Leading Our Own Revolution

I am finally back and operational, though not 100%, from the IAEM Conference in Atlanta. I really don't have anything more to say than WOW. It's not a WOW because everyone was clamoring to buy our soon-to-be-released products. It's not a WOW because everyone was interested in what I was saying either. It's a WOW for a much more important reason.

For the past two years, I have been paying close attention and analyzing just how the trade show and event business works. Though I've never run my own show, I certainly have acquired a fairly detailed knowledge of the forces that are at work and the barriers that exist. One thing I've been quite sure about was that there would be serious resistence to what I was planning for the event industry - it's never been accused of being innovative. To put that in context, consider this:

Conferences are about creating conversations. There are all sorts of conversations inside an event. Conversations between attendees and exhibitors. Conversations between attendees and attendees. There are even conversations between the organizer and the attendees (and exhibitors) cleverly disguised as exit surveys, marketing reports, and satisfaction studies.

For an industry that is so much involved in creating conversations, the tools have mostly not evolved between the paper survey and online brochureware.

We live in a world that is leveraging conversations into relationships. The conference world is not quite there yet. But don't blame everyone!

It's always best to use an example when painting with broad strokes. I'm fortunate to have one to talk about from the event. On the first day, I attended a day-long Open Space discussion titled Future Focus. I was new to the business and I knew we were forward thinking so it seemed like the ideal place to talk to people who might share that perspective. It's funny how many ways you can interpret a word based on your perspective.

I sat in on a few different conversations while there. Almost everyone was not only interesting to meet, but had some interesting challenges. The problems that needed to be solved were all immediate ones - no problem there. The solutions, largely, seemed to leverage things that had been done in the past. I'm all for best practices, so that wasn't so bad. I will even go so far to say that the ideas I had to contribute were ahead but not out of reach. What surprised me most, however, was the lack of many topics that were really looking forward - say two or five years from now. I wish I had been there early on in the day to raise some of these topics, but my flight got me in a little too late for that. Long story short, there was lots more that could be done.

For anyone that hasn't attended an Open Space meeting, it ends with a discussion. In this case, we formed a circle once again and went in turn from one end to the next sharing our experience with both the format and the content. That's when it happened. As the comments came out, they landed on gentlement seated diametrically opposed to me. He prefaced his comments by noting that he expected to be the only dissenter. They went something along the lines of this:

I'm disappointed with the output of today. I've been to Future Focus two times before which is what brought me here today. I feel that we did not talk about the future of the event industry. We did not dig deep enough into what we need to do to change. [everything sounds good so far] And sir, I don't mean to pick on you directly, but "We have people here who have been in this industry for just one day. He has nothing to contribute.

Whoa! Did he just say what I think he said? Yes he did. And he was not just anyone. It just so happens that he sits at the helm of one of the Top 5 largest shows in the US. When I get under someone's skin, I guess I do a good job. Ironically enough, earlier that day we were in a session together and I raised the notion of blogging as a conversation medium. I exchanged cards with him and let him know I could have him running in no time flat when he was ready.

Boy was I shocked.

I sat patiently, collecting my thoughts and preparing for my response. As it turned out, I was the LAST person to speak - I would have the final say, so to speak. As the voices continued, two attendees came to my defense and expressed their eagerness to learn from someone like me.

But now it's my turn. Here's what I said in response:

I'm last so I guess I should say something nice (laughter). I'd like to say that I am quite happy to be here today. I'm learning how to translate your world into the world that I come from. You want to know about the future of events. I am the future of events - maybe not specifically me, but someone like me. There are hundreds like me working to change this industry because we don't think it works the way it should work. There are millions like me attending your events already.

You say you want new ideas but you don't want to hear them. The future of events is not about a new technology, not some new gizmo or gadget. It's a paradigm change, a new way of thinking. I'm here for you to help you understand that thinking.

You say you want to separate based on experience levels - keep the beginners away from the "experts". There's a very good reason that you don't do this. Mixing the audience mandates that those more experienced succinctly describe things to those that don't. The way to make change is to mix these opinions. You have to think outside of the box to succeed. The reason experts alone will never generate change is because they simply echo back the same thing to each other. No one has an any incentive to change.

(applause)

I was shaking inside more than out - but it happened. I'm so grateful it happened actually. I was planning on saying something simple, and honestly, quite unmemorable. It was this little comment that he made that opened the door for me to not only be passionate but also to prove it. I was the only person that spoke that received applause. I reckon most simply didn't agree with his dealings, but I know there were many that really understood me.

It was at that very moment that I realized we were starting a revolution. We are attempting to change something that far too many people are accustomed to. We're not participating in this industry because we think it's a dead end, we don't. We just want to have a conversation. We want to listen to you and expect that much in return.

Our strategy is quite simple - minimize the pain, highlight the opportunity. Over the next few days, my little speech became something of a mini-legend. Many who participated (about 50) came up to me at various points to thank me for saying it or to congratulate me for standing up. Interesting enough, another group became quite vocal advocates. I received mentions and introductions to many people across the landscape - people I might have randomly bumped into, but now, instead, heard about me from someone they already trusted - the best sort of introduction.

Our revolution is just starting now. We've opened our doors to anyone who wants to learn about it or participate. We've designed the products and services to fit INSIDE the existing infrastructure, not replace it. We're working, simultaneously, to set a fire. We're going to light up the landscape in new and interesting ways. Everyone will see the fire, some will continue to run and others will be engrossed.

Fires start small but grow fast - so will our revolution.

I'm sure some might thing we suffer from excessive hubris. Perhaps, they're right. I prefer to think that we're paying attention to the conversation. We're reacting to what we hear people asking for. We see the serious trending in the business landscape and how conversations are now making an impact. We don't accept that simply because it's different, it's wrong - not for a business founded on creating conversations.

This is the first in a lengthy series. If it's interested you so far, tune in regularly. If it's upset you, tell me why.