Society is undergoing some sweeping transformations today.

Conferences and meetings face radical disruptions as attendees integrate mobile devices and personal expectations for authenticity, participation, ROI and documented proven value.

Meeting and event professionals cannot afford to keep their heads in the sand and ignore major culture and societal shifts. These changes are creeping into the traditional meeting and upsetting the fruit basket. Counting coffee cups, assigning room sets and preparing standard excel sheet schedules will not suffice.

Savvy meeting professionals must also now deal with WiFi bandwidth issues, strategic event positioning, content curation, audience participation techniques, remote and face to face audiences, social media marketing and engagement, and sophisticated audiences that want a fully integrated social-sharing experience that starts online in advance of the meeting and continues online after the meeting.

Every meeting professional should reconsider their basic beliefs of what makes a successful 21st century meeting professional in light of these changes.

Seven Skills Today’s Meeting Professionals Should Adopt, Develop and Foster

1. The Risk Taker

Meeting professionals should not wait for direction from others to take initiatives. They should consider 25 percent of every event as an opportunity to experiment and take risks. Demonstrate to attendees that taking risks is ok because people learn from experimenting and failure. Attendees will trust you more when they know you’re being authentic and willing to try new things for them.

2. The Visionary

It’s time for meeting professionals to be both detailed-oriented and visionary. They need to see the potential in Web 2.0 tools and how they can enhance a face to face experience. They need to see how their customers’ world is changing and what topics and trends could impact their futures.

3. The Leader

For years meeting professionals have been the followers, only reacting when supervisors requested it. It’s time for them to be the leaders within their organizations as well as lead their customers to where the world is moving.

4. The Adaptor

Change is the constant today. Meeting professionals should not get stuck in routines that a conference must always be run the same way it was in the past. Instead they should adapt to changing environments, four generations attending their meetings and new technology tools.

5. The Communicator

Some meeting professionals have not been eloquent at diplomacy and communication. It’s time for them to be fluent in current communication tools and know how to artfully articulate conference format changes and upgrades. They should also be able to facilitate, entice and moderate various 21st Century communication tools like texting, Skype and social networks.

6. The Learner

Many meeting professionals learned the basics of logistics and then closed the education door. Savvy meeting professionals realize that learning is a lifelong process and have made a commitment to seeking new knowledge and its application. Our world’s landscapes constantly change as do our customers. Unless we keep up with the trends, we will become fossils of the past.

7. The Collaborator

Acting independently in a networked world is a mistake. Collaboration with coworkers and colleagues outside of your four walls is imperative. Today’s online tools allow collaboration to happen in real time quickly and efficiently.

What skill would you add to the list? Which of these skill do you think will be the most difficult to adopt and why?

Are you a virus?

Let me rephrase that. Do you see yourself as an innovator, a change agent, one that pushes the envelope?

If you do, you may very well be a virus.

Defining A Virus

A virus is an infectious agent that replicates within the cells of a living host.

Viruses spread in many ways. Insects spread viruses in plants and animals. Coughs and sneezes spread viruses in humans. Contact with food, water or an object where a virus landed can spread viruses.

Extending The Virus Metaphor

Many conferences are in need of a change. They need a virus acting as a change agent to do things differently. They need someone to have the courage to take a stand and foster innovation.

So how can the virus metaphor help us innovate more?

1. We can’t see a virus with naked eye.

Viruses often innovate in the safety of a smaller meeting or as a pilot project within a larger meeting. If you attempt to use event technology in a new way at your meeting, you may be a virus. Unfortunately, we can’t easily see these viruses. It’s only through the sharing of stories that the virus becomes visible.

2. A virus can only replicate within a living host.

As a conference innovator, do you share your thoughts, strategies and experiments with others? Who is your conference colleague that serves as a springboard for ideas and innovations? Viral replication begins with conversation and conversion. Openly sharing your innovative ideas may be the catalyst that ensures that your conference and organization remains vibrant.

3. Viruses often trigger natural defenses.

Just like a virus, it’s common for innovators to be attacked while the followers prosper. Once your superiors or customers identify you as a virus, the change agent, it may trigger their defenses. Organizational immune systems are comprised of those who want to maintain the status quo. It might be the AV vendor who doesn’t want you to livestream the meeting or Skype in a presenter. Or it may be some vocal customers who say they aren’t ready to adapt their conference routine to the realities of a changing world.

Regardless of the antibodies you encounter, know that it’s natural for people to defend the status quo. The most fearless innovators are accustomed to others acting as barriers. They know that it’s about a change management process and sharing lots of information. While the virus may slow, ultimately their viral nature is resistant to the system’s natural defenses.

4. Viruses may be immune to antibiotics and need to be aware of vaccination programs.

Sometimes organizational leaders adopt policies to protect the conference from disruptive change. “Mobile devices and laptops are not allowed at our conference. Doors are shut and locked from the outside once the program begins.” While these policies may seem like good ideas in the short term, often they tend to expire as other conferences evolve.

We Need A Conference Epidemic

Our traditional conference needs an epidemic. We need innovative practices to go viral and infect meeting professionals across the globe. If we are to reimagine the conference, organizers will need the services of continually evolving range of viruses.

Are you ready to join me for a conference pandemic?

What are some other ways the innovative meeting professionals are like viruses? What do conference organizers need to foster innovative and creativity successfully?

Unless your conference is growing, you are on the road to decline.

All conference attendance plateaus eventually erode.

Unless you are taking conference attendee market share from others, you are not growing significantly.

Stealing And Trespassing Are Legal When Attracting Conference Registrants

There is a closed market for conference registrants. Yes, that’s right. There is not an infinite market.

Typically, most people travel to only one major conference a year and focus on attending more local events. Their professional development, conference registration and travel budgets are limited.

Every conference has a target market. There is a limited market share available to each conference. During tough economies, the amount of conference growth can be finite. So the ability to grow the conference is often dependent on acquiring attendees that registered for competing conferences in a previous year.

If your conference has saturated a market, then how do you grow attendance by increasing that share at the inevitable expense of others? The reason so many conferences plateau with attendance and get caught in the plateau success trap is that they never engage in a strategy to enlarge their market share. They don’t master the skills of attracting new attendees from competitors as well as first time buyers.

Why Conferences Decline

Conference attendance decline results from a variety of factors:

1. Revenues cease growing because the conference’s existing market is saturated.
2. The conference market evaporates due to retirement of loyal attendees, disruptive technology, new competition, declining profession and travel and education budget cuts.
3. Attendee’s work and life demands increase so much that leaving the office or home results in a major loss of productivity.
4. The conference organization’s infrastructure, business expenses and conference costs grow faster than revenues.
5. The conference organization needs to increase staff which grows faster than revenue.
6. As conference organizers concentrate marketing in highly successful areas, secondary and tertiary target markets are ignored thus causing the conference’s brand to become lesser know in those areas.
7. Conference hosts try to offer programming for a variety of market segments offering something for everyone. Results are achieved by concentration, not splintering.
8. The conference experience has become status quo, predictable and stale. Loyal attendees are now going to competitor’s conference because of their buzz and better quality.

Go For The Low Hanging Fruit

Low hanging fruit refers to an attractive market that is easiest to reach.

Why take the risks of climbing a tree when there is high quality fruit within reach at the ground level? You don’t need a ladder. Don’t need additional help. No risk of falling. And you probably won’t bruise the fruit.

Attempting to steal a rival’s market share actually has advantages. For example, you don’t have to convince a former conference registrant about the value of attending a conference.

Pursuing buyers who are already inclined to register for a conference and are accustomed to travel, lodging and other expenses is a rational and intelligent strategy.

The challenge is for the conference hosts to spot the right target buyers. Then they have to position their conference as one with a better experience, quality programming and qualified registrants.

Why do conference organizers try to offer something for everyone instead of concentrating on the top two or three target markets? How do you feel about trespassing on conference competitors for new registrants?

Social. It’s a word that strikes fear in some and excites others.

Today it seems that everything is social. From social media to social networking to social technology to social business, the trend is all things social. It’s the new black.

Defining The Social Conference

So what is the social conference?

Does it mean adding more social media efforts to our event marketing? Is it allowing people to use social networks to communicate with speakers during the event? Is it integrating face-to-face audiences with live streaming remote audiences?

For me, one of the most critical things a conference organizer can do to appeal to our increasingly sophisticated audience is to design experiences that are more engaging, participatory and social.

People are not coming to your conference for the content. (They can get that online.) They are coming for the conference experience. So make it social and less independent!

We Are Social Beings

Humans are essentially social beings. Our meetings and events are complex social experiences. And our conference experiences have the power to alter our attendees’ minds.

When we require our attendees to sit passively and quietly in rows with little or no social interaction, we work against the brain’s natural social systems. We rob attendees of the chance to engage, interact and learn. We create social isolation in the midst of a crowd.

Read more at Connect Meetings Intelligence Blog starting with the fourth paragraph.

What’s one thing conference organizers can do to create more onsite social experiences? Why are we stuck in an outdated model of the sage on stage talking head that stands and delivers?

Innovation. It’s the heartbeat of today’s economy. It’s also where meeting professionals need to focus their attention, time and resources to compete in the meetings marketplace.

Average meetings are planned by average meeting professionals. Yet, most conference attendees don’t want to pay for an average conference. They want a unique experience.

Innovative conferences are planned by innovative meeting professionals. Innovators think and act differently. Here is the PowerPoint from my recent presentation at Texas’ Southwest Showcase on The Conference Innovators DNA.

Which of the four behaviors do you need to work on the most? Why do we tend to lose our sense of curiosity and discovery as we get older?

For most of us, the future is our past.

So many people try to create a new future by modifying their past.

We insist on doing more of the same that we’ve always done. We cross our fingers and hope it results in a new future.

It won’t.

Nostalgia Is Good For A Rose Tinted View

Often we revel in nostalgic times. We cling to the good ole days when everything went better than planned and times were good. Frequently, our memories wear rose tinted glasses as we recall what worked. We quickly forget what didn’t work.

Nostalgia is fluid and our memories are not fixed! Our memories are not computer hard drives capturing and recording data accurately. Sometimes our memories may become altered as we layer new experiences on top of old ones.

While pinning for the past may stir good feelings, it doesn’t plan the future. Conferences that grow during a boon are not prepared for a bust. Too many leaders are fixated on the happy associations from a more hopeful past.

Conference leaders can’t afford to revisit the past as a way to avoid planning the future. If you spend too much time reminiscing about the past, you will not be prepared emotionally and socially for the future.

Here’s a tip: nostalgia is involuntarily and usually triggered by negative feelings. It acts as a natural anti-depressant. So use it wisely and avoid it becoming a stopping place for your next failure.

Five Steps Meeting Professionals Should Use To Find Their Conference Future

The future is made by those who face forward, not backward. It’s ok to stand on those past glory days. Just don’t try to repeat them.

1. Question everything that you did at last year’s conference.

Stop defining your next conference by last year’s schedule, plan, logistics and budget. Stop banking on your past accomplishments, behaviors and methods.

Don’t send around last year’s schedule for the team to review. Ask tough questions and mix it up. Start from scratch. Yes, that means more work. And that additional work creates a new experience that is not a cookie-cutter replicate of last year’s event.

2. Your future is actually about people, not plans, projects, schedules and budgets.

People can get lost in all of the logistics and planning. Keep people front and center.

Current relationships tend to maintain stability. New relationships tend to disrupt. How can you foster and treasure both? If you just repeat what you did last year, you will maintain the status quo and may attract last year’s crowd. You will not reach new audiences. Eventually, the loyalty of your audience will wane. Keep the focus on people and creating new experiences for them.

3. Get out of your office and meet new people.

It’s imperative that you flood your mind with new ideas, new voices, new thoughts and new research. Don’t get stuck listening to the same people all the time.

4. Face fear with small steps.

Experiment with at least 25 percent of your next conference. 75 percent certainty is enough.

5. Focus on your values and objectives.

Creating a new future can feel disruptive and disorienting. Focus on the objectives of the conference. Keep your guiding values at the core of what you’re planning.

Values and objectives guide you as you go without determining final destinations. Without objectives and values, you’re adrift.

What are some barriers keeping you from creating a new conference future? How can we effectively use nostalgia to give our moods a lift and create new conference experiences?

Check out this abbreviated video from author and learning maven Marcia Conner on conference learning from PCMA‘s Learning Lounge, Really Live Chat Rooms at Convening Leaders, January 9-11, 2012 in San Diego.

Here’s a rundown of her video if you want to fast forward to a specific area.

00:10 – A Philosophy Of Learning
01:03 – Creating More Space For Learning At Conferences
02:55 – Creating Cultures Of Learning
04:25 – Creating A Conference Culture Of Learning

Marcia is the author of three books:

• Learn More Now
• Creating A Culture Of Learning
• The New Social Learning

She is a columnist for Fast Company magazine, blogger, one of the founders of #lrnchat (an online Twitter Chat about education and learning) and a frequent conference speaker.

Look for more videos of authors, learning leaders and though leaders after the conference.

And you thought that the previous video of Learning Lounge speakers showcased a killer lineup. You’ve not seen anything yet.

Just wait! There’s even more! We’ve value-sized your Learning Lounge experience. You been upgraded to receive insights that are guaranteed to rock your meetings world!

PCMA and Velvet Chainsaw are committed to bringing you ideas and insights from some of today’s most discerning and powerful thought leaders and authors. So, we’ve recorded Skype interviews with these folks just for you. Their recordings will be used as discussion igniters in the Learning Lounge’s Really Live Chat Rooms.

Don’t miss what some of today’s top authors, thought leaders and movers and shakers have to say about conferences, meetings and events. Join in these conversations.

Really Live Chat Rooms

So what are Really Live Chat Rooms? How do they work? When will they occur at PCMA’s Convening Leaders 2012 in San Diego?

Reminiscent of the first online live chat rooms where people could chat in real time via their computers, the Really Live Chat Rooms allow individuals to participate in facilitated face-to-face discussions in an informal setting.

Some of today’s astute authors share their insights on conference education and learning, growing attendance, conference marketing, sponsorships and expositions. Many of these folks will flip your thinking and challenge your beliefs. Some will question the traditional accepted practices of conferences. Some will provoke you and may even stir your soul. Some will confirm your convictions. All are guaranteed to spark conversations!

When Do Really Live Chat Rooms Occur

• Monday, January 9, 7:30 – 8:15 am Designing For 21st Century Learning
• Monday, January 9, 10:30 – 11:45 am Designing Meeting For Learning And Designing Experiences
• Monday, January 9, 1:30 – 3:45 pm Sponsorships and Exhibits
• Tuesday, January 10, 8 – 9 am, Designing For 21st Century Learning
• Tuesday, January 10, 9 – 11:45 am, Designing Meeting For Learning And Designing Experiences
• Tuesday, January 10, 1:15 – 3:30 pm, Growing Attendance
• Wednesday, January 11, 8 – 8:45 am, Designing For 21st Century Learning
• Wednesday, January 11, 10:30 am – 12:15 pm, Growing Attendance

Pick a time or two or three or more to join in these facilitated discussions.

Don’t miss out on your opportunities to add your voice and experiences to those of others. See you during our Really Live Chat Rooms!

For more information about the Learning Lounge.

Please share this information with others. Post it on your Facebook page, link to it in your blog, tweet it, share the video.

Follow these Learning Lounge 2012 speakers in Twitter.

Learning Lounge 2012

Velvet Chainsaw is working with PCMA again to organize part of the 2012 Convening Leaders Learning Lounge.

There will be more than 100+ education opportunities from Big Ideas TED style presentations, to “How To” iPad sessions, to “Bring Your Own Mobile Device” instructional presentations to the Really Live Chat Rooms. This year the Learning Lounge is open the entire conference except during general sessions and luncheons.

Located on the first floor of the San Diego Convention Center, the Learning Lounge also has other options for you such as the Virtual Edge demo stations, App4That expert area and a social area where you can lounge and talk with others.

Three Over-Arching Themes

The Big Idea Theaters and Really Live Chat Rooms are focused on three primary themes:

• Designing Meetings For Learning & Designing Experiences
• Expo And Sponsorship
• Growing Attendance

Presentations and facilitated discussions occur on:

• Monday, Jan 9, 10:30 – 11:45 am Designing Meetings For Learning & Designing Experiences
• Monday, Jan 9, 1:30 – 3:45 pm Expo and Sponsorship
• Tuesday, Jan 10, 9 – 11:45 am Designing Meetings For Learning & Designing Experiences
• Tuesday, Jan 10, 1:15 – 3:30 pm Growing Attendance
• Wednesday, Jan 11, 10:30 – 11:15 am Growing Attendance

We hope to see you there! Detailed PDFs of speakers and presentations coming later this week.

For more information about the Learning Lounge.

Please share this information with others. Post it on your Facebook page, link to it in your blog, tweet it, share the video.

Rock stars!

Just those two words create images in our minds of fun, money and pleasure.

Rock stars get paid to bang on drums, strum guitars and scream into microphones. They get to do what they love daily.

Traits Of The Rock Star Event Professional

So what does it take to be a rock star event professional?

Here are the eight top traits of superstar meeting professionals.

1. Big Picture Questioners

Rock stars often have big egos, big ideas and big dreams. They question the status quo and think differently.

When presented with planning a new event, the rock star meeting professional begins by asking, “What’s the goal of this event? And how will you define success?”

2. Detail-Oriented

Rock stars focus on the little details that make a great concert experience. They look at the venue, the sound, the lights, the stage and more. Then they design their rock star road tour to be bigger, badder and better than ever.

The rock star meeting professional can transition from spreadsheets and room sets to big picture strategic thinking seamlessly. They have an eye for the details while keeping their thinking in the clouds.

3. Delegators

Rock stars delegate the details to the appropriate people. They secure the right AV team, roadies, security, manager and promoters. They keep their eye on the prize – the experience for their fans.

The rock star meeting professional keeps the main thing the main thing and delegates some of the details to competent team players. They avoid becoming a micromanager.

4. Embrace Life-Long Learning

Rock stars often follow untraditional paths. They seek inspiration in unique places. They are always learning and tinkering.

The rock star event professional is always learning and unlearning. They seek out new education experiences to expand their thinking, ideas and processes.

5. Read outside the industry

Imagine if rock stars only read Rolling Stone or Billboard. Their lives would be in an artificial bubble.

The rock star meeting professional reads both industry and non industry related information to get inspiration and new ideas.

6. Develop A Sense Of Humor

The best rock stars know how to jump on a stage for a spontaneous jam session and then mingle back stage with the VIPs and guests. They deal with fans coming up to them in restaurants and try to keep their band members from going nuts in close quarters. Life can be hectic but humor helps smooth the way.

Humor is critical for the rock star planner! When the entertainer arrives drunk or the venue doors won’t open, a sense of humor is imperative. Having a positive optimistic attitude while overcoming issues means your team will enjoy working with you.

7. Rebellious Explorers

Rock stars are always exploring. Exploring new sounds, new themes, new artwork, new ideas.

Rock star meeting professionals don’t get stuck in a rut following traditional practices. They are both inward and outward explores!

8. Excellent Communicators and Listeners

Rock stars are passionate and effective communicators with the public and their fans. They do what they do for their fans.

Rock star meeting planners are passionate about what they do. They keep their focus on their event participants and can clearly articulate the whys behind the whats. They also have become skilled listeners able to translate what their clients want in the meeting experience.

What other traits would you add to the list? How do you channel your inner rock star when planning conferences, events or meetings?