Meetings Blog Jul 25, 2017
Queen Daenerys I Targaryen has shown throughout the various seasons in the land of Westeros that she knows how to connect with all types of characters. She has learned over time how she must treat each one of those in her court and also the value of being able to negotiate with other nations for a favorable outcome. By winning over the hearts of the people she has earned their respect, and in some cases, their love. She’s also made quite an impression on Game of Thrones viewers.
For an event planner, winning over attendees is all about getting their buy-in to the objectives of the occasion and often getting them directly involved in proceedings. This starts with early and appropriate communication, and then ongoing contact to ensure that the plan stays on course. The use of nudge marketing can be a real help with this. Negotiation with venues is a vital part of most event planners’ responsibilities – whether deciding on seating, food and beverage or contingency plans – and charisma goes a long way to helping you achieve your event goals. Obviously when the heat is on to hit deadlines immunity to high temperatures would be useful too!
In Game of Thrones they don’t come much more passionate than the character Brienne of Tarth, who debuted in season two. Despite all the scorn and rejection that she has faced, the only daughter of Lord Slewyn Tarth found her calling as a warrior and carried out that role with determination, no matter how difficult the situation. Armed or not, she would stand fast. Having belief in what she is doing was perfectly demonstrated as she so passionately searched for the Stark girls.
How can an event be truly successful if it doesn’t have the passion injected into it from those that create it in the first place? Knowing what the end-goal is, developing a plan to deliver that, and then putting your all into each phase of its management will lead to something to reflect on with pride. And those in attendance will notice, just as Jaime Lannister did of Brienne.
For fans of the Game of Thrones season, Lord Petyr Baelish, commonly known as ‘Littlefinger’, may not be a character you would often want to be likened to. But let’s focus on the positive elements that he has: most notably his organizational skills. Littlefinger has it all planned out; every movement he makes is prepared, he considers how those around him are going to act and he stays clearly focused on an objective.
It goes without saying that outstanding events stem from excellent planning. Making sure that every detail is captured, thought through and put into motion appropriately tends to guarantee a meeting, conference, trade show or party runs smoothly. Anticipating how your actions will impact on others, and taking steps to involve the right people at the right time means that you can walk away from the event with a sense of accomplishment. You don’t even need to get all Machiavellian on your guests either!
It’s been a tough life for the youngest of the Lannisters, Tyrion, who was a bon vivant until he had to assume the political position of the King’s Hand. Lacking experience in this role, the character took it forward with resolve and then as the Game of Thrones story developed he showed such diversity he could have had a Steve Miller Band song written about him. A regular since the first season, he became a warrior, a fugitive, a clown, and an advisor…and in every situation he finds himself in always aims to do his very best.
There is no doubt that adapting to any given situation in event planning is key. Whether a huge launch of a new product or a smaller company away day you need to be ready to deal with whatever is thrown at you. Being flexible with the options you need to progress with, and being prepared to overcome the obstacles that will inevitably fall on your path, puts you in good stead for success. With this attitude your stature, as part of a large planning team or working alone, will not prevent you achieving your goals. Much like Tyrion’s character.
This little girl has sight of what she wants in Westeros and is self-motivated enough to ensure she gets them. Arya Stark is incredibly strong-willed and didn’t just fall into the role expected of her – she sought to challenge the norms and fight for what she believed in which is something that played out across the length of the Game of Thrones seasons.
Have you ever considered how self motivated you have to be to pull off a greatly successful event? Deciding what is required and how to achieve it is one thing, but having that go get ‘em spirit is not something that everyone has and can be a valuable characteristic of any event planner. And then there’s that non-conformist element where you look not to get bogged down with the superficial side of the organization but look for creativity and uniqueness. That is when the feedback turns from “what a great event that was” to “wow, I can’t wait for the next one!”
Game of Thrones has captured the hearts of millions over the years and has drawn them into the series with great use of the myriad of personalities within Westeros. Which of its characters’ strengths will you use for your next event planning?
