Proving the value of meetings is pertinent and possible, with a little advance planning. By Richard D. Flanagan, July 05, 2010

Richard D. Flanagan

Meetings and events didn’t used to require so much justification. They were assumed to be necessary for doing business. And the reality is— many of them are. But how do we prove it?

It’s not as hard as you might think. After all, the reason we have meetings, conferences, conventions, trade shows and other events is to improve business results for all stakeholders: participants, meeting planners, suppliers, businesses and associations.

While many of us are being asked to provide justification after the fact, it’s best to ensure the desired business results are clearly defined, understood and agreed upon in advance and that events are designed and delivered in ways that will achieve those results.

Sound like a lot of work? Try applying these six disciplines to deliver breakthrough meetings and events.

1. Define the Business Results: Rigorously defining what can be expected from the event in clear business terms and for each of the key stakeholders is an often overlooked but necessary first step. What will participants do differently that will contribute to business success? What are sponsors’ and suppliers’ specific objectives? What represents success for meeting planners? And finally, let’s all agree and sign off now on how these will be measured after the event.

2. Design the Complete Experience: While the event is certainly centre stage, the complete experience includes what happens beforehand, in attracting and preparing participants, and also what happens afterwards to encourage transfer and application at work. Think of the five stages of an experience: attracting, entering, engaging, exiting and extending — and attend to them all.

3. Deliver for Application: Providing fun and entertainment is great, but it cannot be the primary line in the budget. For meetings and events to yield improved business results, participants must connect what they experience, and learn, with work. Each aspect of the event should be clearly linked to business needs and realities. Participants should be encouraged and given time to set clear objectives and action plans for applying what they have seen and heard.

4. Drive Follow-Through: Meetings and events produce desired results only when learning, skills and connections
are transferred to, and used at, work. There is a critical window of opportunity for application of this education after an event or meeting. But good intentions are rarely enough. Think of ways to remind participants of their objectives and build in accountability for following through on their action plans.

5. Deploy Active Support: Identify how the various stakeholders will be supported after an event, so that the learning and other gains can be extended into work. Encourage the sharing of learning and goals with colleagues and managers with agreed-upon times to review progress. Think of how technology such as webcasting, online materials, discussion groups and even Twitter can be incorporated.

6. Document Results: As with any other business investment, meeting and event results should be documented, and their impact assessed, to gauge the level of return. It is here that methods and measures agreed upon in the first discipline are applied, reported and used for driving continuous quality improvement and justifying future expenditures.

With tightened budgets, now more than ever, companies invest with the expectation of improved performance and business results. Optimizing each of the six disciplines in your development and delivery process is one way to ensure your meetings and events deliver optimal value and results.

At IncentiveWorks, we will further elaborate and discuss other specific tools, strategies and approaches for designing and delivering value from meetings and events.

— Richard D. Flanagan, PhD, is a business consultant, speaker and co-author of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning: How to Turn Training and Development into Business Results. E-mail: rdf3131@verizon.net