Young Professionals IAEE Weblog

By: Julie Holzer ( IAEE YP’s Newest Committee Member and 2008 Future Leader Alumni)

To explain my vision for the future of the exhibition and events industry, it is important to first understand the background and events that have shaped my perceptions. Though relatively new to the exhibition industry, I have been immersed in hospitality and events since 2001.

My first job in the industry wasn’t on solid ground, but on cruise ships. A fertile training ground in the events business, I planned, promoted and hosted events for crowds of one to 1,000 and that is where I truly learned that events are only as good as the people who attend them. Whether hosting a trivia contest or a main stage performance, I discovered that the key to success in any event lies in its appeal to the audience.

Before each cruise, a list of passengers with age range and nationality was available and it was this list that determined the events and activities scheduled for the upcoming cruise. Each itinerary and season brought different passengers and different challenges and we adapted to each set of guests coming aboard.

The trade shows and meetings that take place each day in the exhibition and events industry remind me of different cruises and itineraries. It is very easy to continue to use the same promotional materials, schedules and venues year after year, but I believe the biggest change coming to the industry will be when show organizers adapt to the changing demographic of their exhibitors and attendees.

Member of Generations X and Y are emerging and taking the reigns in the business world and their needs are different from those that have shaped the exhibition industry in past years.

Meeting planners are starting to capitalize on Generations X and Y and this is a shift from past practices. Time has become a premium for these generations and longer meetings have become replaced with shorter, more intensive meetings.

Another way this change has become evident is in the move to the web as a tool for trade show information. Exhibitor service manuals, pertinent trade show guidelines, surveys and even social networking are moving online for the ease and speed of consumers. Printed materials are becoming rarer as the web, e-mail and voice mail blasts become more prevalent.

The next generation of trade show and industry leaders will have to appeal to the next generation of people coming up in the business world. The future of the exhibition industry depends on appealing to its audience, an emerging audience that is younger each year.

CEIR and IAEE have recognized the need for this change and are starting to research the best way to appeal to this younger generation of industry leaders and decision-makers through research and surveys (IAEE e-mail titled “IAEE: CEIR Announces Call for Volunteers” and dated 4/30.) With an estimated 112 million people from the X and Y generation (according to William J. Schroer of the Social Librarian web site,) this is a huge audience that the event and exhibition industry is beginning to tackle and must make continued efforts to understand in order for continued success.

Shaping the future of the industry is an exciting endeavor and will not only affect how show organizers market to an emerging audience but also how suppliers do the same in a changing environment.

As a supplier, it is my job to find and utilize the means to change not only on a superficial but a real level the experience of the people we service. Whether it is online ordering or a user-friendly operating system, it is my hope to influence how we market to a new generation. It is about making life simpler and more time-effective.

Listening to employees and rewarding them for their feedback is an important step to finding out what our customers want. Generations X and Y make up a good deal of the work force of show organizers, service contractors and facilities. Realizing and understanding the needs of our own employees is the first step to understanding and marketing to the needs of our customers.

Every day more members of Generations X and Y are entering the work force and more Baby Boomers are retiring, and this is an important time for the industry. It is each of our responsibilities to adjust and do our best to influence a changing demographic. Whether we use our online tools or the people we have working with us, we can shape the future of the industry.

My experience aboard cruise ships trained me to always listen to my audience and never lose sight of a customer’s needs. This is a lesson I have taken with me and is an important one for the exhibition industry as new generations emerge and the industry’s dynamics change and evolve.

Jeanavive Janssen Chair of IAEE Young Professionals and IAEE Secretary Nora Johnson will both be participating in a Live Webinar on June 30th about Planning Meetings and Events that Appeal to the Next Generation of Executives/Attendees.  Here is our Power Point Presentation from the Webinar (we had a fancier version but it doesn’t print well)

For more information visit: Meeting News

Three Parts: ON SUCCESS, ON BUSINESS, ON THE PROFESSIONAL

PART II: ON BUSINESS

By: Nora Johnson

During the first weekend of May, I attended my first-ever Shareholder meeting: the 2008 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting. From a meeting perspective, it was fascinating. From a business perspective, it was brilliant.

The only General Session, per se, took place on Saturday, May 3. The format was simple, yet very effective: sit, watch a clever cartoon and listen to general Q&A for the remainder of the day. I cannot speak about the specifics of the featured cartoon, but I must say that if you ever get the chance to attend one of their Annual Meetings, this was a treasure. Lessons and laughter; that’s all there is to it.

The Q&A session was unlike others I had seen. The questions were not previewed and selected prior to the meeting. In other words, the entire meeting was not scripted and staged. It was refreshing. People from across the world, across different age groups and with different motivations for attending stepped forth to ask their questions. Whether it was a question from a 12 year old boy or an international investor, all questions were treated with the same respect. Open and oftentimes humorously honest answers were given. The effect was one that bred confidence and ease.

Regarding business, I had been curious about the events that would take place around the main session. Why did I consider the business aspect of this meeting brilliant? Simple. Show the value of what you represent and offer by turning your Shareholders into your consumers. The major functions either took place at Borsheim’s (a jewlery store) that was adjacent to other store chains that fell under the Berkshire Hathaway umbrella or at the famous Nebraska Furniture Mart.

One not only became more invested in the various aspects of the company because they got to see and experience the brands and products beyond the exhibit booth, but because THEY invested IN Berkshire Hathaway as they kept the sales teams on their feet and the registers rolling throughout the entire weekend.

How simply wonderful it is to contribute to the success of your investment. Better than exhibits and traditional giveaways, attendees experienced the products and services, chose what they would take home with them to remember Berkshire Hathaway and became financially invested themselves (as they paid for what they chose to bring home with them!). Ultimately, they are bonded tighter to Berkshire Hathaway than they had been before. The best part: they are eagerly looking forward to do it all over again next year.

As a Young Professional you should really consider attending the Future Leaders Institute. I attended in 2007.  It was a great learning and networking opportunity. The Institute led me to my current role of being the Chair of the IAEE Young Professionals Committee - Jeanavive Janssen - Event Productions Inc. 2007 Future Leader Institute Alumni

An intimate learning experience, the IAEE Robert L. Krakoff Future Leaders Institute, Sponsored by ICAT Logistics, Inc. brings together 30 individuals interested in learning more about themselves so they can be effective strategists, team contributors, group facilitators, innovators, learners, coaches and much more. A highly interactive curriculum integrates theory and practice to ensure Institute participants leave capable of both thinking better and doing better.

Through your active participation gain a greater understanding of:

• Your personal and professional values and how they affect the choices you make.
• Your own leadership/work style and how to leverage your strengths and manage around your weaknesses.
• How effective teams and work groups form, what inhibits groups from achieving synergy, and what desirable interventions leaders make to enhance group effectiveness.
• What is required to “mobilize others to want to struggle for shared aspirations” (The Leadership Challenge definition of leadership) and how well you currently engage in the behaviors most associated with leadership effectiveness.
• Processes and tools for increasing your strategic understanding of needs, trends, issues and how to create and manage processes and solutions that deliver the greatest value.

Does any of this sound familiar?

◊ Yes ◊ No
1) What once started out as a job for you has now turned into your career and you want to become a better contributor to this profession that now is an important part of your identity.

◊ Yes ◊ No
2) The quick fix solutions and top ten list ideas that once served you well are no longer adequate for the challenges and opportunities you face in your work.

◊ Yes ◊ No
3) You have been around long enough that you know it is helpful to shake things up, to step away from your natural comfort zone, and to stretch your thinking about what you do and how you do it.

◊ Yes ◊ No
4) You see the integral value that events and exhibitions offer to your organization’s stakeholders and you want to develop your ability to be more strategic and generate more innovation.

◊ Yes ◊ No
5) While you have developed an expansive list of people you can call if you need someone else’s take on a situation, you are more interested in developing more meaningful relationships with a group of colleagues that can be a source of community for you now and in the years ahead.

If you answered “Yes” to one or more of these descriptions, then you should apply to attend the IAEE Robert L. Krakoff Future Leaders Institute, sponsored by ICAT Logistics, Inc.!

Most Gen X and younger are aware of their generational ‘title’. Gen X being the 1st to be named by Marketeers across the country looking to define this demographic.

Wikipedia Definition: Gen X

“Generation X is a term used to describe generations in many countries around the world born from 1965 to around 1982.^[1] The term has been used in demography, the social sciences, and marketing, though it is most often used in popular culture.”

Wikipedia Definition: Gen Y

“ Generation Y, also known as the ‘Millennial Generation’, refers to a specific cohort of individuals born from about 1980 through and including the year 1994. However this is disputed by demographers and varies across countries; so the years 1988-2008 is also somewhat widely used.^[1] “Generation Y” alludes to a succession from Generation X, a term which was originally coined as a pejorative label by the Canadian fiction writer Douglas Coupland in 1991.^[2] Generation Y are primarily children of the Baby boomers and Generation Jones (US only), though some are children of older Gen X adults.”

Meet the Millennials (Who are These People?) - FROM Association Meetings Article

“While the Silent Generation (ages 63 to 81) is still a vital force, baby boomers (ages 44 to 62) have been the lifeblood of associations for decades. Along comes Generation X (ages 27 to 43) — a smaller group (about 59 million compared to 80 million boomers) — and everything else being equal, the pool of potential conference attendees drops precipitously. That’s why the Millennials (ages 26 and under) — all 80 million of them — are vital for an association’s survival. And, like their parents, the boomers, they are prone to join, yet they are not afraid to blaze new trails if they are not getting what they want. In fact, they already are….”Complete Article

MORE FROM WIKIPEDIA

* The Lost Generation was a term originally used to identify a group of American literary expatriates living in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s; it is now used more generally to describe the generation of young people who came of age in the United States during and shortly after World War I.
* The Greatest Generation is the worldwide generation of Allies that served in World War II. This group overlaps with the G.I. Generation, the generation of veterans that fought and won World War II, later to become the Establishment, and the parents of children who would later become the Baby Boomers.
* The Silent Generation was the generation born between the two World Wars, who were too young to join the service when World War II started. Many had fathers who served in World War I. (1925-1945)
* (born 1944-1960) The Baby Boomers were the generation born just after World War II, a time that included a 14-year increase in birthrate worldwide. Baby Boomers in their teen and college years were characteristically part of the 1960s counterculture, but later became more conservative, eventually gave birth to Generations X and Y. Most academic and demographic literature uses 1946 and 1960 as the cutoff years of the Baby Boom generation.[1]
* Tweener, also known as Generation Jones, is the generation born between the Baby Boomers and Generation X. Tweeners are primarily the offspring of the Silent Generation; mostly they were children in the 1960s, and teens in the 1970s.
* (born 1960-1979) Generation X is the generation born between approximately 1964 to 1981. Other names used interchangeably with Generation X are 13th Generation and Baby Busters. Most of this generation are children of The Baby Boomers and The Silent Generation. They tended to grow up with video games and MTV, and those born before 1973 spent most of their teen years in the 1980s.[2]
* (born 1975-1986) XY Cusp, also known as the MTV Generation, was caught between the end of Generation X and start of Generation Y, mainly living out their childhood through the 80s and teen years in the mid-90s. This generation was influenced by the launch of MTV, and the popularization of Web technology after 1995. Their peak is usually given as (1975-1986). This is also sometimes referred to as the Boomerang Generation.
* (born 1980-2001) Generation Y, also known as the Echo Boom although Millennials is becoming the more common parlance for this generation. They grew up with many world-changing events including the rise of mass communication, the Internet, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Y Generation is known as a Culture War “battleground” with growing disagreements between conservative and progressive perspectives. 1981-2001 is the widest possible definition commonly cited, but generally speaking is the generation that was born in the 1980s.
* (after 1990) Generation Z, New Silent Generation or Homelander Generation is the youngest of generations thus far. These are the people that are born in the 1990s.
* (born after 1993) Generation I, is the generation born after the internet became mainstream (year 1993). This generation has also been referred to as “digital natives.”[3] as well as the “Net Generation.” They can come to be known as the Next-Net Generation or N2 Generation, having grown up in an era where the web/internet pervaded every aspect of their lives. These are generally the people that will be coming of age in the 2010s and the 2020s.

##

What ever generation you are we invite you to participate in THE SHIFT!

Jeanavive Marie Janssen - 415-254-0732 c.

Chair - IAEE Young Professionals http://www.ypiaee.com
Director of Sales - Event Productions Inc. (GSC) http://www.eventproductions.com

We need to know where we have been to understand where we are going… Jeanavive

Participants of the January Multi-Generational Caf’e created a wall of memories and observations about their lives:

1930’s
World Events: Depression, the dustbowl, westward immigration, locusts, invasion of Europe by Germany/Emergence of Hitler, Lindbergh’s son’s kidnapping
Political Movements: Kristallnacht, WPA/Roosevelt years
Pop Culture: (Music, Cars, Slang, Film, Books)
Sonny Boy, Ford, Swing, WPA support to artists, foreign cars, Fred/Ginger movies

1940’s
World Events: WW11, Creation of the U.N., Born in a displaced person camp, Holocaust, Japanese Internment, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, Israel becomes a state.
Political Movements: New Deal, Jewish Immigration to U.S., draft, Labor unions organized, WPA, ACLU, Victory Gardens
Pop Culture: Top ten Hit parade, TV, Grapes of Wrath, “Little songs on big subjects”, Fireside chats, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Musicals,

1950’s
World Events: China invades Tibet, Hungarian revolution,
Political Movements: Montgomery bus boycott, McCarthyism, Communism, Beginning of Civil Rights Movement, Hanging of the Rosenbergs.
Pop Culture: Rock n Roll, TV, “Catcher in the Rye”, “Naked in the Dead”, Pete Seeger and the Weavers, Catch 22, Leave it to Beaver, Howdy-Doody, Our Miss Brooks, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Playhouse 90, Omnibus, Edward R. Murrow, Alistair Cooke, “On the Road”, 57 T bird.

1960’s
World Events: First computer, Assassinations of MLK, JFK, RFK, Cuban Missile Crisis, Birth control pill, Vietnam War, Woodstock, Moon Walk.
Political Movements: Free Speech, Anti-War, Feminism, United Farm Workers, Saul Alinsky organizing, Civil Rights, Peace Corps, Loss of Idealism: Nixon.
Pop Culture: Bob Dylan, Rock n Roll, Joan Baez, Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Aretha, Beatles, Stones, Betty Friedan “Feminine Mystique”, Rachel Carson ” Silent Spring”, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick van Dyke, Hippies, Flower Power, Easy Rider, Beach Boys.

1970’s
World Events: Vietnam, Cambodia,
Political Movements: Roe v. Wade, Spiritual Experimentation, Women’s Movement, Free Schools, NOW conference, Anti-War, Human Potential, Gay & Lesbian, Prop 13
Pop Culture: Apple computers, Ms. Magazine, Hippy, NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming), Holly Near, Chris Williamson, Meg Christiansen.

1980’s
World Events: U.S. engagement in Central America, SF earthquake, Fast Food, John Lennon’s assassination.
Political Movements: Nuclear Freeze, Consciousness raising groups, beyond war
Pop Culture: MTV, Nation Magazine, Computers, Wired Magazine, Bob Ross, “Love Medicine” by Louise Erdich.

1990’s
World Events: Molecular biology revolution, fall of the Berlin wall, disintegration of Soviet Union and Balkan War, fall of apartheid in South Africa
Political Movements: Rise of China, New Economy in Brazil, Birth of the World Café, Peace Movement, First Gulf War and opposition, Perot Town Halls, MoveOn. org
Pop Culture: Craig’s List, Blair Witch Project, Hip-hop, Video Games, Electronic Music, “Vagina Monologues”, Plastic Surgery

2000’s
World Events: Continuing rise of China, World Trade Center, WTC/911, Iraq Invasion and Occupation, Assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Latin America changes leaders
Political Movements: Slow Food Movement, Eco-movement,
Pop Culture: “An Inconvenient Truth”, Hybrids, I-Pod, I-Phone, Wiki, Blogging, Digital journalism, changing media, social networks - Myspace, Facebook.

Table Talk: Threads & Themes from table conversations amongst Multi-Generational participants:

- “The truth is best understood from multiple perspectives”
- “Consider hope as the antidote to fear”
- “To live a good life I need the other generations”
- “Now I understand career confusion can happen at all ages!”
- “What works for everyone at Multi-Gen Cafés? Everyone is a teacher, everyone is a student = collective intelligence”
- What else could happen: More humble, End of Separation, Becoming Ageless
- “Am I ready and able to re-energize the commons in my life?”
- Theology of Space - what could that look like?
- “I’m happy to be my age”
- How can we F2F and the online/texting generations, learn from each other?
- What are the challenges of being an “I.M.P.” In the moment person; in all generations?
- How might we use YouTube to connect live Café events in a region?
- Lots of interest among generations in learning more about each other
- Children are full participants in this conversation
- We see threads, themes, running from generation to generation that weave/connect us
- Age doesn’t seem like such a big differentiator
- Notice how is some cultures generations are connected, for example people known by name of father and father’s father
- Want to get together with various age groups again — noticing similarities and differences among us
- As parents some of us make a point to parent differently than our parents did –some good parenting styles were passed along, too, although many focus more on being different than their parents were.
- Multi-Generational Gatherings balance between smaller and larger community

One of the Young Professionals programs we are developing is reviewing various events for multi-generational attractiveness. If you are a Young Professional who would like to contribute reviews contact, Jeanavive or if you have an event you would like to offer a behind the scene tour of we will connect you with Young Professionals in your community who want to write reviews.

MacWorld - by Jeanavive Janssen

MacWorld, well what can I say…its like a Rock Concert, my friends from all walks of life and interests were talking about this event weeks before it happened on their Blogs. People waited in line to get in, there were even tie-dye T-shirts…

JOIN THE COMMUNITY, gleams like a beacon on their website - the community provides features found in social networking sites so attendees can stay connected all year, share photos, discuss the event and much more. If your event can’t afford to create its own social networking site consider utilizing Facebook / Myspace / or Tribe.net Group Features (YP how-article in the works).

If you missed some of the MacWorld action you can also order a DVD set of the conference sessions or view them in your web browser for FREE - now that is a great service!

The Apple booth was clearly the height of activity; with its theater screen and sound system featuring ‘Transformer’ clips…blurring the rest of the exhibitors in comparison. Being my first time at this event I assumed all the exhibitors would have had a feast for the eyes but most echoed of a standard trade show space. There was an exhibitor that didn’t make the cut but I give him an ‘A’ for creativity, his booth furnishings were constructed from his cardboard shipping boxes taped together - perhaps may be a fun idea to utilize at a Green Event.

3 more reviews in the works by Jeanavive.
Events: MPI Meet Different, WonderCo, Carbon America

There has been a lot of great groundwork laid by various Industry Associations and I am happy to be a part of the launching of the new IAEE Young Professionals Committee. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to collaborate with other Association leaders such as PCMA and MPI who have been working on this generational question for years. Jeanavive Marie Janssen - YP IAEE Chair

Check out this PCMA article from 2001 -

The Generation Gap - Nancy Mann Jackson
Convene Magazine PCMA December 2001 Read the Full Article, lots of great info.

(Jackson) ” Optimum learning occurs when generational differences are understood, appreciated, honored, and shared.”

(Jackson) “One of the trademarks of Xers, Wyess noted, is their willingness to speak up against the status quo. Now that younger attendees are willing to voice their displeasure about instruction that doesn’t meet their needs, other groups are also reaping the advantages.

What is most remarkable about training Generation Xers is that the training approaches that work well with them make sense for almost everyone, regardless of age, Shari Caudron wrote in Training and Development. Some of the Xer preferences she suggested that seem to work for every age group include focusing on end results, placing learners in control, providing flexibility and a choice of ways to learn, and emphasizing eye-catching visuals.”

(Janssen) I think that this is an excellent point, that enhanced programs developed for Young Professionals will not exclude other generations but will make programs attractive to multi-generations - this is a win-win for everyone involved.

From 2001 to the Present:

PCMA Students Speak: The Future Is In Their Hands

Heidi Genoist — Tradeshow Week, 1/14/2008

“With an aging population at the helm, all the convention and exhibition industry’s trade associations – not just the Professional Convention Management Assn. – are working to cultivate a pool of viable future leaders.”