In event management, in order to be successful, it is all
about creating a culture of teamwork.
I have been through a lot of events and challenging event
situations, having a team with the right culture and disposition is critical in
achieving the objectives of the event or implementing a seamless operation.
However, each member of the team must have common characteristics. Indeed it is a team game but individuals matter.
I have 8Cs that I teach and monitor
to all my team members. This 8Cs ensure that I have strong member individuals and a great team.
Here are my 8Cs of event management:
Commitment
The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause,
activity, etc. is the most important C in event management. Without the
commitment of all members the event is destined to failure.
I always look for my teammates commitment in accomplishing
their roles and responsibilities.
It also makes my job easy. One committed person is equal
to 10 people.
Courage
I
always laugh inside myself whenever I see applicants beaming confidently and
declaring that they can conquer the event industry world; and that for them it
feels like a walk in the park. However, after they passed the interview and
become part of our organization and reality sets in, their attitude changed.
The
once upon a time confident and gung-ho person is gone. What is left is a person
fearful of the responsibilities and challenges of the tasks given to him.
It
takes courage, a lot of it, to become an event professional. You need to be a
steady force and have a thick heart and face to withstand rejections, problems
and limitations posed by the very nature of an event.
Yes,
event professional eats difficult situations and stress in breakfast.
Communication
No
one man is an island. This is so true in events. Constant and routine
interactions are necessary to make the event successful.
Communicate
or perish. If we assume, we die. Everything must be communicated. God is in the
details and these details can only be implemented clearly if we will practice
professional communication.
Cost Saver
Event
Management Professionals are cost savers. They do not splurge money and other
resources. Event Management Professionals know that at the end of the day
Profitability is necessary in order to have continuous operations.
In
my team, we are not cost centers. In fact, we contribute to profitability by
taking a hard look in every item of a particular event and thinking creatively
on how we can save costs in that particular item.
Event
Professionals are great in resources management and this is the idea behind
being a cost saver.
Concern
Andrew
Carnegie said, “Do your duty and a little more and the future will take care of
itself”. An Event Management Professional is not only concern in a particular
area that is assigned to him. But given a chance he will show concern by giving
his advice or acting on areas that someone overlooked or nobody noticed but is
critical to the success of the event.
We
hire not because the person is skilled. We hire and retain people that we feel
will show concern to the event and the organization.
A
concerned person is better than a skilled person. But if I were given a choice
I would rather see these two characteristics in a person.
Checklist
Event
Management Professionals never assume that he can keep all information and
details on his brain. This led him to create and use a checklist.
A
checklist is very handy in ensuring major areas of an event are covered.
If
you ask me, this is the ultimate weapon of an event management professional.
Composure
Event
management professionals have composure. It is grace under pressure.
If
you can think straight without being overwhelmed by your emotions then there is
a bigger chance that most of your events are successful.
Why?
Event
management professionals are solution finders and providers. We cannot be
drowned by problems. We are hired to shoulder the stress of the events and
provide solutions to challenges that the event poses.
We
cannot be an effective solutions finder and provider if we do not have
composure. We have to have nerve of steel akin to Superman. If we can do this
we will be on top of our game.
Continuous Improvement
We
cannot be very complacent because of pass successes. If we become complacent we
are doom to failure. We cannot have a big head because of our past victories.
The event universe is constantly evolving. The demands of the clients are
becoming bigger and wider.
The
competition is becoming better. We are only as good as our last performance.
If
we accept this, we must follow and practice the law of Kaizen or Continuous
Improvement.
In
fact, this is the path of all event management professionals, everyday and
every event we must find ways to make ourselves better.
If
we make ourselves better, we are making future events better.
- Monday, September 15, 2014
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