The prize is in the process

In this crazy fast paced industry, a successful event is?usually measured by the results; did the event achieve the?required outcome, was the client happy, were the attendees?engaged? Take a look at any post-event survey or checklist?and the evidence is there.?However, shouldn’t we also be?looking internally at the quality of the processes followed,?the happiness and wellbeing of the team and holding those?results in equal high regard as the external outcomes?

We work so hard to protect our Big Intimacy?culture.?You can feel it in our offices, it’s?everywhere, reaffirming who we are. On a general?basis, ask any one of us and we would say we are?happy (let’s be honest, everyone has bad days!) but?we are so very proud of our brand and truly love?our culture.?So how does that translate? How do?we use this passion to help us day to day with every?phone call or conversation, template completed or?budget calculated?

We need to embrace the process!?

Processes are there for a reason; to provide clarity,?manage expectations,?provide consistency, and?ensure accuracy of work.?They are not there to?dampen enthusiasm or?creativity; they are there to?provide a backbone, support and reassurance to allow?the time for creativity and?“outside the box” thinking.

Don’t focus solely on?the end result

Focus and redirect some of that energy on the process in hand, use those templates, read those guidelines, follow the step by step, and the more invested you become in the process, the more you will enjoy the journey and ultimately, the results.?Have you ever started a hobby with the end goal at the forefront of your mind, only to fail at the first hurdle (I know I have, needlework projects, crochet, nail art, you name it, I’ve tried it!) but if you forget about the end goal for a moment, and focus on the process to get better, learn more, you start to enjoy it and the results will follow naturally.??

Sometimes, the results may not always be what you first envisaged or planned for, and that may be due to a number of reasons, but if you’ve followed the process along the way, how great to be involved in making that process better for the future, learning from any shortfalls and providing a better framework for future projects.?That’s where the efficiencies come in and where the magic happens! It’s not all about the top line profits, if we can streamline the process, provide the right templates and tools for our team,?we can save money, time and have a happier workforce.??

Find your balance

It’s not all about working the most hours and weekends.?Did you know Denmark is one of the happiest places on the planet to live and work, due to their work / life balance policy??A US employee working for a Danish Company in Copenhagen, justified their position to their manager by detailing all the extra hours and weekends they had worked to get a project over the line.?Rather than receive a pat on the back for going the extra mile, they were given a stern talking to on the benefits of time management and told to go away and better plan their workload!?How refreshing is that!?

Summary

I can’t give any magic answers to reduce everyone’s workloads, and turn us into a Monday to Friday, 9-5 company (but we all know those magic working hours don’t exist in this industry!), but I know that if we work a little smarter, get the right processes in place and get everyone invested and engaged in the processes, however mundane they may be, our little world will be a better place to be, and you never know, one day we all might just learn to love them. And for me, that would be the greatest prize of all!??

Caroline Wakley - Your CPO!?(Chief Processing Officer)?