How many times have you signed up for a conference and been psyched for the opportunity to network with other people in your field, thought leaders, and share ideas on the future together…Only to find yourself slipping out early because your brain is full and you don’t want to sit through another panel presentation?
As a graphic recorder, I get to attend events across sectors, from federal agencies to corporate events and everything in between. And working with the event planning team ahead of time, I know how much work goes into pulling off an event of any size, and how deeply those event planners care about the success of the meeting.
And YET…I still see this mistake over and over again. Even if the planning conversations seek to avoid it.
What’s the biggest missed opportunity I see?
Not planning enough time for people to actually CONNECT with one another face-to-face and have the time to WORK on solving a problem together.
Let’s think about it. If you’re hosting an event, you’ve spent heaps of money on doing it right. You’ve brought important, smart people together into the same room…think of what the time of every individual in the room is worth taking a day away from other work to be there!
So, how can you make the most of their time? How can you work to move the field or think of a new solution or build deeper relationships with this group?
It’s tempting to stick with the status quo of panel after panel of people sharing top ideas. And there’s certainly a time and a place for that. I challenge you to think outside the box, and schedule in more time than you think you might want for interactive processes that will leave your participants feeling heard, energized, enthusiastic about their contributions, and creatively fueled by the end!
Ready to work with a graphic facilitator to create a process your participants won’t forget?
Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.
Cheers,
Where in the World is ConverSketch?
Fort Worth, Texas
With an eyecare corporation building relationships and co-creating a strategic path forward. So, what is strategy you ask? These pups can tell you!
Loveland, Colorado
Sharing tips and trick for visual communication with teachers at Bill Reed Middle School!