Seth Godin, known for his work on "permission (opt-in) marketing", writes a blog and this past week he posted an entry called "The new standard for meetings and conferences". I encourage Manitou Heights readers to read Godin's complete posting as well as the comments and other blog entries written in response.
While Godin is referring to the conferences that he attend in the world of marketing and public relations, it is clear that his comments can be applied to just about any conference out there. And, coming as they do on the eve of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators conference (where I am presenting a session on social media at 8:00 a.m. on Friday), I think it's worth considering Godin's words. And I'm in agreement with him.
Godin says:
If you think a great conference is one where the presenters read a script while showing the audience bullet points, you're wrong. Or if you leave little time for attendees to engage with others, or worse, if you don't provide the levers to make it more likely that others will engage with each other, you're wrong as well.
It seems as if everyone now is presenting with a Powerpoint, rarely deviating from what they have prepared. ?I've seen more than my fair share of these types of presentations. Sometimes they have been presented in a compelling manner. I have also seen many presentations so poorly done that I have not been able to stay for the whole session and have left because I know I can find a better use of my time. Unfortunate, but true.
Godin goes on to say:
Here's what someone expects if they come to see you on an in-person sales call: that you'll be prepared, focused, enthusiastic and willing to engage honestly about the next steps. If you can't do that, don't have the meeting.
Here's what a speaker owes an audience that travels to engage in person: more than they could get by just reading the transcript.
Hallelujah! Amen! If all I wanted was a transcript, just email me the PDF and save me the time and expense of coming to the conference/presentation. That's how I feel as an attendee.
As a presenter / trainer / teacher, I have always felt that it's incumbent on me to go beyond?my outline or notes, to engage the audience. To pause and take their pulse. Am I missing something? Is there a question that needs to be answered in order for us to go to the next level? Is there a direction they want to go that I need to know about?
As I've watched the use of Twitter in conferences, I've become aware of how using it as a backchannel may help presenters "true up" their course to meet the needs of the audience. Or help the session chair take care of that room temperature problem that is impeding the concentration of those who are attending in person.
And the bottom line for me as a presenter: Am I doing everything I can to empower the members of my audience to gain new levels of understanding and enthusiasm for what we are exploring together?
And then Godin addresses conference organizers and planning committees.
And here's what a conference organizer owes the attendees: surprise, juxtaposition, drama, engagement, souvenirs and just possibly, excitement.
It's not "business as usual" any more. ?What can we do to make our conference experiences even more relevant, useful and engaging?
Finally, I was excited to read Godin go on and apply his thoughts to the everyday workplace:
I'm on a roll here, so let me add one more new standard:
If you're a knowledge worker, your boss shouldn't make you come to the (expensive) office every day unless there's something there that makes it worth your trip. She needs to provide you with resources or interactions or energy you can't find at home or at Starbucks. And if she does invite you in, don't bother showing up if you're just going to sit quietly.?
While many of us in international education may not be able to have the luxury of choosing not to work in an office, I want to challenge our field to consider that students and staff (with whom many of us work directly) may not want to meet us in our offices either!
What tasks could be done remotely using simple technologies that are already available? Would this allow for even more flexible work schedules and employment? Would it allow us to serve some of our constituencies better by have a counselor or adviser available by phone or Skype in U.S. evening hours when Asia is wide awake? What if I can serve students better by working from my home on a flexible schedule than driving a gas-guzzling car to work in a space that might be better used for other pressing on-campus needs?
Sometimes I think that we are too wedded to the status quo and "policies" (especially in academic environments) instead of approaching challenges and solving them with creativity and flexibility.
Interestingly enough, it's exactly that creativity and flexibility that we try to encourage in our students when sending them to other countries to engage other peoples. We tell them that creatively dealing with ambiguity and embracing differences are crucial to successfully moving between cultures. Are we just talking the talk or can we walk the walk, too?
There's a lot to consider here. Your thoughts?
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