Behind the Curtain: AUSA

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AUSAFor this behind the curtain peek at event organizers we're learning more about the Association of the United States Army and two of their more popular events. LTG(R) Roger Thompson, vice president, membership and meetings at AUSA, took the time to talk to us about the planning behind the group's Global Force Symposium and LANPAC.[Tweet "Behind the curtain peek at AUSA and their events. #GovEventsBlog"]

The Global Force Symposium runs March 15-17 in Huntsville, AL, just outside Redstone Arsenal. The featured command at the symposium will be the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness - technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment.  If a soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.  LANPAC takes place May 24-26 in Honolulu, HI.  This annual event brings together military and industry to highlight the role of land forces in the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater and their contributions to the Joint Force in peace and war.

We talked with LTG Thompson about how trends in the event industry and the government market in general are shaping the way they produce events.[Tweet "We talked with LTG Thompson @AUSAorg about trends and the events they produce."] Continue reading →

Commit to Staying Focused

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We recently shared some tips with event planners about how to get audiences more engaged in event content, but we know the onus is not all on the people putting on the event. As attendees we have to make a concerted effort to stay focused[Tweet "As event attendees we have to make a concerted effort to stay focused. #GovEventsBlog"] on the content being presented. We (or our employer) paid to attend or at the very least committed our time away from daily work. Make sure you see a return on investment by fully committing to being present at the event. This should be an easy commitment, but in today's 'always-on' world it is definitely easier said than done.

Here are several tips that we've used to help us get the most out of events.

  • Take a role -- Step-up your note-taking commitment a notch. If your organization has a blog, contact the person who manages it and offer to write a post about the content presented at the event. Trust us, your offer will be greatly appreciated. Making the commitment to deliver something post-event will help you stay attentive during sessions that impact your day-to-day work.
  • Set your own agenda -- Create your own agenda or list of items you are most interested in learning about and cross them off as you go through the event. Was something missed that you were hoping to learn about? Make an effort to connect with the presenter for a quick Q and A.
  • Take a break - From technology that is. Leading up to the event, set the expectation with co-workers and clients that you will be out of pocket. Knowing that no one is looking for you to respond right away can help fend off the urge (or even need) to use breaks to check your email or make calls. Instead you can use breaks for in-person networking--a huge benefit of in-person events.[Tweet "Use breaks for in-person networking--a huge benefit of in-person events. #GovEventsBlog"]
  • Take responsibility -- While social media can be a huge distraction, it can also help you stay focused. Make a goal of a certain number of posts or finding a certain number of new connections. With these goals in mind you can challenge yourself to pay attention for information that you deem "tweet worthy" or really commit to networking through the breaks. Use social media as a motivator instead of a distraction.

We'd love to hear from you? What have you done to make sure you are getting the most out of events and staying focused throughout the long days? Let us know in the comments.

Put Down the Phone, Let’s Get Active!

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In recent posts on gamification and IoT we talked about some ways to use technology to better engage modern event audiences. While the tech is here to stay and it is important to integrate it into events, every new twist you add does not have to involve technology.[Tweet "Every new twist you add to events does not have to involve technology. #GovEventsBlog"]

In a recent survey, 99% of respondents said that in-person meetings have helped them succeed in their careers. Meetings are seen as critical to business and personal success and the rise in spending on attending them (both in the general market and the federal market) backs up that belief. Attendees want more than a technology-heavy experience (they get that in other facets of their work day). They want experiences that are uniquely real world. So how do event planners keep events fresh without making them a virtual reality experience?[Tweet "How do event planners keep events fresh without making them a virtual reality experience?"] Continue reading →

Making Your IDP Count

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IDPs - Individual Development Plans - are designed to help employees define a path forward in their federal career and develop a plan to get there. While for many this feels like a burdensome administrative process, it is a critical exercise that holds employee and manager accountable for job success and satisfaction.

One key element of the IDP is creating an action plan. In addition to setting short (one to three years) and long-term (five to 10 years) goals, employees must also outline the steps needed to achieve those goals. This includes listing job-specific activities, training, and further education. Deadlines are assigned to the goals as well as the tasks associated with them.[Tweet "One key element of the IDP is creating an action plan. #GovEventsBlog"]

Knowing what events and training options are available to support short and long-term goals is a critical part of making an IDP actionable. Having a definitive and substantiated list of needed training and events in an IDP can make the path to attendance and expense approval much smoother. But how do you know which events will really help you meet those goals and where do you find them?[Tweet "Knowing what events/training options are available is critical part of IDP. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →

Playing Games

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While the topics discussed at government events can be incredibly serious -- national security, cyber threats, defense -- that does not mean events have to be solemn. We've talked here before about bringing some fun to federal events without undermining the critical nature of the content.

Whether we realize it or not, Gamification has made its way into our professional lives. From "medals" awarded during mandatory online training to challenge.gov-type procurements to department contests for holiday cube decorating or charitable collections, we've inserted gameplay seamlessly into our work lives and it can also be done at our events. This game motivation goes back to our school days when teachers would post stars next to classmates' names for good behavior or excellent grades.

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