12 Leadership lessons from organizing a multi-part event

"I've not done this before!" were the first words that popped into my mind, when faced with the big task of organising the Asia Professional Speakers Singapore Convention.

It wasn't just a 2-day 1 night event, it would also include a pre-event and a post-event, plus fringe events around Singapore, to welcome our visitors from overseas.

There was a huge pressure to make it a success, and I felt the weight.

Thankfully, it all went smoothly and feedback has been very positive. ??

I'm writing this to capture the learnings I've had, and to encourage others who might be stepping up to lead, in one or another.

1. Get clear on the vision. The theme within the association was Mavericks, and immediately I was reminded of my idol, Brene Brown. Not only did her TED Talk go viral, it was on (what appeared to be) unlikely topics of vulnerability and shame. We eventually chose the theme DARE+, to signify the Maverick's ability to push boundaries, to innovate, and as a result create possibilities (++). It helped bring us all together for a common goal.
2. Onboard a stellar team. Prior to getting started, I spent time with each of my team members (who had volunteered) getting to know their strengths and area of interest. Then I matched the two, and placed them where they would shine. For example, programming lead Shawn Hoh had experience designing programs, and also was meticulous in planning the timeline and that made him the man for the job. You may have the best people, but if they are not utilising their strengths, they may flounder.
3. Ask for help. Given that I had not done something like this before, I also sought out mentors who could advise on various aspects as they had done it before. Most importantly, I had a mentor Cathy Johnson, CSP Authentic Leadership Coach who could hold space for me when s**t hit the fan, or when I needed to vent. I also had a support team in Coen Tan, CSP and Cindy Tien, EQ Maven, CSP who were unwaveringly supportive.
4. Communicate clearly. We say this often, but what does it mean? It means communicating in a way that people know what they need to do, and then be able to execute. Vague, non-specific communication will come back to haunt you. This means that as the leader, you need to be clear on what it is that needs to be done. While the team can clarify, it's your responsibility to make it as friction-less as possible.
5. Be the conductor. It's tempting to want to do everything for everyone, because it matters alot. And there were times when I did fill the gaps because my team was busy. But for the most part, I was holding the pieces together by focusing on the big picture and making sure things flow. I would check in frequently but not do their job, keeping them on track but not constrain them.
6. Appreciate often. From the research, appreciation is often underused. So I made it a point to say thank you, hosted our first meeting at our place and reminded everyone of the good progress we were making. Particularly because they were all volunteers, it was important to keep everyone motivated over the course of 5 months. On event day, I thanked the tech team profusely as I know that sometimes, they are overlooked.
7. Make fewer assumptions. If there was a small missing piece of information I did not know, I asked until I found the answer. It's easy to think "Ah that won't matter." But these things can magnify come event day, and you'll be in such a busy frame of mind that you can get overwhelmed quickly. I preferred to make sure that we knew what could crop up and what we had missed ahead of time, so we could nip it in the bud.
8. Get enough rest. Yes, i know this feels odd to put here, but I made sure to sleep well, so that I could have the energy to focus and work. I found that my mind was clearer, and I was able to get less rattled. All in all, it made for a far more positive experience especially in the leadup to the big event.
9. Systems, systems, systems. I laugh as I type this, because I've never been one for systems. But to manage an event with so many moving parts meant there needed to be systems, processes, flow etc etc. This meant a flow for emails, who does-what, setting up whatsapp groups, making sure communication doesn't get missed etc. James Clear says "You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems."
10. Be open to new ideas. We were putting up a Convention with a theme that was about daring. We needed new ideas, but also it needed to be implementable on a fairly new budget. Team members gave suggestions, and from there new ways of doing things were born. I learnt that it's important to listen, and then make a decision based on the overall vision.
11. Make tough calls if needed. I had to have a few difficult conversations, partly owing to making some mistakes I had made, and that really tested me. We also had to make some other hard decisions. As a recovering people pleaser, this was the hardest. But I learnt that it is necessary to do so because we are not here to please others, but to run a successful event.
12. Just ask, what's the worse? In the beginning, I procrastinated alot. I didn't want to ask, maybe deep down I was scared to be rejected. That only hampered the progress, and I created a cycle of "I'm doomed!" Then I reminded myself that if I didn't ask, no one would ask for me, at least not for everything. So I asked, and guess what! Some said No, but many said YES! What a beautiful lesson to learn.

Being a leader is not for the faint of heart.

But if you are feeling faint, take heart, it is only because there is alot you don't know. Well, my biggest lesson is that I don't have to know everything but I can find a team who knows their stuff, and others who can support you.

Please #share this if you'd think it will benefit others. ??

#leadership #joy #teamwork

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