Evolutionairy Road

These days it seems almost impossible to take things slow. We are following trends and new ideas like greyhounds, hoping to be the first to catch on to the latest app, the breaking news, the next big thing. Always on the go.

I must be getting old, but I have the feeling we do not allow ourselves the time to focus anymore. To slow down. To see clearly where we are going, and still look at the scenery along the way. Allowing for distractions, even. Because these might just add new thoughts and meaning to whatever goal we have in mind. Allowing a little bit of trial and error.

Hah! That reminds me of our road trip to Italy this summer. Our car broke down three (!) times on our way from Amsterdam to Ancona, but we had the best view of the Adriatic see. And some quality time to reflect :-)

Well , I am planning to stop and use my breaks a little more from now on.  Smell the flowers, see the sky, so to speak. How?

Using event  research in a more relaxed manner. Sure I know my goals and the objectives, and I will still deliver on time. But hey, if I spend a few extra  hours to look at reports more closely, add new angles or combinations, I might stumble upon an idea that is worth investigating. Small and slow. The dirt road just might  be the connection we were looking for.

Using social media in a better way. Planning time during the weekend to really read those blogs. Think about their content, see who can benefit from them, and pass them on. Not just retweet, but making it personal. Adding thoughts, asking feedback. More with less.  

Using event technology more based on personal need. To use as a reference after the event, for instance. Allowing myself to follow sessions as I see fit, ignoring networking tools once in a while and just enjoying the conversation. Or the white space. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love event tech, but not when it dictates the way I should connect. And, especially, the pace I should do it in. Even at events, it is worth to take it slow now and then. One great conversation might teach me more than a quick scan of the entire room...

So there you have it. Relax! And allow yourself a few mistakes. With the speed that we are going now, there is plenty of time to  adjust. Happy travels!

Let's keep in touch!

(workblog) 

The other week I was going through some old files, just looking if there were any data or details that I needed to get into the main database. And it struck me, that these pieces of paper really showed the big changes we have had in communication and connecting. In a way, a history just like the rings on a tree.  Busy years with a lot of letters and brochures , and slow years with almost no communication at all.

The best files are the oldest ones. You can see a change in pace, vocabulary and technology instantly.

We used to send letters in a very formal tone of voice and keep the carbon copies of them. So the file of association X starts in the ‘70’s, with these formal  letters and replies. If there were urgent issues, a telex was sent.  In the 80’s things were getting less formal, but we still kept in touch via letters. The occasional fax message appears in the files. Funny thing,  we had to put in a request  to send a fax and needed to get approvals  signed by  a manager before we were entitled to send it….imagine.  Then in the 90’s, communication via internet kicks in. The latest entries in file X are printouts of important e-mails, a signed contract (yey!)  and a message to check the database. Hah. I feel like an archaeologist.

Interesting to see how we connected with our customers and stakeholders over the decades.. . next to face to face, obviously. 

Did we do a good job? Probably…but it’s a new world now. We are connected all the time. We talk via mail and social media, via whatsapp and other tools, wherever we are - mobile and  free. We are updated  on a real-time basis, and are used to getting  answers to our questions even before we send them..

In 2013, “let’s stay in touch” means keeping the conversation going all the time. It means being in touch with machines, objects and  services, as well as talking to friends, delegates, companies and clients.  Whoa. Talk about connecting…

What does this mean for the events industry? How do we merge all these connections into our face to face meetings? We are talking with delegates, exhibitors and other stakeholders on a day to day basis. How do we do that?  Are we truly connected all the time?

I often see events with “see you next year” banners at the exit . Pretty old skool, don’t you think? I hope to see  “see you tomorrow” pretty soon…

(inspiration for this blogpost came from our  new Connected Society report.  Made me feel both nostalgic AND anxious for the future J . If you like, have a look and let me know what you think: http://www.rai.nl/en/amsterdam-rai/News-Press/nieuws/Pages/Connected-Society.aspx