Too much of a good thing?

(Setting:  after dinner)

OK, so I am multitasking again. I am typing, sharing some old CD’s with the Ipod, commenting on an ” I Carly” episode that family members are watching,  and chewing on a thought I had during dinner.

It was a really nice dinner: home made fresh pesto, with good pasta, big salad, some sausage that my son loves, a nice wine, olives, bread, good oil, cheese  --- the works. 
I loved every bite. But to be honest, I ate to much.

And I somehow was reminded of a thought I have about trends in events. Like an old fashioned simple dinner, I used to see events as the big meal of the day. That was it. 
I was hungry for  them, enjoyed them, and then had to wait for the next serving, which usually was a while later. Until that time: back to work.

But now the ” 24/7, 365 days a year” thought has taken over. Events use social media, are part of or initiator of communities, talk to me, go hybrid, send webinars, newsletters, online versions, live webcasts, virtual booths, recaps and previews. My calendar of events has grown immensely, and being an online attendee allows me to "travel" to events worldwide easily. The time difference even lets me attend meetings and get in a full day of work at the same time.  And I do love it. Learning, meeting great people online....

But with all the knowledge that I can feast on, it is too much of a good thing – I am not able to eat it all.

How much can I digest?

Hypothetically:  if all events, conferences, trade fairs and  exhibitions  adopt an online presence that involves 24/7 commitment and community-involvement,  then events that used to be complementary in real live, will affect each other online much more than they used to.

What will come out of it? Only a few big live events that thrive on- and off line, or loads of local niche events with smaller groups enjoying them? Will we get small or big dishes? 
 I can't tell but am curious to find out.

In the meantime, I might need an event diet. Suggestions, anyone? 

Grow your own meeting

This spring my son, who is 10 years old,  started with gardening in school:  his class has a plot and they grow all kinds of things:  beetroot, onions, broad beans, fennel, potatoes, garlic – you name it.

A variety of vegetables that is nurtured with care and eaten with joy – even the things he usually avoids. It seems that being in charge of a vegetable makes all the difference. It is mine, I grew it, I will eat it. All of it. It is good stuff.

For a boy who lives in the city, growing his own food is really magical. And I guess it is true: you are much more likely to try new things if you have some influcence over them.  Participate, engage, facilitate, care.

That made me think: doesn't this apply to events as well? Where attendees are able to plant their own seeds, have a say about the content and then take some of that content back home? An event made by audience participation with attendees as stakeholders, owners almost, instead of buyers who can shop in any store. 

Just wondering: how many events are made this way? With true community participation? And more important: a willingness of the organizer to let attendees look after their own specific part of the overall schedule? Trust them to make it work. To water the plants if needed, so to say, harvest them when it is time, and maybe start new varieties.Crowdsource-style. All in the same plot, at the same event. Watch it grow.

When all participants get a sense of ownership,  an event will have a much bigger part in their professional lives. They made it; they will attend it. Organicly grown, sustainable meetings: what more can you ask for?

Maybe a drop of rain, now and then.

Good old fashioned multi-tasking

I do it all the time: talk on the phone, and at the same time answer an e-mail on an entirely different topic. Or listen to a webinar while I am ironing, catching only a few of the slides  

That makes me less productive, I read in articles that say true focus is key. They have a point, maybe. But being able to wonder a bit, to zoom in and out of focus, helps me see things in a better perspective.

How would that work at a conference, I wonder?  Just a thought.

At most conferences, delegates with mobile devices constantly shift focus form mobile screen to keynote speaker, typing while listening, tweeting or checking mail. Nothing new here. But what if that was taken a step further?

Can you see attendants knitting during a keynote? Or husking corn while brainstorming in a breakout session?  They could even cook their meal together. I don’t see why not, to be honest. Merge some social activity into the conference room. Business/leisure, old skool.

As I was writing just now, I started a fruit cobbler which is filling my kitchen with blueberry and cake smells. There is some butter on my Caps Lock and I forgot a few words, but otherwise both activities were truly rewarding. And that is a good feeling – not to mention that I get to eat some of the results.