2010: Go Ahead, Make My Day
The Energy of Many
By Bruce MacMillan, C.A.
WE MADE IT. AND IF YOU LIKED 2009, YOU’RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOVE 2010 BECAUSE THE SHIFT IS NOT OVER JUST YET.
The year that was for the meeting and event industry will best remembered for two transformational disruptions: first, the economy. The maelstrom of economic debilitation hit our industry like a tsunami, prompting cancellations and budget reductions. No business segment or destination was exempt. The speed of the disruption meant meeting professionals everywhere were in a constant scramble, waiting for the next blow, a reminder for all of us that meetings, business and economics are unequivocally connected. The other disruptive force was the serious body blow our industry took to our collective public, media and governmental image. For years, we have thirsted for attention. Well, be careful what you wish for. While devastating to our short-term well-being, I believe the storms of 2009 will also be remembered for bringing us together as an industry to deal with the crisis, creating a legacy of collaboration for our collective common good. 2009 will also be the year we asked some critical questions of ourselves about our role and value proposition in a forever-changed business landscape. Business value and performance are now the language of business and part of the new lingua franca we need to breathe for the foreseeable future. The existence of these hard-fought legacies from 2009 will position us for the continued industry SHIFT in 2010.
So what could 2010 have in-store for us?
The economy: Let’s get one thing clear—unforeseen global catastrophes aside, the meeting and event industry is not going into further meltdown in 2010. Meetings and events will remain key drivers of business growth and cornerstones of economic and social development around the globe. The 2010 economic news, per our MPI Foundation/American Express Business Barometer, shows constant improvement since February (8 percent positive business outlook) through October (34 percent positive). But take note: The industry SHIFT also means that those who can answer the call of the language of business will be the ones who benefit from the growth first and most fruitfully.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): It would be easy to believe that the adverse economy made CSR less relevant. To the contrary. The rampant demise of global public confidence in business means that corporate leaders are exploring every avenue to restore credibility to their brands as a way to grow. Throw in more government regulation, and meetings and events will have no choice but to walk the talk of CSR. And the meeting professional will be expected translate that talk into action.
Collaborative Connection Technology: In 2009 our industry adopted Web 2.0 technology, in part because its exponential growth left us no choice…and the fact it was free. In 2010, we’ll have to figure out how to use it to drive business results from the connections at our events. If we do not, someone among the 250 million Facebook users and 60 million Twitter users certainly will. 2010 will likely also be the year that developers realize that your chosen mobile human connection device will be the platform upon which to build most meeting applications instead of adding yet another appliance to your digital stack.
Yes, 2010 will be another year in the great tectonic shift of our industry. One thing I take comfort in is the fact that if we play it right, our industry will be stronger and more relevant a year from now as the universe continues to unfold the way it should.
BRUCE MACMILLAN, C.A., is CEO and president of MPI. He can be reached at bmacmillan@mpiweb.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/BMACMPI.