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What’s in your tool kit?

Jul 10th, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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tool kit Whats in your tool kit?Guests and clients enjoy effortless events, but we all know that behind the scenes that isn’t always the case.     Aside from duct tape, zap straps, and first aid essentials the most important tools in your kit should be:

1.  Composure and patience

2. Strong organizational and problem solving skills

3. Creative thinking and simplicity

4. Sense of Humor

There are last minute adjustments and glitches that lurk behind the scenes of every event and they need to be dealt with by fast-thinking and seemingly effortless actions.  Your knowledge of the event objective will help you deliver quality through your innovative ability to pull out the best tools in your kit.

To Do List: Education and Volunteering

Jun 24th, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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fairy2 To Do List: Education and VolunteeringI am approached at least 3-4 times daily by wanna-be event planners.  These hopefuls are filled with the enthusiasm and desire that all employers look for however the sad reality is, full time employment is scarce in the event  industry in Vancouver.  It stands to reason and few of my colleagues would argue :  get education and plan on volunteering to get work experience.  Even then, there are no guarantees.  Event education is imperative, and I encourage anyone to seek out a good institution that offers a comprehensive course.  The skills are very transferable to many aspects of business and because of the varied event disciplines (approx. 52) this education will empower you to be confident, relevant, and committed to your future development and that of your community.

Customer Service and Client Appreciation

Jun 23rd, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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Martini Fountain Sculpture Customer Service and Client AppreciationI was honored to be invited to the Grand Opening of the Coast Coal Harbour in Vancouver.  This event proved to me the power of the people!  Throughout the evening guests were treated to a warm reception from all the staff:  Valet Service, Sales, Beverage and Catering Services, and Management.  Guests had a sneak preview of four levels of the hotel, guest room tours and at every turn the visibly proud staff were there to greet and mingle with the crowd.    The favorable combination of service and celebration was proof that Coast Hotels and Resorts cares.  The kicker for me was that they invited all the guests staying at the hotel to participate in the evening.  Kudos to the Power of the People at the Coast for Showcasing what customer service and client appreciation should be.

Networking Tips

May 27th, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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The reason we network is different for everyone but ultimately it is about connection.  Ask yourself -  How do I  make networking events work for me?  Consider these 5 tips and how they all relate back to improving connections

1.  Be open to establishing non-specific connections  – not all connections will be related to your business, but can help you discover the bigger picture of how we develop relationships that ultimately grow business connectivity.

2.  Tune in to Listening – Be curious by asking good questions, and take the time to listen to the answers. You will see greater opportunities and enjoy the experience.

3.  Refer and Recommend – share experiences, advice, and your connections. This will inspire others to do the same for you.

4.  Follow up – Make the sincere effort to make follow-up contact only people that you connected with.

5.  Don’t forget your Business cards! – It happens to all of us!

Everyone wants a discount: including me!

Mar 20th, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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discounts Everyone wants a discount: including me!Business optimism sits on the horizon and changes that had to occur after 2009; some drastic and others safely conservative, are being implemented. One residual element remains as a carry over: everyone wants a discount; including me! This is not a magnified statement, I have always sought a better price to benefit my clients, it is a reasonable assumption that if I didn’t; they would go elsewhere. At this point I would like to gratefully thank my vendors for providing these discounts.

I have traveled around the world and in most countries it is acceptable to barter the price of goods and services; it rarely provokes resentment. Garage sales are a good example of how we unilaterally play the game. I was asked recently to discount my services 50% and although I don’t mind adjusting some prices I thought long and hard about this request.
The thesis- discounting a product to remove it from inventory is good – discounting a service depreciates value.

I’ll get back to you after the Olympics!

Feb 3rd, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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olympic torch 2 Ill get back to you after the Olympics!
Watching our city being transformed by the Olympic/Paralympic Games has been a gradual adjustment for everyone, and here we are just 9 days out from the opening ceremony with all the expected modifications in full speed. Standing in the shadows of all that anticipated excitement is an uncharacteristic business retort, “I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything for you until after the Olympics”.

It is not that we can’t help you; it’s merely in relation to the logistics of productivity; while anything Olympic related shifts into overdrive expecting anything else to function as normal is unrealistic. As the torch makes its long and historic journey to mark the beginning of the celebration, the rest of the country will have to remember that if there is no immediate reply; leave a message and we will get back to you after the spirit of Olympic flame is extinguished.
GO CANADA GO!

Dear Oprah

Jan 8th, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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Oprah2 Dear OprahDear Oprah,

Could you please send your team to pick me up and take me on a 1-2 year world tour to meet and mentor with the best of the Special Event Designers and Producers?  I want a sneak peek into the underbelly of what it takes to organize a Presidential Inauguration, Coronations, the Academy Awards, and other high profile affairs.  I’d like to travel to the Middle East to understand the intricacies of developing an event for a Sheik, follow the Olympic Organizers from one city to the next, and be present to better understand  the cultural preparations of powerful  traditional ceremonies that mark  a right of passage, a wedding, or death.  I will need a photographer as we chronicle this most desired adventure and create a book that can then be on Oprah’s Book of the Month Club.

The Special Event industry is so misunderstood, and I would like to bring attention to the challenges, skills, and research it takes to be a true industry professional, and the importance that anthropology, sociology, and psychology play  in the development of every event.

In your January 2010 issue you headline in bold print: How to Get What You Really Want This Year.  This is what I really want, so I am being bold and just asking for it. I too want to Live my Best Life!

Thank you for your time and consideration.

A 2010 Business Reminder

Jan 1st, 2010
by Kathie Madden.
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2010 A 2010 Business ReminderAfter the last year of economic turmoil, many of us could comment negatively on the bleak outcome however, if you are busily scrambling to put together a list of New Year’s resolutions read the article below, written by John Hersey, CSP .  It is a good reminder for all of us.  John is a leadership keynote speaker, author, and executive coach. (www.johnhersey.com)  Thanks to John’s reminder, I recognize that first on my list will be a positive shift in attitude.  I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Want to Be Wildly Successful? Watch Your Words! – John Hersey, CSP

We hear it all the time; so many people so sure about their intention of focusing on what they truly want. They are so certain, their attitudes are so positive, and yet, nothing seems to happen. “I have done it all, BUT everything is the same”, Stephen says. He is fast to point out that he hasn’t moved a bit in the direction of his dreams.

We must remember that our language is directly linked to our thoughts; thus, we have to pay attention to what we say and how we say it in order to understand a great deal about our way of thinking. Right there, where Stephen said ‘BUT’, is the key.

One has to make it a conscious habit to catch one’s words. This could easily be the only opportunity you have to actually catch your true thoughts, because the only reason you could catch yourself is because you are going to say it out loud, otherwise, it would just stay back there, in your subconscious. The subconscious is happy to grab everything you pay some attention to, whether it is valuable or not, thus, in order to refine its choices, you could refine your language.

In our vocabulary there are millions of words, however, we use a small amount of those millions regularly. The amount of words we use depends directly on our upbringing and education, and one thing is certain: no matter how we were raised or what kind of education we have received, in order to be successful in life we have to be conscious of the words we speak and learn to differentiate what words are meaningful and which ones are pure junk.

No matter where we come from, there are certain words everyone should eliminate from their vocabulary if they want to make their life big, and want to make it big in life. These words are:

- But
- Don’t
- No
- Never
- Can’t
- Should
- Try
- Might
- Want
- Hope

All the words above express some kind of doubt, incapability, negativity, unwillingness, and lack of control. Let’s take ‘hope’ for example; ‘hope’ is a major success among people. People love what ‘hope’ stands for; nevertheless, this word is normally used to express desperation, more than real hope.

If you think this is trivial, think again. Remember, our words are tightly linked to our thoughts; whatever you say is deeply entrenched in your mind, so, when you consciously keep out of your vocabulary certain words, you are making yourself think in a more positive way. As everything, changing your vocabulary needs training, and it may seem difficult at first, however, if you learn some new great words to substitute the less positive ones, it may make it easier to switch:

- Yes
- And
- More
- Chose
- Intent
- Plan
- Can
- Will
- Trust
- Allow

Start using these words more in your daily conversations and you will experience MAGIC, there you go! Another great word!

10 Basic Rules and Principles for Conducting Effective Meetings

Nov 4th, 2009
by Kathie Madden.
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gavel 150x150 10 Basic Rules and Principles for Conducting Effective MeetingsAt some point in your career you will attend an official meeting and will need to be prepared on the proper procedures that are designed to expedite business, maintain order and ensure fairness, justice, courtesy, and equal treatment for all members. Robert’s Rules are the principles that will assist your organization to achieve its objectives.

1. The organization comes first. Decisions of the organization supersede those of individuals. The power of any meeting is in the hands of the voting members.
2. All members have equal rights. Full participation in business meetings by making motions, debating, and voting is among these rights.
3. A minimum number of voting members (known as a quorum) must be present in order to transact business legally. The general rule is a majority of the entire membership, if the bylaws don’t define the quorum.
4. Only one main proposal may be before the assembly at a time. Only one member may have the floor at a time.
5. There must be full debate before voting on any proposal unless this is suspended by a 2/3 vote.
6. A proposal is the item under discussion, never the person who introduced it. Personal remarks are always out of order.
7. To avoid wasting time; a proposal once decided may not be presented again in that same form in the same session.
8. A majority vote decides a question except in cases where basic rights of members are involved. Then a larger vote is required. a majority vote is generally defined as more than half of the votes cast.
9. A 2/3 vote is necessary for any motion that deprives a member of rights (such as changing the rules of debate, closing debate, closing nominations, or changing previous decisions without notice.
10. Silence gives consent. Those who do not vote, agree by their silence, to allow those who do vote, to make the decision.

Learn and understand the bylaws of your organization, and by doing so; your participation will be effective.

(Adapted from Pointers on Parliamentary procedure, Louise E. Bereskin, National Association of Parliamentarians)

Confused about Twitter? Come to this Cocktail Party

Oct 23rd, 2009
by Kathie Madden.
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cocktail glasses 150x150 Confused about Twitter? Come to this Cocktail PartyI will admit I was skeptical about the power and influence of Twitter and other Social media platforms.  I couldn’t figure out what value there was to posting until I met a Business Leadership Coach; Patti Dragland of Strategic Sense Inc. Patti walked me through the etiquette and explanations that helped me better understand the strategies I needed to employ. I wanted to share them because I believe they are extremely helpful and will  give you a very good understanding of the network that can be established.

1. You need to begin by thinking like a guest at a cocktail party where you know no one.

2. Politely introduce yourself to someone and create a discussion.

3. If there is mutual willingness to share conversation stay with them and they will begin introducing you to people you should get to know.

4. There is no worse guest at a party that one who talks only about them self.  Politely create an interactive discussion based on learning about each other.

5.  If you do not connect in a mutual interest, move on and begin networking the room.

6.  Just like at any cocktail party; in turn you must learn to introduce your contacts to people that may benefit from meeting them.

7.  Have something to offer: tips, advice, new items, trends etc.

8.  It is not a contest to get the most Followers, it is a format to broaden your relationships,  to  connect and share with a global network of people, and to get you out of the office…sort of.

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