The Top Ten Competencies of Successful Event Planners and Managers
Do you want to improve your event planning skills? Event management is a competitive field, and you’ll need a variety of event management abilities to prosper in your career. When balancing live performances, technology, food service, and huge gatherings of people — whether in-person or virtual — you’ll need to be prepared to wear several hats. Intrigued? Then keep reading to discover the top ten talents an event manager should possess:
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Interpersonal abilities
People skills are the most common trait shared by effective event organisers. You must be at ease communicating with high-level executives, government officials, vendors, coworkers, sponsor representatives, customers, supervisors, suppliers, staff, and event attendees. To work well with such a diverse group of individuals, you must be able to handle problems quickly, be a competent but courteous negotiator, and preserve your sense of humour. Remember, if you have fun with your work and the people you work with, they will want to work with you again. Because you can’t do it all by yourself, developing relationships is essential.
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Adaptability
Event managers frequently double as janitors and (figurative) firemen. Cleaning up spills and putting out flames must be done swiftly, discreetly, and efficiently. You must also be able to pivot and organise online activities in the event of a pandemic or venue closure. Maintain your cool, get it done, and then get back to running the show.
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Administration
To conduct a good event, you must be able to do around 50 things at once. This multitasking ability is one of the most important qualities for event management, as it is essential for both smooth event preparation and faultless event implementation. The most effective planners have flawless processes, step-by-step checklists, and useful technology. Working in events necessitates the capacity to see the large picture while paying attention to the smallest details. Get comfortable delegating some of your more time-consuming activities to avoid burnout. If things don’t go as planned, don’t be afraid to go to Plan B.
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Listening abilities
Understanding what important stakeholders want from your event is critical. These people may not be in the event industry, therefore they may not understand the jargon or know what is practical. You must be able to identify their needs and ensure that all parties have the same expectations. Pay attention to what is said — and what is not expressed — in important interactions. Using these spoken (and unspoken) needs to guide your preparation will keep you one step ahead.
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Enthusiasm
With all of the stress that comes with being an event planner, it’s critical to truly enjoy what you do. Genuine passion helps you overcome obstacles and maintain your calm when all seems lost. It also leads to bursts of creativity and productivity, rather than just getting through the day. Things like time management can be taught, but passion cannot. Being an event organiser can be a thankless job at times, so it must be about more than simply a paycheck for you.
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Effective communication
Clear, firm, and courteous communication identifies you as the team’s leader, keeps everyone on track, and ensures that everyone engaged understands the event’s goals. It also enables you to effectively express your vision and enthuse others about it. Communicate in a way that is respectful of everyone and does not diminish anyone. Accept criticism while remaining open to fresh ideas. Everyone contributes to an event’s success, so make sure you’re communicating with them in a clear, confident, and empowering manner.
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Reliability
Almost everything will be directed at you by your team. The last thing they need in times of stress is a fragile leader who makes poor decisions because they’re cracking under pressure. Successful event managers maintain their cool under pressure and treat everyone with dignity. Even if you’re a nervous wreck on the inside, try to keep your cool, calm, and collected when interacting with others.
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Problem-solving abilities
You have to be resourceful with what you have, whether it’s tracking down some emergency duct tape or rewriting a keynote presentation at the last minute. Something will go wrong no matter how well you plan. And it will be much easier to address if you appreciate coming up with inventive answers to problems.
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Conviction
Event organisers must be able to make multiple judgments at once and swiftly. And, perhaps more crucially, they must be able to recognise when it is too late to modify those decisions — and have the courage to stay firm in those decisions People will be more likely to believe you if you have extensive experience because there is no better way to learn than by doing. And now that you’ve seen the variety of problems that an event might throw at you, your job will be easier. In addition, when things become rough, the experienced manager has a network of trusted people to draw on. If you don’t have a lot of experience, acquiring a certificate or taking a course can help you get started. As you can see, working as an event organiser is a difficult — yet lucrative — profession. If all of this sounds like something you were born to do, it’s time to get started.