How to "Turn People On" At Corporate and Golf Events
Bad news: most people are shut down, disengaged, and going through the motions.
Good news: That's our natural state as humans.
Best news: We have the power to ignite engagement when we choose to.
Recently, a client told me he's concerned that his people won't get the most of an incentive trip he planned for them.
It's a first-class trip for top performers - a luxurious tropical island, a five-star hotel, all the amenities you could dream of, celebrity speakers, and it's all on the company dime.
The CEO told me, however, that it didn't go as well as he'd hoped last year.
His people showed up fifteen minutes early for the cocktail party, grabbed a drink when the bar opened, sat at their tables by department, and quietly drank their drinks. When the chimes rang for dinner, they went to dinner.
That's fine.
But it didn't feel like a celebration of a successful year. It didn't feel like the top performers fully embraced the luxurious tropical trip he gave them to thank them for their hard work.
He said it felt like they were just going through the motions.
We all have a standard pattern we follow at events:
1) Who is wearing the same clothes as me? Who do I know here?
2) Where's the bar?
3) Which table is mine?
4) Where is the host? Thank them for the invitation.
5) Eat.
6) Leave.
The only way to break that pattern is to interrupt it and replace it with something else.
My client will use my magic at this year's incentive event to get his guests laughing and having fun together during the welcome receptions.
Rather than letting the guests sit quietly at their tables, I'll get them laughing and having fun during the cocktail hour.
As I perform, I'll gather them together in groups and crowds, breaking the "sit with your department" pattern.
We'll give them shared experiences to compare and contrast so they have interesting things to discuss (rather than boring shop talk).
We'll reinforce that pattern during the cocktail party with more magic each night. Nightly repetition will replace the "corporate meeting" pattern with a fun, engaging, "celebrate our success" and "enjoy the rewards" pattern.
Changing the music, the food, the gift, or the keynote speaker wouldn't do that. Those are just variations on the old pattern.
An effective pattern interrupt requires people to think and do things in ways that don't fit the old pattern.
Naturally, this applies to all sorts of events - holiday parties, golf tournaments, sales kick-offs, annual meetings, conferences. These all have patterns that can be interrupted and replaced with new behaviors that help you accomplish your business goals.
Til next week
Mike
PS: If you’re open to a conversation about your specific event, we can set up a 30-minute call. We’ll discuss what you've done in the past, what's worked, and what you want to accomplish. Then, based on what you tell me, I tell you what other people like you have done in similar situations. Give a call (561) 596 3877 or visit magicmeansbusiness.com/contact to schedule a conversation.