A post on the Event Manager blog names the top attributes of successful meeting planners, as identified by a statistical majority, as: 1. Flexibility, 2. People Skills, 3. Organization, 4. Passion and 5. Time Management.

While you might change the order, you’d most likely agree with the list. I reflected on it during the 10-hour bus ride back from the 2010 Rejuvenate Marketplace in Louisville last week. After a week of long hours on the convention center floor, getting stuck in a really bad traffic jam after 5 hours on the bus required a lot of patience. We arrived back in Atlanta, thanks to the flexibility of our driver who carefully backed the bus down the emergency lane onto an exit ramp and worked his way on back roads from Chattanooga to Atlanta. The delay, obviously, was an unwelcome mishap but is now part of the story of this event, adding to the memories and, for some, funny in the telling — the bus ride, I mean, which included bad jokes, a lot of candy and mostly good spirits.

This week, we are having a round of post-con meetings in the office. We have a long list of what worked out well and what needs to be improved. As a team, we pretty much reflect the skills listed above: We listen to each other and our attendees, and are flexible in responding to suggestions. We share a passion for our Marketplace events, despite the bus ride. We work year-round to organize each Marketplace. And, I am proud of the reputation our team has for its people skills, proven by the warm reception and great testimonials we get from our attendees.

We heard from general session speaker George Barna that no one person has all the skills needed to lead an organization; in fact, it takes a blend of talents, a team. College Football Hall of Fame’s Coach Bobby Bowden delivered a similar message with humor and inspiration. And Kirk Franklin’s rousing closing night performance served as yet another example, giving it up to his back-up singers and musicians, then inviting the audience to join in on most numbers. A star performance is not focused on one person’s talent.

What did you learn at last week’s event?

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