Small Changes, World-Changing Impact

Helping Associations Change the World™ is more than just a slogan or tagline for the AMR Education and Events team. It’s what drives us and keeps us going through the long days (and nights), travel disruptions, and (seemingly) endless pages of Banquet Event Orders. Being an event manager is always on the list of most stressful jobs, but we do it because we know that associations, professional societies, and trade organizations have the collective power to do so much good in our world. Seeing the wide range of industries and events that we do, we also recognize where some relatively minor changes can have a MAJOR impact and move all associations (and the communities they serve) forward.

I asked the team “If you had a magic wand and could change one thing, what would you change to help our association client events have a stronger impact?” and what did they say…

Accountability in Process and Action – Volunteer time is more precious than ever, and sticking to deadlines is difficult when everything in life is busier and busier. But those deadlines matter, not just because they may be contracted, but because the group planning the event – volunteers, staff, vendor partners – is a community, and the accountability to one another in that community matters. When you respect deadlines and communicate clearly, it demonstrates respect for your colleagues and peers. It starts with asking the right things of the right people – asking for too much or making the process too complicated is a recipe for delay, so simplifying whenever possible is step one.

Recognize the Power of Breaks – associations and societies have, traditionally, packed their agendas with content, because that’s why people come, right? Wrong! Not only does research demonstrate that breaks are essential to learning and processing information, participants over the last 5-10 years prioritize the relationship-building aspects of in-person events over the content. Interactive and immersive learning that builds connections among members is where those world-changing ideas flourish and we need to cultivate more space for that in association and society events.

Start (and plan) with Why – Most events have clearly stated goals and outcomes, but even those that do can get derailed if the goals aren’t shared, repeated, and utilized to drive decision-making throughout the planning process. Demonstrating discipline to the purpose of the event, and removing activities or elements that don’t align is difficult – you never want to be the one that gets rid of the gala that all the Past Presidents love, right?! But if it’s using resources (time, money, attention) that could be devoted to activities that suit the purpose of the event, you’ll never have the impact you want. 

Reduce Food Waste – food waste is one of the largest issues in meeting and event sustainability, but there are small ways to adjust planning to ensure that waste is minimized before, during, and after your event. Coordinating food rescue for unconsumed items is great, but it is even better to prevent waste from the beginning. At AMR we do tight tracking of attendance at food and beverage functions, and what kinds of foods are consumed so that we can order precise amounts for future events. We’ve also discussed smaller portions and coordinating more intentionally with our catering and banquets teams in advance of the event. All these initiatives save the association money at a time when costs are skyrocketing, so it’s a win for everyone!   

Focus, Focus, Focus – most associations and societies want to grow and so it seems counterintuitive to limit the focus of an event or activity, but thriving associations know who they are and dedicate their time and energy to a strong goal. We are often caught advising “you can’t be everything to everyone…” and, like it or not, it’s true. All associations have limited resources (that pesky list again, time, money, and attention) and so they often find themselves offering dozens of options and activities but not really being able to execute any of them particularly well and thereby disappointing members, stakeholders, and potential members. Whereas, when you offer three options and each is a well-crafted experience, it drives loyalty, engagement, and learning.

The best part of this list is that none of these actually requires a magic wand – they are all within reach for every association. No need to wait to get your Hogwarts letter, these small tweaks to planning for association events, conferences, and meetings can help us drive world-changing events right now!