The four essential roles you need for an internal event

What’s the difference between a good event and a great event?

Those of us who have led internal communication events and conferences know that it’s the on-the-job insights you learn through trial and error that can make the difference, and most of those seem to come from human experience.

Here’s my insider scoop to help you deliver a super-successful event – whether you’re brand new to the role and feel like you’re winging it, or whether you’ve led several but want the next one to be better and feel better.

So often we try to deliver a big event alone.

But in my experience the key to a successful event is this: gather a team of experts from the start.

Below I’m sharing the four roles I think are most important.

People love being part of an event.

Including them from the beginning allows them to contribute and be heard, be responsible for delivering what they’re good at (their expertise), and to shape their own role on the team.

1. A strong Personal or Executive Assistant has invaluable expertise to offer.
2. Bringing on board a savvy IT colleague from the outset makes sure all tech bases are covered, including those all-important rehearsals.
3. An experienced Learning & Development partner can help you build an inspiring conference agenda.
4. Asking business colleagues who are invested in the conference to assess a first draft outline will give you a useful sense of what will be well-received by the audience, and what may not work - giving you time to make adjustments.

The colleagues in these roles will think of things that you haven’t thought of - and early enough that you and they can do something about it.

The event responsibility is shared, and the team is involved from day one. When not brought in early they’re often told what to do right before the deadline which is frustrating for everyone.

The team will make your life easier as a communications leader: you get to focus on your area of expertise and you’re not trying to do everything.

By the way, when I asked AI what essential roles it would include the results were generic except for, ahem, vibe watcher which sounds like a fun job if you can get it.

“Some organizations assign a "Vibe Watcher" role to monitor non-verbal cues, interpersonal dynamics, and overall engagement levels during meetings or conferences, especially virtual ones.”

What AI said when I asked, ‘what roles are essential to make an internal event successful?’

• Event Director/Team Leader
• Event Coordinator/Administrator
• Budgeting/Treasury.
• On-Site Coordinator
• Marketing/Communications
• Technical Director

?What AI said when I asked, ‘please give me some non-obvious roles:’

• Tech host
• Chat Moderator
• Vibe watcher
• Session hosts
• Logistics Coordinator

AI gave me something helpful, but generic.

We communication pros know from experience what roles are needed for an event to succeed, and why. But AI doesn’t have that experience, so it wouldn’t know.

Which roles would you consider essential to include on your team? What do you think of AI’s ideas?

How can I help?

Are you curious about working with a leadership coach who specialises in internal communications and can help you deliver successful events?

I can help you make better decisions, build stronger relationships, be more creative and FEEL better.

And you’ll grow your leadership presence and influence.

Take advantage of my free insights & ideas session by emailing [email protected] (no selling, just talking).

Until then, come and connect with me on Linked In if we're not already connected.

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