Page 234 - DMGT304_EVENT_MANAGEMENT

Unit 10: Leadership

Therefore, when beginning the design phase of this Event Leadership process, conduct a meeting Notes
where creative people are encouraged to brainstorm the various elements of the event. The
Event Leader is the facilitator of this meeting, and, in addition to various creative stakeholders,
you may choose to invite other creative people from the worlds of theater, dance, music, art,
literature, and other fields. At the outset of the meeting, use a flip chart to lay out the ground
rules for the discussion.
In large bold letters write

“Rule 1: There are no bad ideas.
Rule 2: Go back and reread Rule 1.”
You may wish to begin the session with an activity that will stimulate creativity. For example,
a shoebox might become a tomb, a rocket, or a small dwelling. As each person offers his or her
ideas, the others should be encouraged to be supportive. Once you have completed these warm-
up activities, members should be given simple suggestions regarding the why of the event.
From these suggestions, they should be encouraged to provide creative ideas for who, when,
where, what, and how.
If one member (or more than one member) tends to dominate the discussion, ask him or her to
summarize and then say “Thank you” as you quickly move on to others to solicit their ideas. Use
the flip chart to list all the initial ideas, and do not try to establish categories or provide any
other organizational structure. Mind mapping allows an Event Leader to begin to pull together
the random ideas and establish linkages that will later lead to logical decision making. Using
the flip chart, ask each member of the group to revisit his or her earlier ideas and begin to link
them to the our W’s and ultimately help you see how the event should be developed. Write
Why? Who? When? Where? What? and How? in the center of a circle on a separate page of the
hart. From this circle, draw spokes that terminate in another circle. Leave the circles at he end of
each spoke empty. The ideas of your team members will fill these circles, and hey will begin to
establish linkages between the goal (Why? Who? When? Where? What? and How?) and the
creative method. Figure 10.6 is an example of a successful event mind mapping activity. Mind
mapping is an effective way to synthesize the various ideas suggested by group members and
begin to construct an event philosophy.

Figure 10.6: Event Leadership Needs Assessment

Why? + Who? + When? + Where? + What?
What is the Who will When will What are the What
compelling benefit the event be best destination, elements and
reason for from this held? Are location, and resources are
this event? event? the date and venue? required to
Why must Who will time flexible satisfy the
this event they want or subject to needs
be held? to have change? identified
attend? above?
=How?
Given answers to the five W’s, how do you effectively research, design, plan, coordinate, and
evaluate this event?

The event philosophy will determine the financial, cultural, social, and other important aspects
of the event. For example, if the sponsoring organization is a not-for-profit group, the financial
philosophy will not support charging high fees to produce a disproportionate amount of funds,
or the tax status may be challenged. Mind mapping allows you to sift through the ideas carefully
and show how they support the goals of the event. As you do this, an event philosophy begins
to emerge.

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