Innovation. It's the heartbeat of today's economy. It's also where meeting professionals need to focus their attention, time and resources to compete in the meetings marketplace. Average meetings are planned by average meeting professionals. Yet, most conference attendees don't want to pay for an average conference. They want a unique experience. Innovative conferences are planned by innovative meeting professionals. Innovators think and act differently. Discover the Conference Innovators DNA

1. 1

2. 2

3. 1. Identify common traits of today's
conference innovators.
2. List 4 behaviors & questions to
consider that lead to innovation
3. Explore idea networks for diversity
and innovation.
3

8. 8

9. 9

10. 10

11. 11

12. 12

13. 13

14. Born with ability
14

15. 15

16. Individualism & merit
16

17. Innovators can be made & not
just born that way
17

18. Innovation starts with you
18

19. 19

20. 20

21. Paul Salinger
21

22. 22

23. 23

24. Questioning
24

25. Questioning
25

26. Gain understanding & empathy
Questioning
26

27. Gain understanding & empathy
Questioning
What is?
27

28. Gain understanding & empathy
Questioning
What is?
What if ?
28

29. Gain understanding & empathy
Questioning
What is?
What if ?
What caused this to happen?
29

30. Gain understanding & empathy
Questioning
What is?
What if ?
What caused this to happen?
Why?
30

31. Gain understanding & empathy
Questioning
What is?
What if ?
What caused this to happen?
Why?
Why not?
31

32. 32

33. Observe customers & watch for
workarounds
33

34. Observe customers & watch for
workarounds
Look for surprises; customers
don’t behave as expected
34

35. Observe customers & watch for
workarounds
Look for surprises; customers
don’t behave as expected
Why did they do that?
35

36. Observe customers & watch for
workarounds
Look for surprises; customers
don’t behave as expected
Why did they do that?
Observe with all senses
Power of three
36

37. 37

38. Linking ideas in your
area with ideas of others
who play in different
Sandboxes, outside your
typical sphere
38

39. We typically network for
Resources
Further Careers
Jobs
39

40. During networking we target
People like us
People with resources, power
authority, influence
40

41. Innovators network for
Ideas
Learning new things
Gain new perspectives
41

42. In networking innovators target
People not like them
Experts & non-experts w/
different backgrounds &
perspectives
42

43. Innovators create
Idea Networks
Look for diversity & innovation
43

44. Experimenting
44

45. Experimenting
45

46. Questioning, observing
Experimenting
networking provide
data about past and
present. Experimenting
gives data about future.
46

47. A. Try New Experiences
Experimenting
Cross borders
Try new foods
Develop new skills
47

48. B. Take apart processes, services
Experimenting
products
Deconstruct ideas
Map processes
Disassemble a process
48

49. C. Test New Ideas
Experimenting
Pilot a project
Launch a new initiative
25%-30% experiment
49

50. Associating or Associational
Thinking
50

51. 51

52. Associating
Associating or Associational
Thinking
1. Create odd combinations
52

53. Associating
Associating or Associational
Thinking
1. Create odd combinations
2. Zoom in & zoom out
53

54. Associating
Associating or Associational
Thinking
1. Create odd combinations
2. Zoom in & zoom out
3. Lego Thinking
54

55. Associating
Associating or Associational
Thinking
1. Create odd combinations
2. Zoom in & zoom out
3. Lego Thinking
4. Create metaphors
55

56. 4 Behaviors
1. Questioning
2. Observing
3. Experimenting
4. Networking
Which do you need to
work on?
56

57. 57

58. 58

59. 59

60. Planning & Serving Meetings & Events…
Not A Piece Of Cake
60

61. Adult Ed & Meetings
61

63. Images by:
• AlexKess • josef.stuefer • Tonivc
• Images History • KatBPhotography • Gulfu
• Larskflem • ezioman • Lightplay
• Stuck In Customs • BRosen • ant.photos
• dankos-unlmtd • X-Ray Delta One • Biscarotte
• Troy Holden • Kamal H. • See-ming Lee
• Garry - • like, totally • Unhindered by Talent
visionandimagination. • Paolo Margari • ansik
com • Laughing Squid • JKonig
• NuageDeNuit • Beer Bergman • RDECOM
• an untrained eye • Bobbigmac • Pink Sherbet
• 3ammo • Betchaboy

64. Jeff Hurt
jhurt@velvetchainsaw.com
velvetchainsaw.com
64