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MONDAy, Aug 4
The OFFICIAl award-winning daily publication of MPI’s 2014 World Education Congress
@wec
Catch the latest buzz
on Twitter at #wec14.
What do you like the most about
the WEC learning and career
development experience?
“I really like the Campfire concept. It’s focused and
formatted. It’s highly interactive among the participants.
It’s just an innovative way of learning that I find highly
appealing and highly effective. And it’s also great fun.”
Molly Walsh, cMP, keyevents, San Francisco
“The first time I came to a WEC, I was a kid in a candy
store because of the great experience afforded by interacting with a group of your peers. In terms of educational value, every hour spent at WEC is worth days spent
trying to learn through your own experience at work. “
Ruud Janssen, cMM, tnoc, arlesheim,
Switzerland
Looking for Illumination?
You Only Need 15 Minutes.
Monday’s Flash Point session (11 a.m.
- 12:15 p.m., Main Auditorium, Level 1)
is designed to challenge your imagination and provoke conversation. Flash
Point features some of the most innovative thinkers from inside and outside our
industry who will share their big ideas in
powerful, 15-minute sessions.
Dale Partridge, the founder of sevenly.
org, confronts the questions of consumerism and capitalism head-on. While studying the relationship between the two, he
uncovered a cycle of corporate behavior
that American society has been stuck
in for generations. (See Page 12 for our
interview with Partridge.)
Boring meetings? Disengaged teams?
Lifeless leadership? Then shake it up with
Chris Heeter and her dog, Tuu Weh, who
bring a refreshingly different perspective to
the joys and challenges of leadership, teams
and diversity. Presented by Élan Speakers
Agency.
Discover how you can learn more from
your missteps than your achievements
from the founding father of modern video
games, Nolan Bushnell (co-founder of
Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s)—the only
man to hire Steve Jobs. (Read about how
he identifies creative people on Page 10.)
Last Chance to
Bid on Great Prizes!
Bid on fabulous prize packages available
through the MPI Foundation’s Not-So-Silent
Auction via the mobile app or www.mpi
web.org. Don’t forget to attend the auction
finale in MarketSquare (first floor) today,
3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Give Back at
CSR Central
Meet Minneapolis is
sponsoring CSR Central,
a day of giving back at
the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC)
on Monday (Ballroom
Level 1). Six fun activities will provide items
that benefit eight area charities. MPI and
Meet Minneapolis enlisted the help of
DMC metroConnections to provide the
following hands-on activities benefitting
“What I really like about the education at WEC is that
it is not pie-in-they sky learning, but real-world learning with practical applications and clearly focused
ways to advance the success of your business.”
dave Reed, eSpeakers, Provo, utah
these groups.
tRikeS FoR tykeS. Zoom! Pedal! Push! You
will be challenged to test your bicycling skills
in a unique obstacle course. Upon successfully doing so, you will be able to contribute to
the bike builds going on throughout the day.
ScHooL ScRaMBLe. Are YOU smarter
than a 5th grader? At this fast-paced station,
Giving Back Never
Roared Like This
Rendezvous (9 p.m. - 1 a.m.) is the MPI Foundation’s signature networking event, where funds
raised from ticket sales go towards building
grants and scholarships for MPI members. This
Prohibition era-inspired event at The Pourhouse
features live music, dancing, open pours and light
food. Purchase your tickets now!
hosted Buyer Begins
individuals will be challenged in a variety of
Hosted buyer programs are developed as a way to engage buyers and sellers outside of
the traditional trade show. Accepted hosted buyers set appointments, share RFPs and
talk “electronically” through specific matching software with suppliers they want to
meet before the conference. The program has been extremely successful at WEC since
it’s inception, helping many buyers and sellers secure future business, and this year’s
appointments (today, 8 - 10:55 a.m., 1:30 - 6:05 p.m.) will be no exception. To learn much
more about hosted buyer and how planners and exhibitors can reap maximum benefits
on the show floor, check out the February issue of The Meeting Professional.
the game, participants will step up and play
subjects including math, science and spelling.
Food PLinko. In this alternative version of
to see where a food donation will go.
FuRnituRe FiX uP. Join your fellow WEC
attendees to build and paint a variety of furniture to be donated to local households.
Pack tHe Bag. Put your travel expertise to
the test and figure out how to pack the bag
correctly to fit everything into the hygiene
kits before the clock runs out.
BundLe o’ BLankieS. Catch up with
your peers while working on a homemade
blanket. These warm, fleece blankets are just
Rendezvous presented by:
what the doctor ordered for local babies and
youth.
Additional sponsors The Depot Renais-
It’s All About
the People p. 4
A Glimpse into
the Future p. 4
sance Hotel, Marriott Minneapolis Northwest,
Thrivent Financial and Marriott Minneapolis
City Center are assisting with activities
throughout the day.
ONSITE
Schedule
at-a-Glance
6:30 - 8 a.m.
MPi Foundation Fun Run
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
calgary Buyer Breakfast
(Invitation only)
L100 ABC
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Sunrise education Sessions
Levels 1 & 2
7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Registration
Level 1
8 - 10:55 a.m.
Hosted Buyer
appointments
(Invitation only)
Hall A, Lower Level
1:30 - 6:05 p.m.
Hosted Buyer
appointments
(Invitation only)
Lower Level
2 - 3:30 p.m.
education Sessions
Levels 1 & 2
2 - 4 p.m.
tech café
Mezzanine Level
2 - 5 p.m.
campfire Sessions
Mezzanine Level
3:30 - 4 p.m.
Break
Levels 1 & 2
8 - 11 a.m.
cSR central
Ballroom A / Level 1
3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
MPi Foundation notSo-Silent auction
Level 2
8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
MarketSquare
Levels 1 & 2
4 - 5 p.m.
education Sessions
Levels 1 & 2
8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
career and Learning
central
Mezzanine Level
5 - 5:30 p.m.
Break
Levels 1 & 2
8:15 - 9 a.m.
coffee
MarketSquare Levels 1 & 2
9 - 10:30 a.m.
education Sessions
Levels 1 & 2
9 - 10:30 a.m.
campfire Sessions
Mezzanine Level
9 - 11 a.m.
tech café
Mezzanine Level
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Sunset education Sessions
Level 1
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Hosted Buyer Premier
educational Social
(Invitation only)
208A
Sponsored by Visit Florida
9 p.m. - 1 a.m.
MPi Foundation
Rendezvous
(Invitation only)
(Ticket and Photo ID required)
The Pourhouse
Monday Sessions
Download the new MPI Global Event App—available for Android, iPhone and iPad devices—to learn much
more about these sessions and to get the most out of your WEC experience, from managing your education
schedule to finding locations for offsite events. Search your mobile device app store for “MPI Global Events.”
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
2 - 3:30 p.m.
‘Mindful Morning’ yoga Session: creating
a Mind-Body connection for your daily
Work environment
Lounge A, Level 2
across the Pond and Beyond:
negotiating on a cultural Level
101 B • 1.5 clock hours
Food for thought: Brain Boosters
(additional Registration Required)
102 A
Perfect office Workout
101 B
9 - 10 a.m.
eco-Focused: Mcc Back of House
Sustainability tour
Meeting Point outside Ballroom A / Level 1
1 clock hour • Limited to first 15 participants
Fostering a Mindset of discovery: an improvisational Workout with the Brave new
Workshop
200 B • 1.5 clock hours
MaSteR cLaSS: discovering the Wild Side
of Leadership: What Sled dogs know that
Humans don’t
Auditorium 1 • 1.5 clock hours
MaSteR cLaSS: People over Profit
Auditorium 3
9 - 10:30 a.m.
RFP Reconstructed: a Hands-on approach
to improving the attractiveness of Meetings
102 A • 1.5 hours
advanced ‘Win-Win’ negotiations
for Success
208 A • 1.5 clock hours
the disaster experience QuickFire: a
Lesson in overcoming unexpected events
200 E • 1.5 clock hours
creating epic conferences: discovery in
the age of dynamism
200 E • 1.5 clock hours
2 - 5 p.m.
don’t Wear yoga Pants to dinner: avoiding
Professional Faux Pas outside the office
205 A • 1.5 clock hours
From “attendee” to “Participant”: audience engagement ideas to improve events
Auditorium 1 • 1.5 clock hours
Point/counterpoint: the Lawyers debate
today’s Hottest contract issues
Auditorium 3 • 1.5 clock hours
Risk Management 101 SESSION REPEATS
101 B • 1.5 clock hours
Sales Skills for the independent
Professional
101 E • 1.5 clock hours
Serve this, not that SESSION REPEATS
102 A • 1.5 clock hours
the Business of Bore Busting in Meetings and events: using neuroscience and
technology for Breakthroughs in Live
communication
200 B • 1.5 clock hours
deep dive: Managing the Politics of
Business, Positively SESSION REPEATS
205 D • 2.5 clock hours
deep dive: audiovisual demystified and
Presentation Software
205 A • 2.5 clock hours
deep dive: getting organized with
Microsoft outlook
208 A • 2.5 clock hours
deep dive: Leading Without authority and
the Seven deadly Mistakes of
Managing People
101 E • 2.5 clock hours
4 - 5 p.m.
gen y: Making the Most of our differences
Auditorium 1 • 1 clock hour
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Flash Point
Main Auditorium / Level 1
1:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Planning globally: How to deal with
cultural differences in Business
SESSION REPEATS
200 E • 1 clock hour
12:30 - 5:30 p.m.
cSR central
Ballroom A / Level 1
5:30 - 7 p.m.
Wec urban adventure: Making Memories
in Minneapolis
SeSSion FuLL
101 E
Morning
Campfire
Sessions
9 - 9:30 a.m.
getting the Most out of your conference
centre experience
.5 clock hours
transform your Meeting: the Five Principles
of Meeting design SESSION REPEATS
.5 clock hours
9:30 - 10 a.m.
The Meeting Professional, MPIpulse and
MPIspotlight: the inside Story
SESSION REPEATS
Flash Point general Session
Main Auditorium • .5 clock hours
eco-Focused: Mcc Back of House
Sustainability tour
Meeting Point outside Ballroom A / Level 1
1 clock hour • Limited to first 15 participants
Special Meals: How to Lessen the impact
on your Budget—and Sanity!
SeSSion FuLL
102 A • 1 clock hour
eco-Focused: Mcc Back of House
Sustainability tour
Meeting Point outside Ballroom A / Level 1
1 clock hour • Limited to first 15 participants
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
2 - 3 p.m.
Making Meetings Healthy with delos
Living
101 B • 1 clock hour
Feed the addiction: a conversation
continues SESSION REPEATS
.5 clock hours
10:30 - 11 a.m.
Break
Levels 1 & 2
12:15 - 2 p.m.
Lunch
MarketSquare Levels 1 & 2
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Behind the Scenes at MPi’s Wec:
discovering How it all comes together,
from Strategy to concept to Production
Main Auditorium • 1 clock hour
event contingency Planning
101 B • 1 clock hour
Faculty conclave
L100 A
the Life cycle of executive engagement:
communicating the Significance of your
Strategic Meetings Management Program
(SMMP)
102 A • 1 clock hour
Social tsunami: How to drink from the
information Fire Hose by using a Straw
SESSION REPEATS
200 B • 1 clock hour
10 - 10:30 a.m.
digitally disoriented: How to Win Business
from today’s tech and Media Savvy Planner
.5 clock hours
the inspired Planner: Stress Free and
Purpose Full SESSION REPEATS
check the MPi global events
app to see the afternoon
campfire Sessions.
download the MPi global events app to see
all of Wec’s education sessions and events.
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
MPI ONSITE
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It’s All About
the People
Planning
for Reality
Discovering the future by exploring the
past at Campfire sessions. BY Michael Pinchera
Serendipity makes strange bedfellows.
Yesterday, my first augmented reality (AR)
Campfire discussion (repeating today,
2:30 - 3 p.m.) immediately followed Atari
co-founder Nolan Bushnell speaking about
the best ways to enable creative people
and organizations to thrive.
Despite the seemingly unrelated subject
matter, Bushnell unknowingly provides the
perfect bridge as his session concludes: “If
you want future thinkers, read science fiction,” he advised. “It gets you used to life in
the future so innovations aren’t so scary.”
And thus, my contextual connection appears, seamlessly moving from employee
management to AR. With cheers from the
standing-room-only group, I literally take
his seat and welcome attendees arriving to
talk about the possibilities of AR—one of
many futures impacting the meeting and
event industry.
The AR knowledge from the 20-plus attendees sitting in a circle of camping chairs
in front of me spans from, “We used it during a Super Bowl halftime show” to “I am
unaware of the concept”—this is a diverse
industry indeed.
Bushnell soon takes a seat. Knowing of
his interest and knowledge in AR, I quickly
roped him into the discussion.
There are many reasons to appreciate
his advice on this subject. Widely known
as the co-founder of Atari and the first employer of Steve Jobs, he described a lesserknown contribution to the world moments
earlier during his Campfire. Breakout
launched the Japanese video game business, citing that culture’s solitary nature.
(Breakout was a single-player extension
of the two-player Pong. Bushnell came up
with the concept for the game while running Atari.)
4 MPI ONSITE
All these years later, Bushnell is still
thinking on the fly and with the future in
mind. During the mid-1970s, he helped
conceive of the modern reality in which we
live.
Smiling and equally curious, the audience contributes. Meeting and event tech
guru Corbin Ball, CMP, CSP (MPI Washington State Chapter), predicts Google Glasstype contact lenses are less than 10 years
away.
Pointing to my glasses, Chris Wezel
(MPI Greater Orlando Area Chapter), a
principal owner of E-proDirect, suggests
that soon no one will be able to tell if
someone’s glasses are “smart” or not. I
remove my glasses and respond, “How do
you know I don’t have them on now?” to
ah-ha chuckles. That’s the near future development of AR.
With only 30 minutes to brainstorm
such a complex topic, the chat ends in
much deeper realms: facial recognition,
what it means to be human and, ultimately,
quantum computers.
“Yes, I think we’ve gotten a bit too techie,” I say at the conclusion, running a few
minutes over.
Indeed. But AR is a technology meeting
professionals need to learn about sooner
rather than later. With the number of AR
users expected to more than triple by 2018
(I predict greater adoption than that), it
encompasses education, engagement, humanity and marketing—and soon
it’ll just be reality.
Michael Pinchera is editor
of The Meeting Professional.
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
Barb Taylor Carpender believes the best face-toface meetings happen in the hallways at WEC.
BY ROWLAND STITELER
I spoke with Barb Taylor Carpender, CMM,
CHSE, as we walked down the hallways of
the Minneapolis Convention Center. We
experienced plenty of brief interruptions
as people came up and hugged Carpender
or shook her hand or simply shouted out a
greeting as they passed by.
That is altogether fitting and proper because Carpender, a past Rocky Mountain
Chapter president and MPI International
Board of Directors member, as well as MPI
Supplier of the Year, has attended WEC for
21 consecutive years and says it is that
hallway experience that she finds to be the
most important part of the event.
“WEC has all kinds of great educational
programming and other learning experiences and platforms for networking with
your peers,” she says. “But when you really
get right down to it, what has kept me coming back year after year is what I am doing
right now—walking the hallways, seeing
people I know in the industry, meeting
new people I don’t know and having oneon-one moments, some short, some long,
with all of them.”
Carpender’s first WEC was in Denver in
1980, and it’s the conference at which she
became an absolute devotee to the concept
of large, live meetings.
“I was in the hospitality business out in
Steamboat Springs, Colo.—150 miles away
from the big city of Denver—and getting to
WEC and interacting with other people in
our industry was energizing and motivating to me,” she says. “It was connecting in
the most important sense of the word.”
Carpender, who is creator and developer of Taylored Alliances and managing
director of Global Marketing Services Inc.,
taps into her longtime experience—and
miles of walking the hallways at multiple
conferences—in order to do consulting
that focuses on managing client advisory
boards for destination management organizations and other hospitality entities, as
well as facilitating board retreats for MPI
chapters.
And she finds the perfect place to reinforce her relationships with existing clients and to meet potential new clients in
the hallways of any and every WEC.
“Ours is a relationship industry, and
there is no place that is better to reinforce
relationships and build new ones than at a
conference that attracts hundreds of your
peers and colleagues,” Carpender says.
While she’s attended a lot of MPI events
over the years, some stand out as most
memorable.
“There was the one in Honolulu in 2002
that was shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001,
disaster in which the attendance was not
large, but those of us who were there were
just glad to be together and were affirmed
by attending a fly-in conference again,” she
says. “And there was a 2006 New Orleans
event, held in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, in which we were glad to come together and show our confidence in the resurrection of New Orleans as a convention
city. And, of course, there was a 2004 event
in Denver; people are still talking about the
concert we did at Red Rocks.”
And for Carpender, the common denominator of those meetings of hundreds
of attendees was the
bonds built in oneon-one in meetings.
Rowland Stiteler is
editor of The Meeting
Professional.
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Adopting the Future
Industry speaker James Spellos talks meeting
intel, Twitter, net neutrality and more during
the World Education Congress. BY Michael Pinchera
What do you see as some of the most
interesting tech trends impacting
meeting and event professionals?
I think that augmented reality (AR), beacons and geofencing (sometimes working together, sometimes working independently), in addition to the continued
integration of mobile devices in events/
guest rooms, are in that category. Clearly,
the capabilities of AR, including Google
Glass, have many folks polarized about
its place in our society, but there is no
doubt that AR is coming and coming fast.
6 MPI ONSITE
From marketing/advertising to the event
itself, I think the conversation is going to
continue to become more relevant to our
community, as these tools start to show
real usefulness at our event.
What are the greatest challenges these
trends pose to meeting professionals?
The biggest challenge is keeping up with
the changes, and then trying to utilize
them in a way that supports the goals
and objectives of the meeting. Almost
every group feels that they are behind
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
(sometimes way behind) in the utilization of technology, but the reality is that
there’s a difference between using tech
to be cool and trendy, as opposed to using technology to further the meeting
along. The former requires an exceptionally early adoption cycle, while the latter
approach is not as reactive to the hype
and marketing of the new tool.
There’s a fine line in today’s tech
workplace between patience and being
“behind the times,” and that puts everyone, not just planners, in an awkward acceptance cycle.
What do meeting professionals need to
learn in order to manage these trends?
It’s essentially a twofold process. One is
of education about the trend itself. There
is so much content available to read and
review, there is no reason why meeting
professionals shouldn’t be aware of what
technology is on the horizon. The trickier
part is the integration of the technology
within the needs of the group. That is a
balancing act indeed.
Planners need to push the comfort
zone of the group so that adoption isn’t
too late in the game. They need to find
internal champions within the organization who can help them “sell” the benefit
of the tools to their colleagues. I’d rather
be a bit too early than too late to the tool,
but if that is the space in which you are
continued on page 12
Tech Sessions at WEC
TODAY:
9-10:30 a.m.
“The Business of Bore Busting in Meetings
and Events: Using Neuroscience and
Technology for Breakthroughs in Live
Communication”
10-10:30 a.m.
“Digitally Disoriented: How to Win
Business from Today’s Tech and Media
Savvy Planner”
2:30-3 p.m.
“What is Augmented Reality, and How
Can it Revolutionize Your Event?”
TUESDAY:
10:15-11 a.m.
“The Meeting Professional’s Ultimate
Guide to Internet Connectivity”
“Mobile Integration: Thoughtfully
Incorporating Mobile into an Established
Meeting Program”
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
“The Planners’ Guide to Understanding
Hybrid Events”
2:15-3:45 p.m.
“A Peer-to-Peer App Session: Discovering
What Your Industry Colleagues are Using”
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Breathing Easy
As the number of widely known food allergies
continues to grow, meeting professionals must
understand all the variables in order to ensure the
safety and comfort of all attendees. By Allan Lynch
Lisa Bortolussi, CMP (MPI Michigan
Chapter), a meeting planner for Amway
who has a very severe nut allergy, says she
is seldom given a special meal card, yet
“there are always nuts at some point in
the program.” She says the simplest way
to alleviate the risk is by offering a simple
meal card for any plated meals with nutfree food. An assurance that the meal has
been prepared using separate pans and
utensils and a similar ingredient list for all
8 MPI ONSITE
buffet items would make for a safer environment for her and others with allergies.
Knowing this in advance would also help
her know when to opt out of a particular
meal.
“Note that I do not make an issue of it.
I simply leave the room,” she says. “However, I have seen many others who make
a big stink. I think the biggest issue is if
you ask for an allergy/food specialty
need, then they should at least address it
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
with the guest on arrival in some manner.
Otherwise, why ask?”
No host or property can risk not taking notice of an allergy or special meal
request.
“I have a standard policy of labeling every dish,” says Chuck Schouwerwou, CMP,
CMM, president of ConferSense Planners
and former president of the MPI Ottawa
Chapter. “I insist that on a moment’s notice somebody can ask the server to see
the ingredient list of a dish. I always work
with a kitchen hand-in-hand on the food
allergies, and every delegate who has a
food allergy gets a special card that they
can hand to the server with their name
and allergy on it so the server can match it
with the right plate in the kitchen if we’re
doing separate plated service.”
At the Four Seasons Vancouver, Todd
Jeannotte, director of catering and conference services, says they will seal a
plate for an allergic guest in the kitchen.
That sealed dish is then tagged with the
guest’s name and the name/number of
the meeting room they’re in to eliminate
the potential for cross contamination
and ensure safe dishes reach the right
guests. To counter the challenges of serving safe dishes to the right guests, some
groups have switched from plated meals
to buffets, placing responsibility in guests’
hands. However, for a real allergy situation, buffets make Jeannotte nervous.
“These dishes may be safe, but [what]
if a gentleman uses the wrong spoon
from another area that then cross-contaminates the buffet?” he says. “So buffets would not be a safe environment for
me, with an allergy issue. Where people
will look to buffets is in providing people
who have no-carb or no-dairy preferences.
Then the buffet gives them a wider selection to pick from and use their best judgment. But from an allergy perspective it’s
super dangerous.”
No one foresees a decline in special requests and allergies.
“I think we’ll see a wider scope of allergies,” says Jeannotte, who once had a
guest who was allergic to water. “I don’t
see any reason why it would go the other
way.”
So the solution is to continue to find
fast, simple and effective ways to work
with these allergies in mind as awareness
also continues to grow.
Today’s F&B
sessions at WEC
9-10:30 a.m.
“Serve This, Not That”
5:30-6:30 p.m.
“Special Meals: How to Lessen
the Impact on Your Budget—and
Sanity!”
The Guy Who
Hired Steve Jobs
WEC speaker Nolan Bushnell changed the
landscape of the workplace—oh, and the
global entertainment industry—by identifying
creative people and enabling them to thrive.
BY Michael Pinchera
FREEDOM & FEAR
“Just don’t cut anything off and it’ll be
OK,” Nolan Bushnell’s father used to say
as the always-curious kid explored his
domain, digging holes in the backyard
and sawing wood to make forts.
“There’s an awful lot of fear by parents
that kids will get hurt,” Bushnell says.
“But my parents let me do things that
most kids’ parents wouldn’t.”
That coddling and disallowing failure—and the important lessons it
brings—is a serious problem with many
organizations as well, and a major hindrance to innovation.
“Give employees freedom and treat
them like adults…or at least like responsible kids,” he says.
With that wisdom and approach,
Bushnell has done incredible things that
have impacted the lives of millions—including you. Surprised? He co-founded
the pioneering video game company
Atari in 1972, forever transforming the
entertainment industry; in 1974, Atari
hired Steve Jobs and availed the grungy
high school dropout a chance to learn,
grow and create, forever transforming…
everything.
Atari was a cool place to work in the
mid-1970s, and Bushnell ensured the
company remained open-minded in order to attract and nurture the most creative talent in and around the fledgling
video game industry.
In his first book, Finding the Next Steve
10 MPI ONSITE
Jobs: How to Find, Hire, Keep and Nurture Creative Talent, Bushnell sets forth
51 ways organizations can achieve the
title’s goal. These strategies—many of
which were in place or developed during Atari’s halcyon heyday—reveal what
works for companies and individuals
seeking to change the world. What it really comes down to is being inclusive,
flexible and aware. It’s no wonder that
the most successful companies of our
time (e.g. Apple, Google, Zappos) have
these components in their very DNA.
“Atari didn’t find Steve Jobs. We made
it easy for him to find us,” Bushnell wrote
in his book. “A good company is a 24/7
advertisement for itself.”
The actual workspace at Atari was
ahead of its time and designed to allow
creativity to thrive with space and talent-management concepts that became
something of a working template for Silicon Valley companies 20 years later.
Following the insistence of Jobs and
Steve Wozniak (a contract worker for Atari who went on to co-found Apple Computer and is speaking tomorrow at the
WEC 2015 Preview Luncheon, 12:45-2
p.m.), for instance, Atari permitted employees to sleep overnight at the office to
make the most out of their time. Eventually some people brought in futons and
other bedding; eventually a shower was
installed in a restroom.
“When you’re trying to make your
company more creative, you want to
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
RACHAEL PORTER
ONSITE
relax the rigid rules and give your creatives room to stretch and grow,” Bushnell wrote in a chapter about the importance of flexibility. “Create a company
known for this kind of freedom, and creatives will come looking for you.”
Bushnell maintains that identifying
truly special creative people is best accomplished through dialogue, which
reveals as much about their passions as
their vocabularies.
“Truly passionate people can’t hide
the passion—it just bubbles out from
them,” he says. “All you have to do is
guide them into talking about their passion…and they’ll love to talk about it because they’re passionate about it. If you
try to guide people into their passionate
areas and they fail at it, you have to assume that they don’t have a passion. And
if they don’t have a passion for anything,
they’re not going to be passionate about
your company.”
Finding the Next Steve Jobs offers clear
recommendations for organizational
transformation that Bushnell believes
could double the current rate of progress. The greatest barrier to this successful future, he says, is that a lot of people
are scared of failure but are unknowingly
aiming at the ground already.
“I like this metaphor: You’re in a glider
Nolan Bushnell
at WEC
TODAY:
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
“Flash Point”
(one of three speakers)
TUESDAY:
2:15-3:45 p.m.
“Finding the Next Steve Jobs”
and you’re moving along and everything
feels fine, but even in a very good glider for every mile you’re going forward,
you’re dropping,” he says. “If you’re not
progressing, you’re falling behind. And a
lot of companies don’t really understand
that.”
There’s an element of fear, maybe
some confusion, but control is also key.
“I hate to touch this because there’s a
little political sensitivity to it. But in terms
of a lot of the management structures, the
management is old,” Bushnell says. “And
they feel like, ‘Change is coming, but not
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Adopting the Future
continued from page 6
Power to the People
WEC Flash Point speaker Dale Partridge will
show you how meeting professionals can
help to break the profit-above-people cycle.
By Blair Potter
We recently spoke with Dale Partridge,
founder of Sevenly.org and a proponent
of putting people above profit, about the
concept of the “conscientious consumer.”
“A conscientious consumer is proactively supporting brands, regardless of
price, that strive to value their customers’ health, treat their staff with dignity
12 MPI ONSITE
and value people over profit,” Partridge
says.
He offers examples of well-established corporations that have successfully modified their behavior in favor of
people above profit.
“Over the years we’ve seen companies
who started out with honorable inten-
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
tions move toward efficiency, partake
in an era of deception and, at the last
second turn the organization around,”
Partridge says. “Domino’s recently created a self-exposing documentary titled
The Pizza Turnaround in an effort to
publicly admit the failures of its past
and promise to change toward a better, more honest operating model. Nike
has persistently innovated its corporate
social responsibility programs by cleaning up its supply chains and developingworld operational standards. And then
you have companies like REI that have
remarkably remained focused on valuing
people over profit for decades in a row.”
He says meeting professionals can help
to break the people-over-profit cycle.
“Choose speakers and leaders who
are intentionally exposing deception—
leaders who are innovating toward honesty, transparency and generosity while
still remaining just as profitable or successful as those who don’t.”
Dale Partridge
at WEC
TODAY:
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
“Flash Point”
(one of three speakers)
playing, be sure not to ditch the technology if it doesn’t get a high level of adoption in year one.
In which types of new tech do you see
meeting professionals excelling?
We are great communicators, so once
we’ve gotten past our internal hurdles,
any tool that facilitates better communications is one we’ll adapt to quickest.
To that extent, even though many did
(and still do) more cautiously use social
media, I think when all is said and done
that will have an easier adoption cycle
than using AR (until the killer app can be
shown to be communication-based).
With so many social media platforms,
is there one in particular that you find
especially valuable?
To me, in today’s social tsunami of information, Twitter is the best social media.
The fact that the company is trying to
make it more visually appealing will only
help us be able to understand the power
of that service. Real-time communications, great capability of getting feedback from your customers and clients
and crowd-sourced news service—it’s
my pick, hands down.
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The Guy Who Hired Steve Jobs
continued from page 10
on my watch!’ I saw that an awful lot in
the early days of the Ma Bell breakups.
They wouldn’t get out of their own way
because most people in control were
too close to retirement to want to shake
things up.”
PASSION
Speaking with Bushnell reveals a nearendless list of things about which he’s passionate, continually growing and changing
such that he has to pace himself.
“I think I’m already bordering on being a
dilettante,” he says. “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
One of his primary passions right now
is BrainRush, a project through which he
aims to revolutionize learning. There’s a lot
we don’t yet know about how the human
mind learns, but he believes the tools that
will enable us to start some true discovery
are becoming available as research and
technology develops.
The results of such innovation could
then lead to helping people free themselves from themselves. He says people
tend to build up a firewall of sorts that
becomes a significant hindrance to
creativity.
“When kids are in kindergarten, they’re
massively creative,” he says. “And that gets
trained out of them, to the point where by
the time they graduate from high school,
they are so good at self-editing that they’re
no longer creative. And I feel like everybody needs to be able to break through
that self-editing process—fill their brain
with a lot of diverse ideas and try to connect things in different ways.”
One of Bushnell’s favorite tricks for coming up with new ideas: “Take two diverse
businesses and mash them together to see
what happens at the point of collision.”
The iPod is, in many ways, the result of
a computer business mashed with the music industry. With Google Glass, the search
engine and Web-advertising giant has
mashed together the smartphone and eyewear.
“I’m fascinated by Google Glass,” Bushnell says. “The reason I know it’s going to
be important is because there’s already a
certain backlash against it. That means it’s
going to be important.”
He leans to, on the surface at least, the
seemingly absurd and asks, “What happens when you mash a banana up against
an automobile company? You have a yellow car…[laughing]…I don’t know.”
I suggest the result would be slippery
tires.
“Yeah, right,” he says. “The idea is there
are a lot of interesting things that are natural in one industry and not natural in another. The idea of early [global] exploration
was to bring practices and processes and
industries—really ideas—from one part of
the world to another. That’s still possible.
There’s still a lot of crazy stuff going on…
that we can learn from because cultures
set up different mores. Over time, you just
push the things forward that are more interesting in a different way.”
What do
Millennials
bring to the
table?
By Natalia Wojcinska
I have a message for all of you about Millennials. Yes, we are relatively young, but energetic and enthusiastically value collaboration and teamwork over competition. Yes,
we are a multitasking, technology-centered
generation. One of our most important goals
is to have a challenging job with which we
can share our ideas and receive immediate
feedback. Furthermore, we want to learn!
Despite the fact that we might not stay
with one company for long, you could benefit immensely from employing us because
we like to learn. I am afraid, however, that
we lack the patience and demureness that
could lead us to a better understanding towards representatives of different generations.
This is why we need you, dear Baby
Boomers and Gen-Xers! We are willing to
learn from you and to make practical use of
your knowledge and experience. We don’t
want to be the best-educated generation
in history with a brain dressed up with nowhere to go.
Read the full article in the August
issue of The Meeting Professional,
and learn much more about the
role of Millennials in the workforce
at Natalia Wojcinska’s session,
“Gen Y: Making the Most of Our
Differences,” today, 4-5 p.m.
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World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
ONSITE
Prepare for the
Future with Career
& Learning Central
Career & Learning Central acts as MPI’s
learning laboratory, presenting the resources learners need to expand their
knowledge, strengthen their careers and
transform their events. Here’s a look at
some of the features.
Network and connect with hiring managers from some of the industry’s best employers and discover new career paths and
job opportunities in the Career Fair (Monday, 8 - 11:30 a.m., 12:30 - 6 p.m.).
In Coaches’ Corner, you can sign up for
one-on-one appointments with career, résumé and human resources experts who
advise on job-search documents, role progression and interview skills.
In The Library, consult with MPI’s own
librarian and customize a toolkit that offers ways for you to prepare for the future
of meetings and events.
Make the leader board and challenge
your friends and peers in the Playground,
all while learning about the hot topics and
cool trends that will affect the future of
your events.
MPI partner Orange Photography is
set up in The F-Stop to help you advance
your marketability with a free professional
headshot, and while you wait, charge your
device at The Rest Stop.
The Tech Café includes subject matter
experts in all areas of technology to discuss
the challenges faced by meeting professionals. Sponsored by Freeman.
Have Breakfast in Bed on Tuesday
Stop by the Tourisme Montréal booth to sign up for a special Breakfast in
Bed event on Tuesday morning.
The Economic Impact of WEC
Attendees of Sunday’s media breakfast learned about the recent successes of Minneapolis,
MPI and WEC from Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant, MPI President and
CEO Paul Van Deventer and MPI Chairman Kevin Kirby. This year’s WEC will create an economic
impact of $4.7 million and features 150 education sessions, with more than 84 percent offering clock hours.
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
MPI ONSITE
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Catch WEC highlights in
your hotel room with MPI TV
Back of house
Sustainability
Tour
Earlier this year, the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) achieved Level 1 certification with the
ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standard for venues. Take today’s back-of-house tour (9
- 10 a.m., 2 - 3 p.m., 4 - 5 p.m., meeting point outside
Ballroom A/Level 1) to learn how the MCC team
developed its innovative approach to managing
social and environmental responsibility.
Learn how to make requests of your partner venues or discover how to get started on the journey to
a more sustainable event space. Space is limited to
15 participants per tour and will be available on a
first-come, first-served basis.
(available in select conference
hotels), brought to you by Convention
News Television and sponsored by
Tourism Toronto.
Sweet
Tweets
@atnguyen
members manage and spend over
$20B in meeting and event budgets.
#meetingsmeanbusiness #notparty
planners
@Richardsonkr
refreshing room setup at #WEC14
for Improv session with rounds and
long tables, mix it up #ownit
#bravenewworkshop
@DianaVatDisney
#disneymeetings #mpifoundation.
1million in grants and scholarships
this year. An investment in you!!
@RobinFriday2
opening session was wonderful.
The skit was fabulous. Thanks wec
for the morning inspiration!!!!
Puppy
Cuddling
While you’re attending WEC, you must make time
for puppy cuddling, a designated area near the
MarketSquare Elite spaces. Benefiting Therapy Animals, puppy cuddling is valuable socialization training for assistance dogs that aid people with physical disabilities or who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Sponsored by VisitNorfolk.
Monday: 8:30 - 11 a.m., 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Need a
Professional headshot?
Key facilitation point: set the ground
rules! love that presenter is deconstructing how to facilitate in addition
to great content
@LadyPhenomena
So excited to be in #genymeeting
profs session. My people! :)
@iammollywalsh
Planners / Suppliers need to walk in
each other’s shoes to make healthcare compliance work for both
Private Meditation Session with deepak chopra
Jill Mendoza, CMP (MPI Wisconsin Chapter), Kinsley Meetings
deepak chopra ViP Seating
Carolyn Mercurio Dove (MPI Tampa Bay Area Chapter), University of South Florida
Judith McHugo (MPI Minnesota Chapter)
Dana King (MPI St. Louis Area Chapter), Creative Producers Group
Lynette Ostrem, Thomson Reuters
opening general Session ViP Seating
Lily Hoffman (MPI Philadelphia Area Chapter), Temple University
Madeline Wilson (MPI Michigan Chapter), Hope College
Kathryn Marks, CMP (MPI Gulf States Chapter), HelmsBriscoe
Leslie A. Menichini (MPI Michigan Chapter), Rosen Hotels & Resorts
Shellee Buchanan (MPI Philadelphia Area Chapter), Ballard Spahr LLC
@ssain7
Misconception: Millennials are
always tied to their phones. They
DO want to engage face to face.
#genymtgprofs
Top prizes for high score will be awarded at the conclusion of WEC. One prize
will be awarded for Best Photo by 3 p.m. today. Prizes include VIP seats for Flash
Point and a Meet and Greet with Production Guru Rebecca Coons at 3 p.m.
@SpotMe
If you aren’t playing the game, download the MPI Global Event App and
join in the fun.
Passion, enthusiasm, curiosity are
often better indicators of success
than traditional education. - Nolan
Bushnell of Atari
@MeetheatherL
Photographers will be available:
@rapko76
Monday: 10:15 - 11 a.m., 12:15 - 2 p.m.
1 out of 3 employers rejected a
candidate b/c of what they have
found on social media. Privatize
or professionalize. #hiring #MPI
18 MPI ONSITE
Congratulations to the winners of Sunday’s
WEC 2014 Discovery game, brought to you by
San Francisco Travel!
@Redlmb
thanks to orange Photography, this
year’s official conference photographers. Be sure to stop by to have your
free professional headshot taken on
Level 2 and the Mezzanine Level.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 9:45 a.m., 3:30 - 4:15 p.m.
Eureka
Winners!
Why do I always feel like my brain
is going to explode when I attend a
Jim Spellos training? In a good way.
@MPI
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
Stay Well, My Friends
Do meeting rooms designed with attendee wellness in mind really impact the
event experience? Do you know the difference between biophilia and chromatherapy? For answers to these questions and more, make plans to visit the
Delos Living Stay Well Meeting Room (101 B), where cutting-edge concepts explore the idea of facilitating attendee wellness during live events. See a meeting
room designed around the stay well principle or, better yet, attend one of the
concurrent sessions occurring in this room and experience firsthand the stay
well principle in action.
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All photos by Orange Photography
World Education Congress 2014 • Monday, August 4
MPI ONSITE
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