The Conference Cringe List

Yes, there are some things to avoid when you next bring the team together to deliver some inspiration, motivation or realignment to the strategy.

This list is from the intersection of some of my very specific experience as a facilitator, performer and MC. The job of the conference is to inspire participants, engage delegates and attendees, share knowledge and information. It’s not to serve the speaker, leader who is presenting or the organisers. 

I’ve got a lot on my ‘cringe’ list that I’ve seen over recent weeks…

The Conference Cringe List – Part 1

• Why are the blinds closed in this room? Lighten it up. Your PowerPoint presentation is not THAT interesting that you need a darkened room. And a darkened room for a title slide? Oh come on! For a few minutes maybe, but not all morning, or all day.

 

• Still, quiet, silent even. Yeah, that’s really inspiring. Put on some music and pump it up. It helps engage the ears of the audience, lifts the mood, sets the tone and can present a style, brand or theme for the rest of the event.

 

• Announcements titled ‘Housekeeping’. Oh yawn! Yes there are important things to present and announce; don’t diminish them by lumping them together under ‘housekeeping’. Whoever listened up for important housekeeping announcements? It quite simply means ‘don’t listen to this.’

 

• Amateur microphone technique. ‘Is this on?’ ‘Can you hear me?’ Stop holding it like it’s a bridesmaid’s posey and hold it more like an icecream – up near the speaking part of your body, your mouth! Your chest, stomach and groin don’t speak. Not in words people want to hear anyway!

 

• Don’t aplogise for your PowerPoint slides. If you need to apologise, don’t show ‘em.

• Stop stealing time from invaluable break, refreshment, nuturing and networking time because your agenda ran over. You stuffed up – someone spoke too long and was not politely reminded to wrap it up. Don’t make your delegates suffer for these amateur stuff ups.

 

• Why did you promise we’d all be ‘up and moving soon’ and 45 minutes later we’re still seated? You may promise, but you need to deliver that promise real quick!

Oh I could go on… I have another 25 points here but I’ll save them for parts 2 and 3...

Can you sell umbrellas in the rain?

Pisa in Italy is a tourist haven - the leaning tower, pizza, historic city, souvenirs, sunshine. 

Then thunder and lightning and a tropical-style downpour of rain at about 4pm. 

Thousands of tourists who were strolling the streets dashed for cover: under restaurant awnings, in cafes, and on the 'dry side' of the main cathedral on the square, Piazza del Duomo.

The rain got heavier. Footpaths were flowing like creeks and rivers. Drains couldn't cope.

The touts and souvenir sellers on the streets went from pushing plastic Leaning Tower of Pisa replicas to selling umbrellas.

They walk up and down the streets, their fingers laden with the umbrella straps. They also have an umbrella open, which they're using. 

But despite the perfect conditions for a 'sale', who was buying? People preferred to wait it out. And wait they did. And wait. It kept raining. It was now past closing time of the cathedral, but a solid group of 60 people huddled beside the cathedral rather than buying an umbrella to shelter their walk. 

I watched the same four umbrella sellers walk around the square trying desperately to 'flog' their umbrellas. 

I was perched in a hotel room above the square and over the next 45 mins didn't see even one umbrella purchased. 

It's raining right? Buy a freakin' umbrella! 

Trust, quality, cost, duplication, wastage, value - it all kicked in that afternoon in Pisa. 

When the conditions are absolutely right for your idea to be 'bought', your product to be sold or your concept to be adopted, many people still don't do that.  

Think about who might not be buying your message or idea - even though their environment or conditions are perfect for it - and what you might need to do to shift them towards a purchase. Ask them. Don't become a tout who can't sell an umbrella in the rain. 

Stargazing, grounded - or a balance?

Everyone is on a board - even if you don't think you are...you are.

On a board in your organisation, in your family, in community groups and through recreational interests. You may not be an actual director, but you're sure to be contributing to decision making, a vision, implementation and leadership activities through everything you do. 

I think Lucy Marcus' work challenging conventional wisdom in and out of board rooms is brilliant. She has some wise advice for corporate governance, no matter the size of the organisation.

While I was listening to one of her presentations in Australia a little while ago, I visualized her key points:

Some of these messages are clear and common sense:

- strong boards build strong companies 

- have diversity around the table

- be up to speed 

- contribute or exit.

But others are less often talked about around the table:
- the need to balance 'star gazing' with being grounded
- the characters in the play are often the same (I think this applies to any type of committee, group or team we are a part of)
- many board members are a little bit "huh???" when it comes to social media and social strategy ... so they're (you're) not actually up to speed then!

So whatever 'board' you're on, work at it smarter and harder - without 'over boarding'... otherwise get off.

I'd love to hear about your recent board experiences or thoughts on board leadership.

A quick creative thinking tool

There's no need to make idea creation a big deal.

You don't need a quiet space or allocated time or a fresh notebook. You don't even need to think that you're partcularly creative!

I enjoy using Bob Eberle's SCAMPER model to help with creativity and innovation - no matter the situation.

Each letter of the word 'scamper' takes you through a different thinking process. 

Substitute. Combine. Adapt. Modify. Put to another use. Eliminate. Reverse. 

Take your problem, situation or current view and think of how you could substitute something...combine with something...adapt it...and so on.

I've used the model while traveling over the past few weeks, while problem solving, while brainstorming - alone and with others. 

This week I'm sharing the visual template I use in workshops to isolate some different thinking under each of the 'scamper' letters.

I write directly on the page and make little notes to segment my thinking, yet keep it on the same page. Teams and groups can work together through the model too.

Next time you have some ideas to create, some solutions to innovate or a new approach to curate, go and 'scamper'.

It's hectic, busy and frantic - for some

A colleague I'm sponsoring by providing mentoring services cancelled our scheduled session for today.

Something or someone else was a higher priority and so I got 'bumped', again. 

The bumping I get over; but in reviewing other comments about the bumping and other reschedules I read words like 'hectic', 'busy' and 'frantic'. 

What's with all the busy-ness? 

According to a nice read in Time Magazine this week it's (ironically) not about the time! It's about bandwidth AND time. They're two different things and we need to slice and dice and handle and manage both of them. You need to be present while you're present or you're not really present!

Also today in my local metropolitan daily there was a piece (via Harvard Business Review) on how we need to stop complaining about how busy we are. 

I enjoyed the 'I'm more important than you' reference because 'I'm busier than you'. 

Yes, I'm busy but I am also incredibly focused on making the best use of the time (and preparing to have plenty of bandwidth). I have needed to run my business, keep my appointments, facilitate two workshops, get married, have two parties, pack and prepare for time away and other 'admin' stuff in the past five days. But I would never be hectic, busy or frantic about it.

I'm leveraging productivity tools and programs, outsourcing services, delegating tasks, prioritising constantly and my favourite... (which I learned in a time management program when I was starting my first job) using 'calculated neglect'. 

Some things just don't or won't get done. Other things are SO gonna get done. 

I'm very conscious of the 'currency' I apply when I'm choosing what I'll do and what I won't do. Is this about now or the future? Is this a short term or longer term win? Will this matter in a day, week, month or year? 

I like reflecting on my values on this too - why I choose and prioritise the way I do. I completed the the Minessence Values Inventory earlier in the year and everything is crystal clear : I know what's important to me. Prioritising is a breeze.

And now to shift the mood of my day from someone not 'picking me', my very next mentoring client was: on time, had completed the set tasks, had specific questions for clarification and was clear about what was next on his agenda. Now THAT was a breeze. I can be impactful, focused and provide great service. I can do my best work - without being hectic, busy or frantic. 

I think being 'busy' is a great opener for another deeper conversation - your priorities, values and what's really important. 

** And as a footnote, some more brilliant and entertaining reading on the topic from Rajesh Setty