A renaissance of meetings

Last week I participated in the wonderful Event Camp Twin Cities 2011 *, and no doubt you will read lots of blogs  about it …well here’s my bit. At last. A huge 4 days later.

(Why so late? A very recent holiday in Italy, with no mobile services or internet on the site where we were staying, made me aware again of the need to reflect. To take my time and chew on a topic. Think. These days I get so many input from so many channels, that it is really hard to form an opinion without being influenced.)

From the remote hills and wildlife of Tuscany to the wired rooms and fast life in the Event Camp pod in Amsterdam was like going from 0 to 100 Mph in less than a second. And yes, I loved the ride on the rollercoaster and I was truly happy to be a part of it. But to be completely honest: I would have loved a ride in a slower vehicle just as much.

This was my second Event Camp Twin Cities: I participated as virtual attendee last year, and was part of the Amsterdam pod this year. So what are my takeaways after two experiences? 

Dare to share – thoughts, visions, technology, formats: without try outs and collaborations they would probably not be as good. Celebrate success and celebrate failure – both help you to find new ways and learn new skills. And build better meetings.

Reach out – if you are part of a remote group within a meeting, it is hard to connect with the main event. Tweets and so on are sent easily, but a real conversation is a challenge. The experience in our group was great because we made our own party, but some of that feeling should have found its way back in the main conference. Hybrid goes both ways, so reach out and make your connection.

Form follows function – to get your content across you can use many types of meeting architecture, formats, technology, games, and so on. But never forget that all are in service to get your message across. If there is too much going on, your message might get lost in the fun.

Smell the roses – take time to reflect and then choose how you want to participate. I got carried away a bit, into the flow, into the game, and missed out on topics and conversations I could have enjoyed more. Taking a break, also during sessions, can help you make better decisions. A conference format should have  a pause button sometimes. 5 minutes reflection to see the big picture again.

In Italy I saw some great “big pictures” – Piazza del Campo in Siena, the frescoes in Arezzo’s San Francesco, the Dome in Florence. One of a kind. Perfect examples of cooperation, vision and innovation.

And even though I cannot compare Event Camp with Italian art, it IS showing us the way to a “renaissance” that I strongly believe in. A renaissance of meetings.

*Eventcamp is a series of innovative events that explore new ways of meetings, hosted in various US cities (and soon in London, on September 9). Groups of people can link online to the event in small groups (pods) or individually (virtual attendees).