successful event manager

The Top 10 Qualities of Successful Event Managers

EVENT PLANNING & PROMOTION NOV 16, 2016
Event Insights
Did you know that �event coordinator� was listed as the fifth most stressful job in
2016? And that�s only behind enlisted military personnel, firefighters, airplane
pilots, and police officers. Successfully running events takes a wide range of
skills � and nerves of steel.

To celebrate the everyday heroes of the event industry, here are the top 10
qualities of successful event managers:

1. They have people skills. The number one quality shared by successful event
managers? People skills. You need to be comfortable connecting with high-level
executives, government officials, vendors, co-workers, sponsor reps, customers,
supervisors, suppliers, staff, and event attendees. To successfully work with this
wide range of people, you�ll need to be able to nimbly resolve conflicts, be a
confident but pleasant negotiator, and maintain your sense of humor.

Remember to try and have fun with the work you do, and the people you work with,
and they�ll want to work with you again. You can�t do it all by yourself, so
building relationships is key.

The number one quality shared by successful event managers? People skills.
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2. They�re flexible. Event managers must double as janitors and firemen. Cleaning
up messes and putting out fires � quickly, quietly, and efficiently � is part of
the job. Stay calm, get it done, then get back to running the show.

3. They�re good listeners. The ability to understand what key stakeholders want to
from your event is critical. These folks may not be in the event industry, so might
not speak the lingo or know what�s realistic. You have to be able to discern their
needs and make sure all parties share the same expectations. Pay attention to
what�s said � and what�s not said � in key conversations. Tapping into these spoken
(and unspoken) needs throughout your planning process will help you stay one step
ahead.

4. They�re organized. To successfully run any event, you need to be able to juggle
about 50 things at once. This multi-tasking prowess is required for both smooth
planning and flawless execution of an event. The best planners have foolproof
systems, step-by-step checklists, and handy tech tools. Working in events requires
the ability to focus on the big picture while keeping track of all the little
details. To avoid burnout, get comfortable delegating some of your more time-
consuming tasks. And if things don�t go according to plan, don�t be afraid to
switch to plan �B.�

5. They�re passionate. With all the stress of the job, you have to really love what
you do. Genuine passion helps you overcome bumps in the road and stay cool when all
seems lost. It also leads to bursts of creativity and the inspiration to create
something great instead of just trying to get through the day. Things like time
management can be learned, but you can�t teach passion, and you�ll need it in order
to succeed. Being an event manager can, at times, be a thankless job; it needs to
be about more than just a paycheck for you.

Time management can be learned, but you can�t teach passion � and you�ll need it to
succeed.
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6. They�re good communicators. Clear, firm, and kind communication establishes you
as a leader of the team, keeps everyone on track, and ensures that the goals of the
event are clear to everyone involved. It also allows you to effectively share your
vision and get others excited about it, too. Communicate in a way that is
respectful to everyone and doesn�t put anyone down. Accept criticism and be open to
new ideas. Everyone plays a part in the success of an event, so make sure you�re
communicating with them in a clear, confident, and empowering way.

7. They�re calm under pressure. Your team will look to you for answers to almost
everything. In moments of stress, the last thing they need is a shaky leader who
makes poor decisions because they�re cracking under the pressure. Successful event
managers stay level-headed and continue to treat everyone with respect, no matter
what. Try to remain cool, calm, and collected when dealing with other people, even
if you�re a bundle of nerves inside.

8. They�re creative problem-solvers. Whether it�s tracking down some emergency duct
tape or reworking a keynote presentation at the last minute, you have to be
resourceful with what you have. No matter how well you plan, something will go
wrong. And it will be a lot easier to address if you enjoy finding creative
solutions to the challenges that arise.

9. They�re decisive. Event managers need to be able to make several decisions at

once, and make them quickly. And, perhaps more importantly, they need to be able to
recognize when it�s too late to change those decisions � and have the resolve to
stand by them.

10. They�re experienced. It will be a lot easier for people to trust you if you
have a significant amount of experience. And your job will be easier for you once
you�ve seen the range of challenges an event can throw at you. Plus, the
experienced manager has a network of trusted professionals to call on when things
get tough. If you don�t have a ton of experience yet, don�t worry � just give it
time!

Want to become an even more successful, efficient event manager? Read this tipsheet
to see which tech tools successful event organizers like you are using to
streamline their workflow, solve their biggest challenges, and create events
attendees love. Also, sign up for Eventbrite�s event management courses and
certification.

Looking to grow your career in events? Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest trends
and industry news.

Qualities of a Great Event Organiser

Akriti Arora06.2019Event Management, Event Planning4 Comments

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�There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face
reality, and then there are those who turn one into the other.� -Douglas H.
Everett

Fuelled by persistence, a drive to achieve, and willing to give people an

experience, event organisers are people who take you into a dream world. With so
many tasks to do at once, event managers have to multitask at various levels. If
you like to stay in your comfort zone, then you won�t make a great event organiser.

An event organiser or manager is responsible for the successful implementation of

the framework and executing the event. He/she is the face of the event. He/she is
responsible for stakeholder engagement, executing ideas to generate revenues,
ensuring the operations are flawless. There are a few traits that are innate and
then there are few that you learned over the years to become a great event
organiser. To be honest, these qualities are not unusual but definitely are rare.

Top Ten Qualities of a Great Event Organiser:

1. Leadership Skills

Leader addressing team

Every event comes with great responsibility. Right from ideation to the planning
stage, event managers are required to clear clutter. A good organiser is a good
leader who leads the team and give directions. Given that an event organizer/
organizer works with various decision makers and other key people, they have to be
clear thinkers. They need to be able to build a team and manage it to reach its
full performance potential.

2. Time Management

Time management

Time management is crucial. A great team led by a great leader is only lethal when
the team and the leader have great time management skills. There are a lot of
details flying around, and everything tends to converge at a single point in time.
The ability to prioritise and follow strict timings is a key aspect of the job.
Best of the event organisers are multi-taskers and stick to the time commitments

3. Out-of-the-Box Thinker

a mobile portraying out-of-the-box thinking

They are creative problem solvers. Events are by nature chaotic, and no matter who
detailed your plan is, few actionables are always jeopardised. Event organisers
like to find solutions, be it handling an emergency evacuation or may be realising
at the last minute that a keynote speaker didn�t show up- they always have
solutions.

4. Attention to Detail

multiple things on a table representing attention to detail

Great event organisers usually have an OCD of getting it right, getting it

differently, and achieving perfection. They really understand and visualise how the
little pieces will fit together. Event organisers have a sharp eye for detail. They
are involved in every aspect of the event- from picking up the pens and notepads to
be used to selecting the speaker list and venue finalisation. Interestingly,
despite not having paid attention to detail in the planning stage, you don�t feel
detached from your event; you might not as well be a good organiser. Event
organisers delve into every minute detail and nail it.

5. Love for Technology

A latest robot representing love for technology

Every great organiser knows how important technology is in hosting a successful

event. Townscript has earlier covered a full blown article on how technology is
shaping the event management industry. Technology has automated many aspects of
the industry. You can sell tickets online, make reservations, share teasers before
the actual event, and also gathe real time feedback and apply analytics. Use of
technology started as a support tool but eventually took over most of the
operational tasks. Technology speeds things up and helps to make event managers be
more productive and efficient.

6. Networking Skills

people networking with each other

Event organisers are true people�s person. Networking is the art of conversation to
reach meaningful conversations and explore win-win situation for each other. They
are comfortable connecting with high-level executives, government officials,
vendors, co-workers, sponsors, housekeeping staff etc. They have fun with what they
do. Also, they find the right team through networking and delegate work when
required.

7. Contingency Organisers

multiple data storage devices like hard disk, flash drive, usb to depict
contingency plan

Best event organisers always have a backup plan or a plan B. They have a sharp eye
for detail, and thus, they try to find potential threats and risks to the event. If
identified in time, event organisers are quick to take action and prepare plan B.
Events professionals are therefore always prepared to react to any eventuality or
error. This not only requires careful planning to rule out any crisis before it
happens, but also an ability to be reactive and adaptive in case one does.

8. Embrace Change

a cloud storage cut out to replace real clouds to depict change

Change is the only constant. Event organisers are quick at foreseeing change and
shifting gears to turn things into favour. They are agile and put all the pieces
into place. It requires an agile and adaptive mindset along with resourcefulness.
Event event is different and it requires a fresh mindset to plan each one of them.
Event if the event managers go by the client�s brief, the have to be creative yet
adapt to what the client wants.

9. Humble

All team members being treated nicely

Events are not a one man show. They are a collective effort of a great team. A
great event organiser realises the value of having a great team. They may not
appreciate everyday, but they go praise their team. Their people management skills
allows them to build great relationships and yet be humble with everyone. They are
honest, work with no hidden agenda, keep their team and external stakeholders
updated.

10. Self Care

An event organiser practicing yoga for self care

A healthy fitness regime is a part of daily life of all event organisers. They know
how important it is to stay focussed. Mental and physical fitness allows them to be
active. Self care is not limited to fitness, it also focuses on detoxing from
digital tools for a while, or just meditate and calm your mind.

Summary of Qualities of a Great Event Organiser

All of the above qualities come with experience, practice and perseverance. In
addition to event planning knowledge and skills, your personality needs to be a
good fit if you want to be one of the most successful event planners.