The Cancun CVB and the Country of Mexico did a nice job in making us all feel welcome. The staff at the hotel was very friendly and truly on top of things (in most areas). I will not dwell on the unpleasantries as that is a conversation to be held one-on-one. The opening General Session featured Jeremy Gutsche, an innovation expert, author of the No. 1 book Exploiting Chaos and founder of trendhunter.com. Jeremy was very entertaining and had a lot to share about innovation and growth. Some of the takeaways that I got from his session were as follows:
Think about those things. It seems simple, but how many people have you met that don’t think or do any of the above items? How many websites for products are plain and the same over and over? One word can change everything about how well your product is seen and heard. The other interesting discussion came from day two General Session when we heard from Monica Harrington, a successful CMO of two start-up companies and the former media advisor to Bill and Melinda Gates. The ONE thing that struck a lot of people was the fact that Microsoft to this day has NEVER measured ROI. (Current Microsoft planners in attendance confirmed this for everyone in the audience.) I was amazed at this. I spoke to some of the other planners over the course of the program and they ended up not going to any of the ROI sessions, because they felt their time was better spent elsewhere. The other change with MeetDifferent this year was the Hosted Buyer Program and TradeDifferent. The hosted buyer program had planners and suppliers meet one-on-one to discuss business during set appointments over a course of three days. No planner could do this. As a planner, you needed to apply and be accepted. Suppliers spent $4800 to have a small cocktail table and meet for 15 minutes with planners over a 90-minute period. I participated in this and I felt it was extremely successful. The downfall was that sessions were also happening during this time and I missed out on some amazing topics that were not repeated over the course of the three days. If successful, the Hosted Buyer Program will be part of future MPI gatherings. Early indicators are that it has been a success, with more than 1,500 appointments taking place on the first day alone. The first ever TradeDifferent was not your typical tradeshow in a hotel ballroom. This was an outdoor evening event during which planners and suppliers met and mingled in a beachfront setting at the resort. There were 12 areas where vendors set up their product and you mingled from each one to collaborate, distribute your RFP’s and potentially do some business. As of this writing MeetDifferent 2011 has not been scheduled. There is a chance that this may have been the last one. MPI made a lot of changes in this year’s program and having the event in Mexico was a huge risk. I am interested to see and hear what the future may bring. With that said, our March Meeting will be held at the Marriott Minneapolis West on St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, March 17th. Speaking on the Spot – The Art of Persuasion will be conducted by Michael Foley. Do you want to learn to be heard? How can you differentiate yourself from others? This is a program that you won’t want to miss. Maybe some of our Irish Members will even provide a little trivia for the day? My continued best to each of you. BE BOLD, BE BRAVE, BE BRILLIANT!
Coming up with something meaningful to say to our peers each month, as I’m sure many of our Meeting of the Minds contributors can attest, is challenging! For me, that challenge is heightened when my calendar prevents me from attending the monthly meetings where much of our chapter’s information is disseminated. So as I pondered what to say…what to say…I realize that since I came on board as Editor, I haven’t seen any submissions from the Community Outreach Committee tooting their good work. My very first MPI MN committee involvement was with this team and I think it is a unique and rewarding way to get involved in the chapter. Therefore, I want to use this platform to remind everyone what the chapter is committed to supporting for 2009-2010. Our goal is to bring recognition to three local organizations: Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Free Arts Minnesota, and Bridging Inc. Visit the committees page for more information. Your next opportunity to support these great non-profits is during the March 17 meeting. A cash donation towards a $5 grab bag is sure to cause a charitable ripple effect in our community and win you a fabulous prize!
View notes from the February 17 Give & Take Roundtables at FIVE Event Center.
When: Wednesday, March 17, 11:00 am – 1:30 pm It is impossible to lead if no one is listening. The key challenge in the 21st century is to simply be heard. The amount of information that employees must respond to each day is practically overwhelming and has subsequently become a major obstacle to success and productivity. To be heard above the din, leaders must communicate in a variety of situations with clarity and power. The individuals who possess these skills will have a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.
See more meeting details and register.
by JULIE ANN SCHMIDT, CMP, jschmidt@lilogistics.com As co-chair of the Student Membership committee, she spearheaded our grant-funded Student Road Show Initiatives in both St. Cloud and Fargo/Moorhead. Her planning skills, education in the industry, organizational skills and the ability to work with a volunteer team, results in 4 new students memberships, 5 prospective members and a new awareness of MPI in Greater Minnesota. To thank Margaret for her leadership, she will receive a Target gift certificate for $50 sponsored by Donna Patrick and a gift box from Tastefully Simple. Please help us honor Margaret 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.
I think we can learn something about leadership from these young athletes. Yes, they may not know everything there is to know about life, their sport etc. but they work hard and try to be the best they can be in their respective sports. Our local chapter of MPI also has its own young emerging talent. In January 2010, MPI launched one of its newest initiatives, Emerging Leaders, and I personally am excited to see this program continue to grow. It will be interesting to see how the emerging leaders of this chapter will bring their skills to the forefront, to see how the entire chapter can benefit. Fresh faces and ideas will help this chapter grow and prosper. I cannot wait to see what the rest of 2010 will bring. What skills can you learn from an emerging leader that can help you foster your career and leadership skills?
2. When negotiating the price for services at your selected facility, you should:
It’s easy. Pick up a supply of our Membership brochures to distribute to potential meeting industry peers. Refer interested prospects by filling out a new member referral form. For each form you fill out, you will be eligible to win monthly prizes and a Grand Prize drawing for a Weekend Concert/Entertainment Package from Treasure Island Resort and Casino! Referral Forms are available online at www.mpimn.org. In addition, for each referral you submit that joins MPI as a full member, you will receive a $25.00 credit toward your own membership dues! Take advantage of this great savings. Details and brochures are also available from the Membership Team at our monthly meetings.
If you nominate a member, your name will be submitted in a contest for an overnight stay in the Presidential Suite at Treasure Island with some extras included. Read additional information about the categories and submit an online Nomination Form. Winners will be announced during our May 20th Gala to members who exemplify strong support and participation needed to help the chapter and industry grow and succeed. Get more information about the gala.
1. How did you get to your current position? 2. What is your current job description? 3. What has been your greatest professional challenge? 4. In your past history, has anything happened that was unexpected? 5. How long have you been in MPI and what have you learned since becoming a member? 6. What is something you would like to share with us about your personal life? 
Congratulations to the following members who have been recognized for their continued commitment to MPI MN and who celebrated their monumental anniversary. Thank you for your continued involvement and commitment within our chapter. 10 Years 20 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 fourth 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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As I write this article I am just returning from the MPI MeetDifferent 2010 Conference in Cancun, Mexico. As much as I would like to say the conference, in my perspective, was a complete success, I regretfully was not completely satisfied, however I will focus on the positive.
This past month we experienced the XXI Winter Olympics. I got very excited about this event because it gave our glorious nation the chance to prove we truly have some of the best talent in the world in various sporting events. I especially enjoyed watching the snowboarding, skiing and ice hockey events. It amazes me the amount of raw talent, drive and ambition these athletes bring to their sports. One particular snow boarder comes to mind and that’s Shaun White. At only 23 years old, he commands the world’s attention to show what he can do not only on the slopes, but also as a leader of his generation.
Nominations are now being accepted through Monday, March 15 for our chapter’s Excellence in MPI (EMPI) Awards. Any MPI MN member in good standing may be nominated in as many categories for which he or she may be qualified as a recipient. Members are also encouraged to nominate themselves.
Dianna C. Fuller, CMP CMM