Our inner critic (what I call a “Gremlin”) is that little voice inside of our head that holds us back just when we are on the brink of greatness. If our goal as planners is to ultimately produce a transformative event-and, as a planner, writing this next phrase is uncomfortable-how important is the minutiae? Is it necessary to adjust the chairs by three degrees or completely edit and reprint the agenda for a minor spacing issue? How are our inner critics like perfectionism, hyper-achievement and hyper-vigilance holding us back? These traits are highly valued in the role but, when left unchecked, can sneakily become self-sabotaging. Planners are meticulous and appreciate that every detail counts. And always sit when you can.Įvents move fast, and event coordinators must move even faster.ĭue to the nature of the role, event planners may be hyper-achievers, perfectionists, controllers or a combination of the three. Tag in a volunteer while you eat lunch, have someone remind you to hydrate. Building partnerships, letting people in on the day’s plan, and delegating will allow you to work smarter and focus on self-care so you can do a better job. Companies like Convene offer on-site Production and Service Managers that act like an extension of your events team. Rally a team that can support you on event day. Planners are often the first ones in and the last ones out, resulting in 12 to 16-hour work days.ĭuring that time, planners may not have the opportunity to eat or sit down.ĭynamic communication is your entrée into building relationships. Perhaps, however, the largest contributor is time. Stress factors here include the need to always be “on” and hyper-vigilance. The event coordinator is often the primary point of contact the day(s) of the event. You intimately know every detail and now, it’s time to roll. As the planner, you have calculated the risks, walked the space, coordinated the setup, selected the menu, curated the content, drafted the agenda, rehearsed the content, and tested the A/V. You have been planning for weeks, months, or maybe even up to a year. With collaborative agreements made early on, the work group will be proud to do their part and effectively bring the vision of the event to life.Ĭommunication breakdowns can sour any coordinator/client relationship. No matter the method of communication, sharpen your listening skills and hear what is truly being said. As the planning begins, consider the most effective method to relay messages or information, be it a phone call, e-mail, or in-person meeting. Once the agreement has been outlined share it internally and externally with vendors and partners. Agree on “who’s who” and collaborate within your work group to define responsibilities for every stakeholder. Before planning begins, instead of expectations, co-author agreements. This leads to a heightened sense of vigilance, organization, and possibly, the need to “control” the process.Ĭommunication can break down when our expectations do not match the outcome. An event planner knows that he or she is responsible for synthesizing everyone’s ideas to achieve the overall vision. Stress creeps in as the planner works to meet the expectations of every stakeholder and ensure that the planning process does not devolve into a game of telephone. The event coordinator serves as the conduit of information between the client or host organization, speakers (often VIPs), participants, vendors, and event staff. Here’s three primary stressors and suggested shifts to help raise the consciousness of event coordinators and see that ranking fall in 2018. Let’s take some of those common stressors and discuss some realistic solutions. While event planners may not be putting out literal fires, they are certainly dealing with their fair share of potential “disasters.”Įvent coordinators, we can do better! That’s not a list we want to be on. When you look at the categories (amount of travel, working in the public eye, meeting the public, and deadlines), it’s easy to see why event coordinators make the list. This year, CareerCast has pegged “event coordinator” at #5 on their list of stressful jobs-just slightly less stressful than running into burning buildings.ĬareerCast uses an 11-point stress-factor methodology and ranks each factor on a scale to determine the amount of stress a worker can predict to experience in any given job. That is, unless, you’re an event planner…įor the sixth year running, event planning has been ranked as one of the most stressful jobs on Earth. I’d bet you can guess most of them: firefighter, military personnel, police officer, airline pilot.īut the fifth most stressful job in the world might surprise you. What would you guess are the five most stressful jobs in the world?
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