Skift recently brought together hundreds of planners from dozens of industries at the Skift Conference Forum in New York. What we hear over and over again is that while their jobs may be different, they are stressed about many of the same things.
Here are seven of the most common points of tension they discussed that day, from tired meeting formats to geopolitics to the incorporation of artificial intelligence.
- Planners need to work harder
Why can’t meetings be more like a break room, a place filled with spontaneity and creativity? The forum’s keynote speaker, author Seth Godin, encouraged the audience to reform, ditch the least interesting speakers and break attendees into small groups to solve real-life challenges. If meeting organizers don’t like the idea, it’s the meeting planner’s responsibility to fight for it, he said.
He also made it clear to attendees that tension can bring about positive change: “If you want change to happen, you have no choice but to accept that you are going to create tension. You are not in this business for convenience, cheapness and reliability— —Because a lot of people can do that. All you have to do is create tension effectively, usefully, and intentionally.
- Why can’t more planners become strategists?
Monique Ruff-Bell, chief project and strategist of the TED Conference, said that every planner has the ability to guide his own career trajectory and shift his thinking from completing tasks to developing his career.
You had to be brave enough to get a chance to participate, and she used to ask to follow others to meetings with the CEO to pitch an event idea. Her main question was, “How do I get my voice heard by the people who hold the money?”
- The upcoming election is important
Michael Dominguez, CEO of the International Luxury Hotels Association (ALHI), and Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Convention and Convention Association (ICCA), encouraged meeting professionals to pay attention to geopolitics and engage in the conversation. Major armed conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, as well as nationalist and protectionist policies around the world, could hinder the growth of the meetings industry.
“There are nationalist movements rising around the world that are a little bit dangerous for us, and we’re already having arguments about overtourism in certain parts of the world. I don’t think that’s going to benefit us long-term,” Dominguez said. explain.
- DEI has become a dirty word
Dr. Britandi Baldwin, organizational and leadership psychologist and CEO of Millennial Ventures, and Bea Boccalandro, social purpose consultant, emphasize the need for more authentic, values-driven inclusion efforts.
“I don’t have a problem with the word DEI because, frankly, it has become a dirty word that triggers some people depending on who hears it,” Baldwin said. “The values behind DEI are important and it’s all about building a positive company.”
- The smarter the AI, the better the match
Cvent CEO and founder Reggie Aggarwal acknowledged that his company still has a lot of work to do in the field of artificial intelligence. “The best matches occur when users realize, ‘If I post this data about myself, it will actually help me,'” he said.
- The typical conference brochure is already tired
In a meeting with Event Leaders Exchange CEO Nicola Kastner and Bishop-McCann President Rob Adams, the two agreed that planners are not going back to the old ways of meeting .
Organizers need to focus more on data—including success metrics about event outcomes and diagnostic metrics that explain why—in order to give attendees and stakeholders what they want. They also need a better understanding of business goals to get the budget they need.
“We used to take people to company events and want to hold them hostage for three days. We wanted to maximize every minute they spent with us. We can’t do that anymore,” Kastner said .
7. We’re not ready for Gen Z yet
Ken Holsinger, Freeman’s senior vice president of strategy, shared the company’s recent research on what matters to the youngest generations with panelists IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer and PCMA and CEMA CEO Sherrif Karamat.
Gen Z, he said, “has a trust issue with brands because the promises they make are not delivered.” He also made it clear that Gen Z will never trust brands that are not considered authentic.
But many types of meetings can only change so much. IMEX is creating micro-events and opportunities for people to connect, but Ball admitted organizers have no control over exhibitor activity.
Holsinger pointed to Seth Godin’s comments about the lounge: “But can it be expanded? Can you afford it?
Karamat discussed designing more participatory meetings, saying, “They don’t want to see people like us talking to you. They actually want to be part of the conversation.
But will they make these changes?
