It's #WEC11, and I have no fewer than four event flows to review, three sets of remarks to rehearse, two apps to download and one back to crack. But I’m PUMPED. As I connect to the energy of the banter on the various social networks, I get the digital equivalent a caffeine jolt. The relentless speed and breadth of our industry never ceases to amaze me, as does the constant thirst for information and connections.

It's all part of the new rules of engagement that inspired the redesign of WEC 2011 in Orlando.

At the Sunday OGS, TED-speaker Simon Sinek is going to first make sure we focus on the “WHY” as in “why should you care?" That’s not just an axiom for #WEC11 but for all of us on how we manage our businesses.

One of the key new rules of engagement is what I call “thinking outside the room.” For #WEC11, we’re deploying an armada of mobile and desktop connection platforms aimed at enriching attendee value and also for those members who cannot make it to #WEC11. This includes our mobile apps, which this year also includes a #WEC11 tablet app AND the industry’s first-ever publication app for One+. And for those of our members that cannot make it to fabulous Orlando, you can get the conference experience on your desktop with MPI Live. Our partners at Fusion Productions are working with us to bring you some great #WEC11 content directly to you via the MPIWeb Home Page. While all these will fill up your mind and keep you up-to-date/connected, they’ll also not weigh you down and will reduce our carbon footprint by reducing paper.

Then there is our marketplace experience. Gone is the traditional trade show, replaced with individual hosted buyer appointments and conversations. We weren’t sure how it would resonate. We’re thrilled that it sold out not once, but twice with almost 4,000 appointments scheduled and counting.

There’s also the new formats and networking opportunities. In the spirit of co-creation, our spring Meeting Madness campaign helped guide some key session selection. Flash Point is back and the speakers are already connecting with our attendees in webinars and the like. I predict that the Solution Room is going to be a crowd fave. We rolled it out last February in Dusseldorf, and it was a highlight reel all on its own.

Finally, there’s Orlando. One of the most creative cities on the planet. There’s no better place to seek design inspiration when you’ve got the spirit of Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter everywhere. The host committee is pulling out all the stops to blow us all away.

In closing, reading this…and it's not a complete list…I cannot help but be BLOWN AWAY by what our entire team has delivered. You all ROCK! And that’s probably what’s got me most excited of all.

It's #WEC11, and I have no fewer than four event flows to review, three sets of remarks to rehearse, two apps to download and one back to crack. But I’m PUMPED. As I connect to the energy of the banter on the various social networks, I get the digital equivalent a caffeine jolt. The relentless speed and breadth of our industry never ceases to amaze me, as does the constant thirst for information and connections.

It's all part of the new rules of engagement that inspired the redesign of WEC 2011 in Orlando.

At the Sunday OGS, TED-speaker Simon Sinek is going to first make sure we focus on the “WHY” as in “why should you care?" That’s not just an axiom for #WEC11 but for all of us on how we manage our businesses.

One of the key new rules of engagement is what I call “thinking outside the room.” For #WEC11, we’re deploying an armada of mobile and desktop connection platforms aimed at enriching attendee value and also for those members who cannot make it to #WEC11. This includes our mobile apps, which this year also includes a #WEC11 tablet app AND the industry’s first-ever publication app for One+. And for those of our members that cannot make it to fabulous Orlando, you can get the conference experience on your desktop with MPI Live. Our partners at Fusion Productions are working with us to bring you some great #WEC11 content directly to you via the MPIWeb Home Page. While all these will fill up your mind and keep you up-to-date/connected, they’ll also not weigh you down and will reduce our carbon footprint by reducing paper.

Then there is our marketplace experience. Gone is the traditional trade show, replaced with individual hosted buyer appointments and conversations. We weren’t sure how it would resonate. We’re thrilled that it sold out not once, but twice with almost 4,000 appointments scheduled and counting.

There’s also the new formats and networking opportunities. In the spirit of co-creation, our spring Meeting Madness campaign helped guide some key session selection. Flash Point is back and the speakers are already connecting with our attendees in webinars and the like. I predict that the Solution Room is going to be a crowd fave. We rolled it out last February in Dusseldorf, and it was a highlight reel all on its own.

Finally, there’s Orlando. One of the most creative cities on the planet. There’s no better place to seek design inspiration when you’ve got the spirit of Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter everywhere. The host committee is pulling out all the stops to blow us all away.

In closing, reading this…and it's not a complete list…I cannot help but be BLOWN AWAY by what our entire team has delivered. You all ROCK! And that’s probably what’s got me most excited of all.