Session Descriptions

• 

  Session tracks

  We strive to offer you education sessions that meet your specific needs based on your experience level.

  Our fundamentals track is intended for those just starting out in their career (0-5 years), the occasional/part-time planner, or those looking to brush up on the basics.

  Our intermediate track is intended for those with a bit more experience (5-10 years) who are open to discussing both ideas and tactics.

  Our senior-level track is intended for experienced planners (10+ years) with a focus on strategic thinking.

  • Tuesday August 21, 2012
  • Wednesday August 22, 2012

  WORKSHOPS

  8:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  Ethics and Etiquette in Business Today!
  Presented by: Marsha Jones, CMP, CMM, Luxury Coach
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Intermediate (5-10 years of experience)
  

  Do you know what’s acceptable in today’s industry climate? Are you doing all you can in your business to practice current ethical behaviour? Can you be sure that your ethics and etiquette are above reproach? In this seminar, you will work in small groups and interactively learn how to approach and deal with ethical “gray” areas, learn how to evaluate accepted industry practices that may cross ethical boundaries, and learn the etiquette needed/necessary to conduct your business successfully at a local and international level.

  Do you have an ethical dilemma you have dealt with in the past or are dealing with now?  Send in your questions/scenarios by Aug. 13, 2012 to cotsuka@meetingscanada.com. Your questions, if included in the seminar, will be handled with utmost confidentiality.

  OR

  8:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  Taking Incentive Travel to the Next Level
  Panelists: TBA
  Moderator: TBA
  Session track: Incentive Travel Planning (and Supplying) – All

  The incentive travel industry is constantly changing and keeping on top of what’s out there and what’s right for you can be challenging. Whether you’re an in-house planner who’s buying incentive travel, a third-party or indie planner who’s planning an incentive travel trip for a client or a supplier who’s selling an incentive property, this is the session for you. We’ve enlisted a panel of experts to weigh in on the current state of the industry, and in doing so, they will help you better understand what you’re buying, how to sell it (internally and externally), how to assess where you are now and how to take it to the next level.

  Pre-registered attendees can submit their questions and concerns to our speakers prior to the session to ensure they get the most from this participatory panel.

  OR

  8:30 a.m – 10:15 a.m.
  Strategic Meetings Management Program (SMMP) To Infinity and Beyond!
  Presented by: Betsy Bondurant, CMP, CMM, Bondurant Consulting
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Senior (10+ years of experience)

  If you have successfully deployed your SMMP and now want to advance the scope and acceptance of your program, this session is for you. Prepare to explore the concepts of stakeholder management, communication planning and change management, which are three essential elements that consistently help meeting managers achieve growth with their SMMPs. Unfortunately, these three strategies are often misunderstood or underutilized. This session will not only define each strategy, but will also give clear guidance on how to best utilize and deploy stakeholder management, communication planning, and change management tactics that will increase the effectiveness of your meetings management program.

  Learner outcomes

  • Ability to identify and map stakeholders who have touch points with meetings and events
  • Identify and develop key components of communication plan
  • Understand the necessity of employing change management and develop action plans

   

  OR

  8:30 a.m – 10:15 a.m.
  Leading Change in a Fast-Paced and Technological Workplace
  Presented by: Cheryl Cran, CSP, Sythesis at Work Inc.
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Senior (10+ years of experience)

  The remainder of 2012 and beyond will see times of intense technological innovations and will require high levels of contribution from leaders and their teams. Now, it is time to focus on the future and move forward with aligned focus on vision and results. Learn how you can harness your own inner abilities to manage change and personal leadership in a positive and proactive way. Leave this session better equipped to manage change in a way that inspires each person to work hard for the vision and goals of the company. Bring your smartphone or tablet for best results!

  Learner Outcomes

  • Understand how each of us views change and deals with change and strategies to improve change responses and actions
  • Leverage our technological and emotional intelligence of to increase sales, profits and productivity
  • Manage change in a way that combines emotional intelligence with generation intelligence and connects each person to the company’s vision and goals

  OR

  BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
  Building the Right Incentive 
  Presented by: Edward Thompson, Absolute Motivation
  Session track: Incentive Planning – Intermediate (5-10 years of experience)
  

  The right incentive will not only motivate employees, it’ll pay for itself. The wrong incentive is money down the tube. Deciding what’s right for your (or your client’s) company is paramount. But with so many options – travel, cash, merchandise – and structures, it can be difficult to determine what will work best for your group. Attend this session and learn how to assess the needs of your group and the keys to building an incentive program that will produce results.

  OR

  8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
  Top 10 Meeting Mistakes SOLVED!
  Presented by: Grail Noble, Yellow House Events
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Fundamentals (0-5 years of experience)
  

  Did you know that even the most outgoing people have an elevated heart rate and a high degree of anxiety when they attend live events?  Even CEOs experience this as they pull up to the venue wondering if they are in the right place, did they correctly read the dress code and who will be there. They flip through a mental rolodex of names and topics that they must get right and check their watches or smartphones multiple times before they have even walked in the door. Find out how mistakes you didn’t even know you were making can contribute to your attendees’ degree of anxiety and render them incapable of truly absorbing your message. Those attendees have given you their most valuable commodity – their time. It is important not to waste it. Grail Noble will expose the top 10 mistakes seen at most events and how to easily fix them. She will also dig into the importance of building attendee engagement through interactivity using the latest tech-trends in the events industry.

  AND

  9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  How Will Changes to the AODA Affect My Event? 
  Presented by: Joseph Morrison, Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Intermediate (5-10 years of experience)
  

  Do you know about the new requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)? The first implementation deadline was January 1, 2012 – are you complying? The government of Ontario has developed mandatory accessibility standards that identify, remove and prevent barriers for people will disabilities. These changes to the AODA present key challenges for the events industry: Architectural or structural barriers; information and communication barriers; technology, systemic and attitudinal barriers. Bring your compliance questions to this session and speak to a legal expert who will provide insight on what you should be doing now – in your workplace and at your events – to comply.

  OR

  9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  Hotel Savvy
  Presented by: TBA
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Fundamentals (0-5 years of experience)
  

  Hotel contracts are intimidating. They vary in length, language and formality with every hotel or venue. So it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re buying each and every time. If you’ve ever questioned a paragraph of a hotel contract, felt intimidated by the process or just want to brush up on your negotiation skills, this is the session for you. Hear from both a planner and supplier on what key questions you should ask and what penalties and protections you should ensure are in place before you sign on the dotted line. Leave this session with the confidence to negotiate contracts with any hotel supplier.

  WORKSHOPS

  8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  Breaking Through the Noise: Social Media Engagement
  Presented by: TBA
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Intermediate (5-10 years of experience)
  

  There’s a wealth of information out there on social media. Every conference has a social media session, every website/blog/magazine has articles on the topic, and it seems these days we’re hit with the importance of social media from all angles. So now that we know what it is, and all the interesting ways it has worked for brands and businesses in the past, what the heck do PLANNERS do with it? In this interactive and very participatory session, you’ll discover how to get your attendees – internal and external – to truly engage with you via social media. Our expert will help you break through the noise and distill down concrete concepts that will help you finally figure out once and for all how social media can work for you.

  OR

  8:45 a.m. – 9:30  a.m.
  Building the Ultimate Critical Path
  Presented by: TBA
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Fundamentals (0-5 years of experience)
  

  Every good event planner knows the value of a work-back schedule. But have you perfected the art of creating the ultimate critical path? Attend this highly interactive session and learn the secrets to creating a rock-solid critical path that will allow you to get ahead of what’s happening. Take ahold of your event before it takes ahold of you! Walk away with a firm understanding of how much time to leave for components and how to build in leeway to keep your sanity.

  AND

  9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  Pro Time-Management Tricks
  Presented by: TBA
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Fundamentals (0-5 years of experience)
  

  Have you ever felt like you’re juggling so balls that one false move could land them all on the ground? You’re not alone in this balancing act. Our expert has sourced time-tested tricks and technologies designed to keep you on-track or ahead of where you need to be. Don’t be fooled by what’s not truly urgent. Attend this session and learn to prioritize tasks and manage your time like a seasoned professional.

  OR

  

  8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  “Spearhearting” Your Community Service Projects: Enhancing Meaning, Engagement and Objectives
  Presented by: Mariela McIlwraith, Meeting Change
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Senior (10+ years of experience)
  

  Meetings and events have the potential to transform communities through effective community-service projects and education campaigns to encourage long-term sustainable behaviours. Attendees will be introduced to frameworks for increasing the effectiveness of community-service projects and will participate in a hands-on community-service project. This session will include a preview of content from the book Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility for Meetings and Events co-authored by Mariela McIlwraith and Elizabeth Henderson that will be released this fall.

  Learner Outcomes

  • Learn how to create authentic and meaningful CSR projects for your event that support the community and transform your business environment
  • Learn how meetings and events can act as conservers, creators and catalysts
  • Learn how to extend the impact of CSR initiatives through strategic alliances and education campaigns

   

  OR

  8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  The Problem with the Future is… It’s Now!
  Session track: Meeting and Event Planning – Senior (10+ years of experience)
  Presented by: Greg van Dyke, PSAV

  Discover the latest findings from the MPI Future of Meetings Thought Leadership Initiative study. Gain perspective on the future of technology, social media, meeting design and venues from over 1,500 meeting industry professionals as well as experts from outside our space. This session will raise questions about the future and offer practical ways you can address the trends because the future is for you to invent.

  Learner Outcomes

  • Identify the key themes and drivers that meeting planners have identified as important factors in shaping the future of the industry
  • Understand key emerging trends highlighted by the research and other studies and identify best practices being used globally
  • Appreciate how trends are changing and informing meeting practice

  *****

  If you have any question about this year’s education content, please contact us today:

  Christine Otsuka
  Conference Editor
  Tel: (416) 442-5600 x 3255
  cotsuka@meetingscanada.com