To deliver a successful live event experience, adventurer and entrepreneur Jamie Clarke says you must build a well-prepared and trusting team that has a clear purpose in mind.
What does guiding a successful climbing expedition, leading a prosperous business, and planning an unforgettable event have in common? At the core of each venture is a solid and unbreakable team that is ready for anything. Drawing from my experiences of climbing the even Summits—including two treks up Mt. Everest—and creating the successful retail startup LiveOutThere.com, I argue that event planners must develop a team that can overcome challenges in dynamic and unpredictable environments. Here are some steps for getting it done.
In building teams in adventure and in business, I have learned that it is essential to first be clear about purpose. After all, the purpose of the meeting you’ll host will guide you and your team throughout your entire endeavor. Be sure that your team understands and agrees with the purpose.
A team aligned around one clear and agreed-upon purpose provides each member with guideposts for prioritizing and makes difficult decisions easier, especially when under pressure or in high-risk environments. With this in mind, consider working with your team to create specific messaging points. Focus on why you are producing the event, who will benefit, and what your desired outcome is.
Whether you are on a mountain, in a boardroom, or a conference hall, you can’t be everywhere at once. So, organizing a team of individuals who are aligned by a clear purpose is critical to success. And doing this really comes down to one thing: trust. If you don’t trust your team members or they don’t trust you as the leader, then you can’t expect to get to the top of the mountain, reach the sales goal, or produce the memorable event. Creating mutual trust among your team is one of your most important responsibilities as a leader.
Creating mutual trust among your team is one of your most important responsibilities as a leader.
As CEO, one of the techniques that I use to develop trust among the leadership team is to start each meeting with an icebreaker. Typically, it is a question such as, “What is one word to describe how you are feeling about the business [or the latest project]?” Creating an open forum like this helps the team feel more connected emotionally, it helps breakdown silos that may exist, and it invites vulnerability—which can be scary for some people—but it does wonders to enhance the team’s bond. This exercise also enhances communication and honesty among the team, which is critical to performing under stress.
Let’s say that you and your team are planning for your annual conference. Perhaps you ask your team, “What is one area of planning for this conference that is keeping you up at night?” No matter what each individual’s concern may be, providing a safe and welcoming space for voicing them and discussing them as a team is critically important to enhancing your connection with one another and developing trust.
When I started LiveOutThere.com, I noticed something interesting. In preparation for a climbing expedition, we spent hours training and practicing, but in the business world, there is little to no preparation of this kind, specifically for adverse conditions.
In my endeavors, I have found that creating stressful situations helps to provide me and my team with practice for demanding scenarios. For instance, on one occasion, we secretly removed a valve from the camp stove that made it unusable. Without the stove, there is no water from melted snow or a way to prepare hot meals, so the team soon gets thirsty and grumpy. But with teamwork and communication, we learned to work through the problem and identify a solution.
Consider ways that you can create situations leading up to your event that present your team with conflict or adversity. Preparing them to effectively manage issues and communicate under manufactured pressure provides them with the necessary practice and confidence to deal with problems that may arise in real time.
Also, look back at some of the issues that your team has faced—did you feel adequately prepared? Were there certain exercises that could have contributed to a more positive outcome?
On the ground, just like an unexpected storm on the mountain, I have found that a solid, well-communicated backup plan can make the difference between success and mayhem. So, no matter what your next event may be—an annual conference with 10,000 attendees or your organization’s marketing committee meeting—remember that a well-prepared and trusting team with a clear purpose is the key to overcoming challenges, facilitating positive business outcomes, and delivering the magic that is the live event experience.
