year that you are, and everyone is just trying to find their way. Listen. As someone who loves to talk, this has been a hard lesson, but I’m learning to zip it up. Yes, people want answers, but they also want to be heard. As a “problem solver” it’s a tough practice, but reminding myself to let others talk and staying focused on taking in the whole conversation rather than letting my brain start working to resolve/justify the first thing they mention, has been an important habit. It’s also led to more thoughtful and clear communication in multiple areas of our business.

This year has been challenging, but I think when we look back, we are going to see a year that made us all stop and ask, “What are we doing, why are we doing it, and can we make it better?”. Events will come back, and before we know it, we’ll be back to 3 am wake up calls and 20 hour event days. As we make the turn, don’t forget what we’ve learned, don’t let the negative outshine the positive, and don’t forget to praise each other for staying sane and reaching forward.