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eNewsletter - 3rd Quarter 2011

 

 

Inspiring Content (and Honest Abe)  

Never Goes Out of Style: 

 

 

PCMA 2011 Education Conference
Baltimore � June 20-23, 2011

By Leslie DiLeo, CMP  

"I am determined to be so clear that no honest person could misunderstand me

and no dishonest man could misrepresent me." --Abraham Lincoln 

   

- - Quoted by several PCMA speakers - -

 

 

The 2011 PCMA Education Conference held June 20-23 in Baltimore focused on the central themes of "Innovation, Leadership, Strategy and Technology Trends". Set at the Baltimore Convention Center, nearly 500 attendees filled the halls for two days of general sessions, workshops and networking events, all crafted to support the central themes of the conference.

 

From an electrifying address by Venice "Flygirl" Armour, America's first female African-American Marine Corps fighter pilot, to the closing session From the Streets to the Stove: The Power of Potential with Chef Jeff Henderson, the message was powerful and clear: it's up to us as individuals to both create and harness innovation.

Below are some of the conference's top takeaways:

 

Roger Rickart emphasized during Tuesday's luncheon session Meetings Mean Business that just as we as individuals are responsible for making our own achievements on this micro level, we must also communicate the importance of our industry to our business leaders and the world. Key Fact: The conference industry is larger than the auto industry. Key Idea: Every little thing we do matters; we must advocate for our industry!

  

At Wednesday's workshop Solutions Session: On the Road, industry peers Jim Kelley, Jessica Levin and Laurie Fitzgerald gave technology-based tips on maintaining nutrition and fitness on the road, and staying productive while away from the office. Key Ideas: put applications like Hop Stop, Urban Table, Dropbox, Evernote, Trip It, and Orbitz directly on your phone. Take advantage of fitness podcasts like "Couch to 5K and measure your food intake and exercise on Livestrong.

  

As part of Wednesday's Masters Series Workshop Six Radical Workplace Trends for the Future, Golden Chainsaw's Jeff Hurt expanded on the now-familiar phrase "change is constant" by sharing workplace changes that both individuals and companies must anticipate and embrace:
  1. Place importance on analytic contributions and emotional intelligence/ adaptability rather than on tasks.
  2. Less focus on "lone ranger" achievement, more emphasis on creating "swarms" of contributors
  3. Mine social network contacts, as employment will switch from "experience economy" to "social economy."
  4. Working with the Collective: leaders will value those outside of the system-not just internal experts.
  5. Anticipate moves by analyzing patterns; not just "what happened?" but "what could happen based on what we know?"   
  6. Work "places" will be scattered: work will take place everywhere, 24/7.

Beyond the daytime workshops, attendees also got to explore some of the city, starting with Tuesday's Welcome Reception at the Renaissance Harborplace where guests enjoyed a culinary showcase of local classic dishes in a glamorous and comfortable setting for making contacts, and reconnecting with friends and peers.

 

On the whole, The Baltimore Convention Center was found to be well-suited for our PCMA event, providing space for sessions, but also pocket areas for networking and impromptu meetings, such as with the Internet Zone (sponsored by Ontario and the Baltimore Convention Center). Another huge bonus: AIBTM (Americas Meetings and Events Exhibition), a global exhibition for the U.S. meetings and events industry, held its three-day conference and trade show at the Center over the same dates. AIBTM allowed PCMA attendees complimentary access to its 900+ exhibitor trade show floor-a true added value since the PCMA Education Conference doesn't typically include a trade show component.

 

The educational, networking and social events at PCMA, from the general sessions, workshops and receptions, to trade show exhibits, lunches and supplier outings, all provided an outstanding networking experience with our peers, as well as a self-reflective experience as to how to move forward in this industry.