We are each responsible for our own career progression, and we all benefit from the growth or our industry. That’s why I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to articulate our value in three ways:
• The value you personally deliver to your organization
• The value our industry provides to the global economy
• The value of your community service
What You Deliver
When you consider the value you personally bring to your company, think about your ability to:
1. Drive business profitability and deliver on strategic objectives
2. Design initiatives to align with core values and organizational goals
3. Make business decisions or achieve sales based on data and metrics
4. Quantify ROI for both the organization and attendee or client
I urge everyone to craft a one- to two-minute "elevator" pitch that quickly and concisely articulates your value to leadership. You should have this rehearsed. Don’t think up something on the spur of the moment when the opportunity presents itself. Be proactive and be prepared!
What Our Industry Delivers
For the good of our industry, I suggest that we memorize a second brief speech that articulates the value of our industry to the economy. For example, a report commission by the Events Industry Council and conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2012, the meetings industry contributed over $280 billion direct dollars to the economy, employed over 1.8 million people, and paid over $28 billion in federal, state and local taxes. (And preliminary results from an updated report look even more impressive.)
What Your Service Delivers
Let's not lose sight of the time you personally dedicate to making the world a better place! We typically don't articulate this value, because it feels self-serving. However, you should reflect on what you give back to the industry or to your community in volunteer time and acknowledge the value that you are providing to these great organizations. It may be as simple as participating in fulfilling Clean the World kits at IMEX, volunteering at the local chapter of an industry association, or fundraising for a non-profit, such as Make-A-Wish.
So as 2018 kicks off, I urge you to be prepared to articulate your value to your organization and to the community, in addition our industry’s value to the economy whenever possible!
