Getting the most for your meeting dollar or return on investment is the focus of many articles for meeting planners. Although there is little I could add to the many good writings already in print, I would like to remind us of some basic values that are still important.

Summer is now past, and we are racing toward another new year. This is a good time to take another look at how we perform in planning and implementing tasks for a successful meeting. I realize that someday someone else will plan the meetings that have been my responsibility for the past 35 years. I also find myself remembering the advice of my late father, who has been deceased for 41 years: “Treat people as you would like to be treated.” He also told me: “Any task worth your effort is worth your best.” In other words, “do it right,” and do it the right way.

There is no substitute for:

• Honesty. Most of us can detect dishonesty — if not immediately, as the meeting plans unfold. As planners, when we meet with suppliers, we should project the “true picture” relating to all aspects of our meetings. In return, we can expect the same from the suppliers to whom we entrust our needs.

• Loyalty. I appreciate this quality in the people I serve or with whom I communicate. Someone who is loyal to his employer and friends is very likely to exhibit the characteristics of commitment and faithfulness.

• Commitment. An intense desire to see one's responsibilities completed properly is simply commitment to “do the right thing right.” This quality is greatly valued in suppliers and planners.

Join me this fall, and let's take another look at how we perform and follow through to adequately meet the many challenges that each of us face. Taking the time and making the promise to “do it right” will never disappoint our employers, ourselves, or those we serve.

In a few short months, we will gather in San Jose for the annual RCMA meeting. I look forward to seeing each of you there and again adding building blocks to great relationships.