Being out of the office is usually really great. Whether you're off-site at a conference or on a vacation, it breaks up the monotony of being at your desk everyday. The worst part... being back in the office. Yesterday was my first day back after being out of the office for nearly a week. There is always so much to do. It can often be overwhelming to try and catch up from being out, but here on some tips to keep from drowning in the tasks.
Progressive Dinner
Jerry and I had the pleasure of hosting our friends from church this weekend for part of a progressive dinner. The way progressive dinner works is someone hosts the appetizer, then you drive to the next house for the entree, and a final house for the dessert. We improvised on this particular gather since the couple that was making the appetizer didn't have the means to host on this occasion. We offered to physically host the first two courses and make food for the entree. There was a little bit of thought and planning for this and Jerry and I put our thinking caps on last week to make the event a success.
When Decor Becomes the Focus of Your Meeting
Picking the Right Speaker for your 5 p.m. Session
By the time you get to the last session of the day at a conference everyone is tired and ready to pack it in. Often, a conference will kick off with a high energy speaker to set the tone. However, I think you can leave your attendees on a great note if you have a fantastic closing speaker. This is exactly what I saw on Wednesday at the North Carolina Conference of Superior Court Judges' Conference.
A Gardner Reunion with Gardner
This past weekend Jerry, Gardner, Robbie (Jerry's brother), and Mrs. Becky (Jerry's mom) attended the Gardner Family Reunion in Elizabeth City. The reunion is a great opportunity to interact with family that we don't see very often. This group of family are related to Mrs. Becky. Her late father had a number of brothers and sisters (only 3 of which are still living). The remaining living brothers and sister, children and grandchildren all converge at the Hampton Inn and have a fun time!
Becoming a Leader
I'm just a week or so away from embarking on a new journey as President of the NC Society of Government Meeting Professionals. I am both excited and nervous to take on this challenge. I think that's a normal feeling.
We have a retreat planned for July 9 and I'm in charge of it. *Cue scared face* I've never run a retreat, so I actually have no idea what to expect, but I have lots of ideas to discuss with the incoming board. Although I am terrified at the thought of taking on something new, leadership in general is not a new thing to me. Here is my advice on leadership.
Take Your Breath Away... Literally
In the summer of 2010 I had a student named Carlo with the Rider University Study Tours program in Los Angeles. Carlo had the privilege of staying 3 whole weeks in the United States, but this was not the original plan. He was on tour with us scheduled for just two weeks, but after 5 days of sightseeing the unexpected happened.
Something New
Swamp Stomp
Last weekend Jerry and I ran the Wilson Swamp Stomp along with a friend of ours, Chris. There was a choice to run a 5K or an 8K, and we chose the 8K. There are so many things to like about this event. I hope that I can capture it all!
With the Whole World Watching
I can't help but get excited to watch the US Women take on the "Group of Death" just as the US Men did during the World Cup just a year ago. The main difference between the men's team and women's team is that the women are not underdogs as the men were last year. However, the road to the final will not be a walk in the park as it has been in the past. With the pool of teams expanded from 16 to 24 this year, there seems to be no clear favorite to win it all. Thus, you have to stay tuned in to find out if American will be victorious.
Expanding Your Knowledge - Webinars and Websites
Today has been packed with learning for me. I sat through a webinar this morning as a facilitator/presenter and learned about how various technology can be used to better facilitate meetings and learning interactions. I heard from quite a few people that it was one of the best webinars they've ever sat through. I was proud to be able to put this together for NC SGMP.
The Things We Do To Please Our Clients
The State of the Industry
I am currently in the process of booking a conference for 2017. I have updated my request for proposal (RFP) and have begun sending this out to various hotels and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs). Now I am waiting. In the past few years we have been able to get fantastic rates of $82 per night for this group of 350 people. However, we are living in a different time now.
Why Your Feedback Matters to Hotels
Force Majeure and Selection
Contracting a hotel block and meeting space is a very typical job of a meeting professional. That's why I wanted to make sure that it was part of last week's NC SGMP Conference. We had two planners, two hoteliers, and a CVB representative speak on a panel about contracts. The information that was shared proved to be one of the most valuable parts of the conference.