5 Tips for a Peaceful Passing of the Programs (Part 1)
A week or so ago Cindy and I covered a class for our colleague, Monica. It was a one-day program. At first glance it was pretty straightforward... until it wasn't. Do you ever think about writing down all the things you do on a daily basis or all the intricacies of running your events? Or updating your checklists daily? I would say most people don't. Here's what you can do when faced with having to cover for someone.
- Learn about the event. If you have the luxury of advanced notice before taking over an event then take advantage as much as possible. Have a meeting to ask about the purpose of the event and who will be in attendance. Gather information about the speakers and their needs during the program. Ask how the event is being funded, if there will be money collected, and what kind of forms the participants will need to fill out.
- Ask about the expectations. Ask what is expected of you before, during, and after the event. Based on the scenario I described above, we were only needed on the day of the program. The before and after was being handled by Monica, so we just needed to be attentive on the day of the program, check everyone in, and tend to the speakers' needs.
- Think about unexpected scenarios. Talk about what to do when presented with various scenarios. You may not be able to predict everything that will happen during the event, but the more prepared you can be the better. Some things could be, what to do if a speaker doesn't show up or an attendee is allergic to the meal being served. What should you do in the event of an emergency or where can you make last minute copies?
- Identify the important decision makers. If you run across a situation where you aren't able to make a decision yourself, find out who in attendance is able to make such key decisions. These people will likely be able to fill in the gaps that you might not have known about beforehand.
- Debrief. There is always something to be learned from an event. In this case, Cindy and I recommended that Monica use a typed sign in sheet in the future because it was difficult to read the attendees handwriting to know if they were there. Even though Monica would be the one deciphering the handwriting we collected, it was a good tip for her regardless. We also recommended that she take an allergy order prior to the program to submit to the caterer. Someone in the group was VERY allergic to gluten and had to wait for a separate plate from the caterer, which didn't arrive until the end of lunch.
Obviously, the event I described was a pretty straightforward one to handle. Not all events are so easy. What kind of tips do you have when you have to step into someone else's shoes mid-game?
Tune in tomorrow to read 5 more tips to peacefully pass along your programs, but from the other side of the table. What to do when you are preparing to pass your programs to someone else as opposed to taking them over.
5 MORE Tips for a Peaceful Passing of the Programs (Part 2)
For those of you that missed the post yesterday, you can read that above for what you should do when you're taking over someone else's program. Today's focus is on what you can do to prepare to pass your program along to someone else. I had this experience when I was preparing for maternity leave last year.
It was this time last year that I was putting the final touches on my programs and getting them in "tip-top" shape for someone else to run them and complete the post-program tasks. I was working incredibly hard to get everything done, and as a whole I think it was successful. Here are my 5 tips for preparing your programs for a peaceful takeover.
- Make a list. Find a way to make a checklist of everything that needs to be done before the program, during the program, and after the program. No task is too small! This can be down to how many copies need to be made before the event or how much food to order for meal.
- Remind yourself that your successor is not a mind reader. If it's in your head and not on paper then don't count on the task being completed upon your return. Even the best event planners haven't developed the unique skill of telepathy. If someone has, please email me and teach me the ways!!
- Work ahead. I know this is difficult, but work ahead as far as you can, that way the tasks you leave your successor are less in number. Chances are they are still trying to do their own job in addition to yours.
- Communicate expectations. Make sure that you communicate the expectations that you have and that your clients have about the event. You can't expect someone to succeed unless you give them clear expectations and goals. Go over the items that will make your event successful. This will help the next person prioritize which tasks are important and which ones can wait.
- Modify your expectations. All event planners have a certain way of running events. I like making sure that things are done for the people I'm serving before they ask. However, not everyone has this same priority. Understand that when you give up control of something that another person might not complete tasks in the same manner that you do, and that's okay. Everyone has their own work flow, so it's important for you to modify your expectations on how each task it getting done.
- BONUS TIP: Let it go, breathe, and enjoy! This item is about trust. If you've done everything you can to prepare you need to trust that the person taking over is going to do the best possible job they can. It may not be your way, but it will get done. Take a breath and enjoy your vacation, leave, or whatever you're stepping away to. I bet that whatever that thing is deserves your undivided attention. For me it was my new baby, and it was nice knowing that my programs were taken care of in my absence.
What tips do you have when you are transitioning job responsibilities to others? Leave your comments below!
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