Events Need Process & Process Needs Events
Do you want to make your business processes more effective? Do you want to make your events more relevant? Do you want your people more engaged and motivated? Here's how.
Did you ever see one of those cartoons where the person has an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other - and both are whispering sweet temptations. That's how many corporations view business process and events. Some people view process as a fun-sucker draining the life and excitement out of an organization. Other people view events as silliness that kills the vital processes that make the company successful. Right in the middle is leadership, management, marketing and every member of the team. I say let's work over both the angels and the devils. Before we get started let's agree on some definitions.
Event = a one-time experience that happens in a given place and time - meeting, executive briefing, planning session, organizational gathering, conference, training, team building - you get the idea.
Process = a continuing procedure, system or methods to achieve a result over time. Process is a way to standardize tactics and procedures. It gets everyone on the same side of a challenge and pushing in the same direction.
Oh the sweet temptation on each side. That angel and devil aren't whispering, they're screaming different things! Events are fun and motivating but maybe a bit frivolous and meaningless. Process is necessary and valuable but tends to be dull, boring and uninspiring. How do you get the best from both?
You Think Your Company Is Driven By Process And You're Wrong
If you gathered 100 executives and managers in a room and asked, "Are you an event company or a process company?" about 99 out of 100 would say - Process - and they would be wrong. Look at your strategic plans, marketing plans - any process. How is it delivered over time? Is it really continuous from your staff or customer's perspective? Think about it for a moment.
In most situations the process is actually delivered as a well-executed series of activities and events with nothing behind them. Everyone gets the information and procedures and leaves encouraged and enthusiastic. Then the process slowly grinds to a halt and the desired results fade away. What you needed was a way to monitor, moderate and motivate the process over time by taking a more coordinated, message-driven approach.
It's Really An Event
Marketing Program with no specific results, customer/client rewards, integrated messages, motivation and measurements - It's an Event.
Customer/Franchisee/Affiliate Communication with no specific results, deadlines, expectations and clear returns - It's an Event.
Training with no specific results, follow-up, monitoring, measurement, continuous reinforcement and fine-tuning - It's an Event.
Business Management Process with no specific results, time limits and focused on structured activities rather than measurable improvement - It's an Event.
Process And Events Are Good But They Are Better Together
Process is the path and direction. Events build the momentum you need to get up and over the hills and to keep moving. It's easy to view process and events to be 180-degrees apart - total opposites. John Maxwell spends some time discussing the difference between process and events in 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Well, he's a process-only-kind-of-guy so that's where he thinks the world should be. With all respect to Mr. Maxwell the two can be complementary parts of the same results-delivery system. This is how I see the relationship between the two.
- Process is objective-driven while events are message-driven.
- Process uses measurement to gauge success while events use willingness.
- Process is the method of generating the desired results while events provide the enlistment and the alignment necessary to complete the process.
- Process develops a culture while an event reflects or celebrates a culture.
- Process tends to be a solitary experience while an event emphasizes a community that shares common goals, values and rewards.
- Process implements towards a goal while an event helps discover and identify opportunities.
- Process is highly structured and predefined while events are more dynamic, experiential and personalized.
- Process is building a house while events are living in it.
Take A “Meet In The Middle” Strategy
1. Set the overall goals and clearly define the specific desired result.
2. Design the process that supports attaining the desired results.
3. Determine what the critical people need to learn, understand, value, appreciate and do to generate the desired results?
4. Divide the process into sections, benchmarks and transitions.
5. Identify areas where events support and facilitate the process. Events can stimulate the process at key milestones and at transitions in the work streams.
6. Plug events or mini-events into the process at strategic times and for specific purposes.
7. Blend process and events to move people towards the desired results.
Let Each Do What It Does Best
The value of events is in their ability to add emotion and energy at specific moments within the process. The assumption is events must be big and require a large group. When you view them as an occurrence that is memorable, personal and unusual then events take on a different perspective. Events provide punctuation, energy and personalization at critical moments in the process. Remember events don't need to be large, involve sets, production and loads of money. An event can be five minutes just as long as it is personal, emotional and people-focused.
Give Into Sweet Temptation
By taking a “Meet in the Middle” strategy the best strengths of both can be incorporated to generate the desired results. Process supports the human aspects of events – as events support the critical business drivers of the process.
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences.
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