Page 232 - DMGT304_EVENT_MANAGEMENT

Unit 10: Leadership

Tempo Notes

The final law of event planning is concerned with the rate or tempo at which events take place
during both production planning and the event itself. From the moment the client approves an
agreement or authorizes you to proceed with planning to the final meeting, you must be aware of
the projected rate at which events will happen. Improved technology, such as faxes and online
services, has dramatically accelerated the process and the demands of clients to “do it now.”
However, “now” is often not as efficient as later. When an Event Leader is pressured to deliver a
product before it is fully developed, the results may be less than exemplary. Therefore, as you
manage the rate at which tasks will be completed and events will occur, it is important to consider
if each action is being performed at the best time. “Maybe” is not an acceptable response. The
Event Leader becomes an orchestra conductor without benefit of a score, a musician without
benefit of a maestro.
Understanding the needs of guests also helps establish and adjust the tempo during an event. If
guests are concerned primarily with networking, a leisurely time frame should be followed to
allow for plenty of interaction. For example, while the transition from cocktails to dinner may
be brisk when the program is more important than networking, the transition may be slowed
when the emphasis is on the connections the audience members make among themselves.

10.2.4 Coordination: Executing the Plan

As the light turns green, the tempo accelerates, and now you are faced with coordinating the
minute-by-minute activities of the event itself. Event Leaders should maintain a positive attitude
and see problems as challenges in search of the right solution, it is also important that you apply
critical analysis to every challenge that comes your way. Following five steps are a simple but
effective way to make these decisions:

1. Collect all the information. Most problems have many sides to review.
2. Consider the pros and cons of your decision in terms of who will be affected.
3. Consider the financial implications of your decision.
4. Consider the moral and ethical implications of your decision.

5. Make a decision and do not look back.

10.2.5 Event Evaluation

The Event Leadership process, as shown in Figure 10.5, is a dynamic spiral that is literally
without end. The first phase—research—is connected with the last—evaluation.
In this last phase, you will ask: “What is it we wish to evaluate, and how will we best accomplish
this?” You can evaluate events by each part of the Event Leadership process or through a general
comprehensive review of all phases. It is up to you and your stakeholders to decide what
information you require to improve your planning and then implement effective strategies to
accomplish this phase.
Perhaps the most common form of event evaluation is the written survey. Usually the survey is
conducted immediately following the event, to identify the satisfaction level of the participants
and spectators. As with any evaluation method, there are pros and cons to immediate feedback.
One bias is the immediate nature of the feedback, which prohibits respondents from digesting
the total event experience before providing feedback.

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