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Unit 1: An Introduction to Event Management

among the team members. One way to begin this process is through an informal series of events Notes
such as social functions where the event stakeholders get to know, like, and trust one another before
they sit down to deliberate (plan) an event. During this social period the event manager may observe
the participants to begin to identify those who naturally work best in teams and those who will need
more coaching or persuasion to feel comfortable working in a group project.

Dependability

One of the biggest management problems in working with volunteers is time and attendance.
Because volunteers are not compensated for their efforts, many do not feel the obligation to
arrive on time or even to show up at all. This is why many event managers actually schedule
between 25 and 50 percent more volunteers than will be needed, to compensate for the serious
problem of attrition at events.
Of course, the easiest way to ensure dependability is to recruit dependable people. Keep accurate
records of time and attendance and use the records to determine who to engage for future
events. During the interviewing or recruiting process, check references carefully to make sure
that your stakeholders have a pattern of punctuality that can be shared with your event. In the
event management profession, the definition of punctuality is “early.” Because of the numerous
variables that can occur before, during, and after an event, it is essential that all event stakeholders
arrive at an event site early enough to be able to spot potential challenges and overcome them
before the guests or other vendors arrive.

Trust

Trust must be earned by the event manager. Trust is the result of the sustained effort by the
event manager to develop an atmosphere and environment wherein the event stakeholders
invest their trust in his or her behavior and judgments. Trust, in fact, is the net result of a
pattern of positive behaviors exhibited by the event manager. When these behaviors are
erratic or quixotic, the trust factor begins to diminish. To develop, establish, and sustain
trust, the event manager must earn it and ask for it from his or her stakeholders. Event
stakeholders cannot blindly trust every event manager. Rather, they must use their best
judgment to determine when and how to invest their trust. Trust should not be invested
without question or careful analysis by the stakeholders. However, an event organization
that is not firmly rooted in trust between the event manager and his or her stakeholders is
one that is precarious and cannot achieve the level of success required to meet the expectations
of all the stakeholders.

Collaboration

The final quality of effective event coordinators is the ability to develop close collaboration
between all the stakeholders. This is extremely difficult, due to the disparity between the
personalities, skills, and experiences of each stakeholder. Imagine a pre-event conference
with all the stakeholders. You may have at the same table persons with a wide variety of
formal education, an even wider range of skill and experience level, diverse ethnic backgrounds,
and completely different technical abilities. How does the event manager inspire and encourage
close collaboration between such a varied groups of stakeholders? The key to collaboration is
purpose. The event manager must clearly articulate the purpose of the event and convince
each stakeholder that they must work with others to achieve or exceed the expectations of the
guests. The distinguished anthropologist Margaret Mead once wrote: “Never underestimate
that a small group of people committed to a common goal can change the world. In fact, it is
the only way the world can be changed.” Your world or universe is the event you are
responsible for managing. Therefore, you must firmly remind the stakeholders that self-

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