I read with great amusement a post on the Event Planning and Event Management LinkedIn group by someone who called himself a “member of the Jurassic Park class of event managers” because he looks askance at those who think they can pack everything they need to manage an event on their laptops and mobile phones. Besides loving the phrase “Jurassic Park event manager,” it got me thinking about the changes I’ve seen in this industry in the almost-two-decades I’ve been covering it.
So herewith are a few of the signs I can think of that you may, in fact, be a venerable velociraptor of the meetings kind (only with a much nicer temperament!):
1. You wax nostalgic over the “handshake” deals of the past as you review page 27 of your upcoming meeting's 52-page contract.
2. Texting is all well and good, but there’s nothing like walkie-talkies to communicate with staff on site.
3. You have a fax machine and aren’t afraid to use it.
4. Even though the dress code is casual and the on-site hours are long, you always dress to impress.
5. OK, so we know that participants may in fact be tweeting pithy quotes and otherwise engaging with the meeting content, but you still find yourself wanting to collect everyone’s phones at the ballroom door so they will at least look like they’re paying attention.
6. When someone doesn’t respond to your e-mails and texts, instead of ramping up the e-contact you pick up the phone and call them.
7. You always have, and always will, love that three-ring binder.
What would you add to the list?
