As planners and service professionals, how often do we take a careful look at the accessibility of our event and ensuring everyone experiences a fully inclusive experience?
This topic will be addressed at Conclave, November 13-15, 2017, at MGM National Harbor, Md., during the session ‘Learning the Reality and Necessity of Accessibility’. We caught up with one of the presenters, Joan Eisenstodt of Eisenstodt Associates, LLC to talk about what makes Conclave such a valuable event.
1. What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to individuals who are looking to elevate their professional development in this industry?
Eisenstodt: Be curious and inquisitive. For years, I’ve observed that once people attain the designation of "CMP", other than the sessions they must attend to enable credits toward renewal, the level of real learning and investigative learning diminishes. There isn’t a day when our industry isn’t impacted by or doesn’t impact many. Take for example the laws being considered or those that have passed that have caused groups to cancel or not book certain cities or states because the laws impose potential hardship on meeting participants. Or look at the threat from North Korea and how, to any meeting contingency plan now must go a mandatory shelter-in-place and evacuation plan ... if one weren’t already there. Or the changing demographics of audiences who must be accommodated. If one doesn’t keep up with the news and question how any event can impact our events, we aren’t doing our jobs.
2. Please describe why Conclave is such an important event to advancing the events industry.
Eisenstodt: Even for those of us who are introverts, it is possible to have intimate conversations in sessions and in hallways with others and to share solutions to our most pressing issues. Stop using the term ‘networking’ and think instead of ‘peer-to-peer learning’ with those who desire to learn more. Open yourself to the possibilities to learn and to help others learn.
3. What is the one key takeaway that attendees can expect from your Conclave session?
Eisenstodt: Disabilities are often invisible and often happen, literally, on the way to a meeting. Knowing how to be inclusive of all those who come to your cities, through your airports; who attend your meetings or stay in your property or use your services, is key to accommodation. You will leave the session (and the optional pre-session experiential opportunities) with a better understanding that saying "we’re ADA compliant" is not enough and you can and will want to do more.
Want to learn more? Register today!
Events Industry Council