August 19, 2005
Wednesday's golf outing
Wanted to give a quick nod to those who participated in the golf tournament at The Springhouse Links on Wednesday. For posterity, here are the results:
First place team: Griff Harrison, Avectra; Jay Karen, National Golf Course Owners Association (now that's a big surprise, huh?); Robert Miller, Avectra; Thomas Nordby, National Defense Industrial Association.
2nd place team: Terri Elliott, NACE International; Joseph Hummel, Allied Construction Industries; Dale Lockett, Albuquerque CVB
Skills
- Longest Drive, Men: Vince Wesley, SunTrust Bank; Women: Kathy Cannon, Society for Pediatric Research
- Longest Putt (27ft. 2in.): Bruce Dalton, Grapevine CVB
- Closest to the pin, hole #15 (14ft. 2in.): Kenny Jordan, Association of Energy Service Companies
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 06:52 AM | Comments (0)
August 18, 2005
All Business is Show Business
I missed Scott McKain's session on All Business is Show Business, but a co-worker attended and said she enjoyed it. As others have said, it's easy to get back to work and forget all of the great things you have learned.
That's one reason I would recommend blogging the annual meeting as a way to retain more of the great information. Because I knew I would be writing about sessions afterwards, I listened much more attentively. I tried harder. And writing about it afterwards cemented it more in my mind.
This morning, while shoveling through the Inbox, Fast Company pointed to an article they published in 1999, How to Wow An Audience - Every Time. It focuses, like McKain, on using acting's best practices to inject energy and flair in our professional lives.
In his book, McKain relates that in a recent survey more than 70% of shoppers said they would tend to switch where they buy things if it were "more fun" to shop somewhere else. (To read an excerpt from the book, click here.) And I think that was one of the great successes of the ASAE annual meeting - it was definitely more fun this year, from the speakers to the entertainment.
Congratulations to all of the ASAE staff on a job well done. In addition to all of the great speakers, I got some great ideas on how to make our annual meeting more fun through your examples.
Posted by Shawn Lea at 10:02 AM | Comments (1)
August 16, 2005
File under Only in Nashville...
Guitar-shaped fly swatters.
Posted by Shawn Lea at 01:33 PM | Comments (0)
Silly booth giveaways
From rubber ducks to pins to key chains to luggage tags to magnets to stuffed animals to stickers to etc. to etc. -- we all know the tradeshow drill: Fill up four bags of stuff to thrill the kids or grandkids. My personal favorite of the little items being given away?
Salt Lake City's customized bobblehead. (Not a particularly good picture -- sorry the flash blew out the closest faces.)
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2005
The Singing Bartender
Opryland is full of surprises. In a place this huge, why wouldn't it be? There's something new and interesting around every corner (and since I have no sense of direction and keep getting lost, I've turned around a lot of corners).
One surprise I found yesterday: Blanche the Singing Bartender. Yes, I said singing bartender. I popped into the Delta Lounge for a drink yesterday and thought a version of "Proud Mary" I'd never heard before was playing on the radio. Then I thought, wow, this bartender's sure heard it before, because she's lip-syncing perfectly. Then I realized, holy $%^#, it's not the radio, she's singing it!
I mean, it's one thing for someone to sing while she's pouring drinks. It's another for her to sing while she's pouring drinks ... with an amazing voice! You haven't been served a beer until you've been served a beer by a bartender who's belting out "Don't It Make Your Brown Eyes Blue" -- flawlessly.
Blanche is from New Jersey and down here for a gig through Wednesday. (And, yes, she does conventions, events, and parties.) On Tuesday night, there's a lot of stuff going on, I know, but treat yourself at some point from 5-8pm by stopping by the Delta Lounge (in the Delta Island area of Opryland) for a drink and a pleasantly surprising experience.
Posted by Kevin Holland at 08:33 PM | Comments (1)
Inaugural ASAE & The Center 5k Run
The first-ever 5k run was Sunday morning. And the results are (drumroll please...)
Ben Boerner from the Texas Grain and Feed Association for the men and Sheri Jacobs from the Association Forum of Chicagoland for the women.
It should be noted that Boerner was a ringer of sorts -- it's my understanding that he was one of the originators of the idea to hold the race. No matter, it was an excellent event and a fun morning. Congratulations to all those involved.
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 12:11 AM | Comments (0)
Rebooting the Body
There are two primary maladies that can turn your happy convention trails into unhappy trials - the common cold and the common hangover. In the August issue of Business 2.0, Robb Cooper of NGB Software Technologies says he has found something that will kill both birds with one stone: Berocca effervescent supplements. (If you're in Heathrow anyway pick up some for all of us next year. Or you can buy it online here.)
Drop a Berocca tablet into a glass of water and you'll get your daily dose of vitamins - and relief. It's not availabe in the states yet, but there is a similar U.S. product, Emer'gen-C.
Posted by Shawn Lea at 12:04 AM | Comments (0)
August 14, 2005
My Feet Are Killing Me!
Just walked the whole expo floor and had to come back to my room to get off my feet for a bit. I like to take the first day to go from end to end to see everything that's there, and then return to specific vendors on the second day.
I haven't paid attention to the numbers they've been releasing but the floor sure feels bigger this year than the last few. Lots of interesting stuff (and fun giveaways). Never mind all the iPod drawings -- get a mini-crabcake from Baltimore and some real Cafe du Monde coffee from New Orleans.
Oh, and I have to echo Scott's earlier entry -- that was one heck of a party the Gaylord threw last night. Lots of people talked about SheDaisy's appearance in the atrium, but the real fun to be had was in the little bar in the center of the Delta area. I don't know what that band was called but they had the whole place hopping. Literally.
That could have been from the music, or it could have been from the shots of Jack Daniels they were handing out nearby. It's all very murky.
Posted by Kevin Holland at 01:52 PM | Comments (0)
Arrival Impressions
On my first full day in Nashville, I attended the leadership breakfast, participated in the Technology Section Council meeting, presented at a session, went to the authors reception, had some food at the main reception in the Opryland Delta, and met up with several association bloggers at Eddie's Restaurant downtown. Phew!
I'm taking some time this morning to catch my breath after that first day and wanted to post a few of my initial impressions of the meeting so far.
Opryland is HUGE
I knew this having worked a meeting here years ago but it is easy to forget exactly how big this place is. I'll be interested to see how many attendees are here on site because we still seem to be able to fill up the place (I spent about 20 minutes just getting across the reception in the Delta area last night where all the food and people were). There are many people with orange ribbons from the property staff who are always happy to provide directions, which helps a lot.
Web Kiosks Everywhere
There are dozens of computers set up in numerous locations to provide web access. I haven't seen too many lines yet to use them, which is great since that has often been a bottleneck at past ASAE meetings I've been to that had all the stations in one location. Nice improvement!
Putting Faces to Blogs
I'm finally meeting some association bloggers who I have read for a long time but have never met. It's interesting to talk to someone who you have read for a long time. It as if you have this base of conversation to build on already in place. Ben Martin said he was surprised that I didn't seem as old in person as he thought I would be. I guess I blog old. :)
Posted by David Gammel at 10:38 AM | Comments (0)
THE book
A wealth of knoweldge and ideas await you at the ASAE & The Center bookstore, but tucked away in a corner there is one copy of one book that, perhaps, has the best possibility of challenging someone to break out of a rut and find success by trying something new. The book is Maverick by Ricardo Semler. Executive Update, the magazine that was published by The Center through June of this year, had an article by Semler in the June 2004 issue that sparked quite a debate on the ASAE Executive Management listserver.
In any event, if you can find the one copy of this book in the bookstore, it comes with my highest recommendation. But act fast, it is, in fact, the last copy of the book that ASAE & The Center have for sale.
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 06:56 AM | Comments (2)
August 13, 2005
Thanking our sponsor
Just wanted to give a quick thank you to our sponsor, VISIT Milwaukee. It's a surprising destination, and I'd encourage everyone onsite to visit them at booth 713. And I've followed Erin's blog about Milwaukee and it's certainly worth a read.
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)
Professional Bloggers Association
Wendy asked Scott if there were any blogger associations and he mentioned the Media Bloggers Association. But there is also a Professional Bloggers Association, started by a fellow Mississippian and a friend of mine, Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group.
It is international in scope, with members from the US, Canada, and Europe (and Mississippi, which some people consider a foreign country). And our own Kevin Holland is an original member.
Posted by Shawn Lea at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)
Association of bloggers
In a comment, Wendy K. Stewart asks if there are any blogger associations.
Wendy, Wendy, Wendy... everyone knows there's an association for everything. Check out this site.
A quick check in the ASAE database revealed that no staff from the Media Bloggers Association are members -- guess we'll have to give them a call.
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 09:34 AM | Comments (2)
Day one is underway!
Things get started in earnest for me today. I'm blogging from the shuttle bus en route to the Opryland Hotel. A volunteer leadership breakfast starts in a few minutes for ASAE boards, committees, and advisory councils. Then the councils have half day meetings. I'll catch a session or two this afternoon and then its the much anticipated blogger party this evening. The sprint begins...
Posted by Ben Martin at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2005
Memories
First time attendee? Want to know what it's like for a first-timer? Take a look back at the experience of a first-time Annual Meeting attendee from last year in Minneapolis.
Posted by Ben Martin at 09:11 AM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2005
Packing for Nashville?
Don't forget to leave a little extra space in your suitcase for conference materials and all the other stuff you'll pick up along the way and will want to bring home. I always forget to do that.
Posted by Ben Martin at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)
Networking, Part II
I think I'm the first of the bloggers to make it to Nashville, as I'm all comfy-cozy in my Opryland hotel room.
I wasn't initially going to use the term networking, preferring the term “conversation.” I want to encourage everyone attending to have a real conversation with at least two people they don’t know every day they’re here. Here’s my first one.
On the ride from the airport in an Opryland “shuttle” (actually a full-size bus), it was me and one other person. That other person happened to be Gene Fondren, chair of ASAE in 1991-92 and executive director of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association for 32 years before retiring early last year.
Always on the lookout for a story idea – for the blog or the new magazine or wherever we can use it – I asked Gene if he had any advice for someone about to retire. Gene is a lawyer and has proven his dedication to his members by doing a bit of pro bono legal work for them since his retirement.
“I think the biggest thing that surprised me was not having a staff any more,” he said, noting that TADA had a staff of 30-something when he was there. “You really come to rely on them for a lot of things that you just don’t think about – from getting organized to finding out information for you. It took some adjustment.”
So there you have it. And for those readers who know Gene, here’s a tidbit that might help you get to know him better. He’s especially excited to be here at Nashville because he’s a huge country-western music fan. In fact, he paid his way through law school spinning records for a country music station. “Patsy Cline. I believe she had the finest female voice ever,” he said. “There hasn’t been anyone like her since.”
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
Networking
Everybody knows that conferences are partially about “networking.” For a long time I simply let networking “happen naturally.” And that works—but it can take a long time. I like to be a bit more intentional about networking now.
So, related to two of Kevin’s posts (one on ROI and one about “questions”), here are some questions to consider about why and how you will network at this year’s annual meeting:
Does networking really mean hanging around with people you already know and are friends with?
What does it mean for you to be “better” connected or networked? Specifically, what kinds of people or which specific people do you need to meet and have conversations with?
Who within your existing network has connections to these people or groups? Have you specifically asked for their help in getting you introductions?
What value do YOU bring to these new connections?
Posted by Jamie Notter at 07:07 AM | Comments (1)
August 10, 2005
Using Creative Commons Content for Presentations
Last week as I prepared for one of the sessions I am participating in at Nashville, I decided I wanted to get something fresh for the graphics in our slides. Off I went to Flickr in search of some creative commons licensed photos.
CC-licensed images that allow commercial use are fair game to download and incorporate into your presentations or other visual media. If the license the author chose also allows derivations, you can alter the original work as well. In all cases you are required to acknowledge the author as the originator of the image.
So, here is what we developed from the original photo taken by Todd Klassy:
One of the beautiful things about Flickr is that they make it easy for people to share their photos under this type of license while also making it easy for others to find and use them.
Visit the Creative Commons web site for more information on the license and also be sure to check out the ASAE/Center Annual Meeting group on Flickr.Posted by David Gammel at 10:56 PM | Comments (1)
August 09, 2005
Get out!
Nashville is known for its music scene, and not just country music. Want to know who's playing in Nashville next week? Just mosey on over to www.pollstar.com and find out.
Posted by Ben Martin at 06:15 PM | Comments (0)
Extreme Podcasting
(I think the Miscellaneous Category was created just for me.)
Podcaster and Mission Specialist Steve Robinson sent the first podcast from outer space on Aug. 7, from aboard the International Space Station. (No blog yet, though.)
(Thanks to whatnextblog.com for the link.)
Posted by Shawn Lea at 11:20 AM | Comments (1)
Extreme Career Changes: From Corporate to Country
Laura Cantrell, a Nasvhille native, once had an 8-to-5 job like the rest of us. (Where did they get 9-to-5 from? Not in my lifetime.) She once served as vice president of equity research at Bank of America.
And now? She's a full-blown country music artist with a new record (her third) out on Matador, Humming by the Flowered Vine. (And this time she won't have to use up all of her vacation and sick days to go on tour.)
Jia Lynn Yang, in Fortune magazine (July 25, 2005), asked her if she missed anything about her former corporate life. Her reply: "I got the chance to walk into my boss's office and say, 'I'm going on tour with Elvis Costello' and see the reaction on her face."
And, in another "extreme" twist, Laura left Nashville and moved to New York City to become a country music star. (I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!)
Posted by Shawn Lea at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)
More than country
People who haven't been to Nashville often think "country music" when they hear the city's name. And yeah, Nashville certainly is the heart of that particular genre. But Nashville's nickname of "Music City" covers a lot more territory. Hit the downtown scene and you'll find live music of every type.
If, like me, you're not particularly big on country but love good, live blues, you're in luck. The Music City Blues Society lists 29 local blues clubs and offers an online calendar of music and special events. (Looks like I'll miss by a day Buddy Guy playing at Riverfront Park on the 18th.)
Nashville's history is rich with rhythm & blues music. In fact, the museum devoted to the town's better-known sound -- the Country Music Hall of Fame -- has a special exhibit going on through December, "Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970," that looks worth checking out, too.
Posted by Kevin Holland at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
July 20, 2005
What's the big deal about a blog?
This blog is about and for the ASAE & The Center for Association Ledasership Annual Meeting, not "blogging" itself, but I have to point out one of the things that makes a blog "different" from other communications methods: For one, look how easy it is to use them to get an actual conversation started.
The launch of this blog has been mentioned by several other sites this week (not just the ones run by those of us who are posting to it), and you might even say has sparked its own mini-controversy (very mini): Rich and Expophile both chastise us for emphasizing to our readers that they can subscribe to posts via email, without mentioning at all the RSS subscription and how it works.
Okay, I concede their point.
So, to all you blog newcomers, here are a couple of quick tips about RSS, what it is, and how to use it. I promise, in the future, to try to keep the technical stuff like this to a minimum.
1) This site is available via RSS syndication, which stands for "Really Simple Syndication." RSS allows you to subscribe to sites that offer newsfeeds using readers. This means you can automatically read posted news items and articles from sites you've "subscribed" to without having to go to their actual Web sites or waiting to get an e-mail. Blogs provide newsfeeds, but so do pretty much all other major news publications on the Web.
2) The easiest and quickest way to get a feel for what RSS is and how it can make your life easier is to go to bloglines.com. Create an account, then go to the "My Feeds" button and click "Add." In the field where it says to type the blog or feed url, just enter this site's URL -- "www.xtremeasaeblog.org." Bloglines will find the feed and do the rest.
That's pretty much it. Poke around Bloglines if you want to find lots of other feeds you might find of interest (a good place to start is their top feeds list). Then you will discover how easy it is to be able to go to one place to get all the latest news and information from a whole bunch of different places without having to worry about going to different Web sites or hassle with e-mail spam filters.
There's more that can be said about RSS, but it all gets pretty boring. You can also download standalone software to aggregate feeds, download software that integrates with Outlook, or download the superior browser Firefox and use its "Live Bookmarks" feature.
But in any event, that's the 30-second RSS lesson.
RSS: The stuff that interests you, when it's published, when you feel like reading it. (Are you starting to wonder how this concept can be applied by your own organization yet?)
Posted by Kevin Holland at 08:40 AM | Comments (2)
July 15, 2005
A look back
With an excellent cast of volunteer bloggers, the 2005 version of the annual meeting blog is certain to be new and improved. Still last year's blog — the first ever ASAE & The Center Annual Meeting blog — is available for you to take a look back at the Minneapolis meeting. Make sure you check out the trade show shoe post — any ideas how to top that this year?
Posted by ScottBriscoe at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)