Many of you know that Ann & Sarah come as a package deal, and while we may give the outward appearance that we are always 100% in sync with one another, there are several differences in the way that we work.
I thought about writing this post after she and I were analyzing our Sponsor Advertising Calendar we have in a shared Google Drive. She had worked diligently to ensure it was clear which sponsors were advertising in which month’s newsletter…. and I could understand it, but my eyes didn’t like it…. so I changed it…. and I think I almost caused my bestie to have a heart attack.
Obviously, that’s not the case; but we agreed to switch it back once I had gotten the information down in a format that made sense for my own, personal process.
The point I’m making is that working as a team can sometimes be challenging simply because people work in so many different ways…. neither right or wrong, just different. What works for Ann doesn’t always work for me, and what works for me doesn’t always work for Ann.
DIVIDING ROLES
Putting on an educational event is one thing. Putting on an educational event that includes a massive exhibit hall is quite another. PLUS, each segment (the educational and and the commercial) have their own intricacies that need special attention.
Make sure your meeting team has taken the time to determine the roles of everyone on the educational side and the commercial side. I would highly recommend that there are distinct teams for education and commercial; BUT, there has got to be a consistent meeting where each keep the other informed because when the event goes down, it’s a single unit.
Recently Ann and I have determined that our skillsets and our desired tasks can be segmented into:
  • Meeting site coordination
  • Commercial sales
If you know Ann and me, personally, I’ll let you guess who is taking on what. 😉
SHARING IS CARING
Ensure everyone is on board with being respectful in terms of “staying in your lane,” but having the freedom to share thoughts and ideas outside your assignments.
When you share thoughts or ideas outside of your assignments, though, you have to be ok with the possibility that they may not be employed. It doesn’t mean that they weren’t considered; it just means there are other pieces of the big puzzle that doesn’t allow that one to fit.
On the same token, it can be easy to dismiss ideas that seem to “throw a wrench” in your plans. Try not to be too quick to toss anything to the side.
For example, I had a friend tell me that my personal client time tracking and invoicing would probably go so much faster if I used this tool called, Toggle. I immediately was against it because I felt my process wasn’t complicated enough to require a monthly subscription for something that is relatively simple and doesn’t take up too terribly much of my time. BUT, I said I would try it for a week. I was wrong. Toggle rocks and I can’t live without it!
You work with (hopefully, lol) people who are very good at what they do. Just because they don’t do it the way you would do it, doesn’t mean they’re doing it wrong – and vice versa!
Ultimately, give your team members the benefit of the doubt that they are working toward your shared vision and there is more than one way to eat a Reese’s peanut butter cup. And we all know that is the only thing that truly matters in life.
Thoughts? Questions? Email Me!
Sarah Breymeier: beheard@podiatrymeetings.com