The chapter has spoken and this month’s topic was selected. Each year in January the chapter sends out a Needs Assessment asking the general membership what they want to learn and hear about. Our superb Education team compiles the results and focuses their efforts on getting the right topics discussed at our monthly education meetings. If you don’t fill out the Needs Assessment, your voice is not heard and your ROI may not be met. After each monthly meeting, attendees receive a survey about the program. We are asking you for your feedback. Be assured that the Board reads these. In previous years, as a chapter member, I honestly filled out the surveys without concern for the outcome of what I said. This year, as your chapter President, I read the surveys and appreciate the honesty that members are providing. Is it tough to read the comments sometimes? Yes it is, but the fact some of you are responding. With two programs under our belt, we have received both positive and negative feedback . The comments range from the speakers, food, service, location of the meeting and even comments about me as your President. Some of you want the locations to be more varied throughout the metro, some of you want to see more of the Board (not just me) participate in the announcements and some are just very happy with everything. Now, I could go on and on with how the venues are selected and why some things are done the way they currently are, but I am only allowed so much space for this column. I am always happy to talk to any of the members about why the chapter does things a certain way, but rest assured—we do many things based on the feedback you give us each month. I intend to try and shake things up a bit this year, not too much, but tweak some things based on what some of you had indicated in past surveys. Keep the comments coming; it only helps us all get better. We are doing our follow up to provide you with more opportunities to learn so that you can take the education back to your office and apply it in your day to day environment, and ultimately allow you to grow in your career. You have asked and you shall receive. BE BOLD, BE BRAVE, BE BRILLIANT!!!
It has also been quite a colorful month within our chapter too. Our September meeting at the Mall of America, which centered on an overview of social media, drew varied and passionate responses from our membership. Talking to Jennifer Kane (our speaker) prior the event, her goal was to present a big picture of social media as a communication tool and how it relates to meetings and events. The response from our membership after the meeting reflected a need for more information, tools and details. There were also comments about the background noise during the presentation and how it affected people’s attention. The beauty of this ever-evolving technology (like Twitter) is that it will ensure that we have real time evaluations available to us to address concerns or comments from attendees. Appropriately enough, one of the points that Jennifer brought up during the presentation was that nobody has clearly figured it out yet. If Jennifer (or any of the other social media speakers out there) were to wait until they had a clear polished idea of what is going on, they would be so far behind that their presentation would be dated. My personal advice is to take responsibility for your own social media education through research and maybe even a workshop or two. It’s a rapidly changing world and the event industry is no different. We are in the midst of a changing period and, for some professionals who have been comfortable for a prolonged period of time, it presents uncomfortable challenges. The old way is dying or, some would say, dead. We can either be energized by the changing world of technology and all its confusing and overwhelming choices (even my one-year-old iPod seems antiquated) or we can jump in as best as we can. I thought everything about last month’s event was bold. The fact that it got people to engage with the evaluation, and encourages the Board to improve on the details for upcoming monthly events. We are here to experiment, inspire and educate our membership so they go back to their jobs with something to reflect on. Keep the comments coming and, of course, the Meeting of the Minds Newsletter is the perfect place to have your opinions heard.
November 11-12, 2009 Join us for the first ever Midwest Conference and Suppliers Showcase! The MPI Minnesota and Wisconsin Chapters are collaborating to host an event that will include excellent education, a large marketplace and great networking opportunities. Click here for more information about event details, registration and exhibit and sponsor opportunities.
One of the efforts of the Leadership Development Committee is to recognize everyday leaders within the chapter. These Leaders among us are people who go above and beyond to make sure our chapter goals and objectives are met or exceeded. This month we recognize the work of Lisa Venne of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Lisa works tirelessly to build sponsor relationships, while securing sponsorships and chapter meeting venues. She is a team of one to watch! To thank Lisa for her leadership, she will receive a Target gift certificate for $50 courtesy of Helms Briscoe and a gift box from Tastefully Simple. Please help us honor Lisa and her efforts. Leaders of the Month are nominated by board members. If you know a chapter volunteer that deserves recognition, please share this with your committee’s Board liaisons or any board member.
December 2, 2009 3:15-5:00 pm “MPI’s Got Talent”
Are you looking for guidance or do you want to help someone achieve their goals? If so, Mentoring: Power of 2 wants to hear from you! We are taking applications for Mentors and Mentees. Click here for more information on member resources and the mentoring program.
With a new film coming out and a cult like following, you would think Coco Chanel is still alive. Holding a place in Time Magazine’s list of the most influential people of the 20th century, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel has proven she’s a lasting face and leader in the fashion industry. She went from lounge singer to hat maker to fashion designer, always wearing her signature pearls. Her iconic style and unique leadership qualities left a long lasting legacy for us to follow. While not everyone may be as famous and long lasting as Coco Chanel, she did teach us an important reason—lead with style. Create your own style and don’t be afraid to express yourself as a leader. As Coco Chanel quotes below, fashion doesn’t only exist in dresses—it comes from the way we live and what is going on around us. In this ever-changing world we live and work in, we need to be mindful of what leadership styles are out there. There are many to choose from, but the one that might be the right fit for you might not be the same fit for someone else. Adapt your own personal leadership style and who knows—others might follow in your foot steps. “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live and what is happening.” – Coco Chanel
Members and guests gathered at Mall of America for our September luncheon, enjoying a different and unique approach with the Taste of MOA style dine-around. Restaurants throughout the Mall participated in the dine-around in the Great Room, providing their signature items for everyone to experience while giving feedback on what they can individually do to accommodate groups in unique settings. Jennifer Kane, principal of Kane Consulting, brought her expertise and energy to tell us all about social media – and frankly, she says, get used to it. It’s here to stay. From Twitter to Facebook to Blogging, we got a taste of what each means and how it should be used, leaving us wanting more. Now that we understand the basics, we need to go out and plug in, log on, connect and own our name. Jennifer teaches more in-depth workshops that will teach you how to use Twitter to grow your business and career.
1. Which of the following is not part of the “green” hotel room strategy?
2. The law that protects those who donate excess food to charities is the:
Congratulations to the following members who have been recognized for their continued commitment to MPI Minnesota and who celebrated their monumental anniversary. Thank you for your continued involvement and commitment within our chapter. 5 Years:
Meeting Professionals International is the association for the global meetings industry and is committed to delivering success for its 21,000 worldwide members by providing innovative professional development, generating industry awareness and creating business development opportunities. Founded in 1972, the Dallas-based organization delivers success through its 68 chapters and clubs in 20 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org. Minnesota Chapter Office International Headquarters
Meeting of the Minds is the official publication of the Meeting Professionals International Minnesota chapter and is published 11 times yearly. Statements of fact and opinion within this newsletter are the responsibility of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the officers or members of MPI. Articles submitted are subject to editorial revisions. Articles for Meeting of the Minds are always due on the third Wednesday of the month prior to distribution, and articles for News Notes are always due on the first Thursday of the distribution month. |
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Think of these phrases: follow-up, follow through, keeping our word. How many of us are consistently doing these things? When someone asks you to do something, do you do it and give 110 percent? If someone tells you that he or she will follow up with you on a specific date or time, how do you feel when he or she doesn’t keep his or her word? Are you sometimes relieved? Disappointed? Upset? I know I can be all of the above.
This is my favorite time of year in Minnesota -- where the short duration of the season is compensated by the intensity of its colors. 
