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Category: Planner Tips

Changing Industries Forever with Virtual Reality

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Architectural Digest recently published insights on how virtual reality is changing the way that individuals across many industries are doing business. Patrick Sutton, an architect from Baltimore, discovered that the interior design industry could advance by leaps and bounds with the use of this technology. Instead of having to meet face-to-face with clients and present them with ideas on a flat 2-D surface, Sutton found that he could show them what he had in mind. They could experience his ideas for themselves and together they could work on how to adjust and change the designs. The technology to create virtual designs is currently not an inexpensive option, but it does help clients get exactly what they want and increases trust and satisfaction. Sutton found that virtual reality allowed he and his clients to make small changes along the way and have a much better idea about how it is all going to fit together.

As impressive as virtual reality is for the field of architecture, it is tremendously underutilized for other industries. Many forecast that as technology advances and headgear becomes more comfortable and affordable, businesses will begin to get a taste of just how beneficial virtual reality could be for their field. According to Event Drive, the popularity of virtual reality used for entertainment and education during meetings and events is also positioned to grow. In October 2017, Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of Oculus venues, a Social platform in virtual reality that enables live events to be seen with LiveNation and TicketMaster and an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.

Benefits of this technology are substantial – when incorporated as entertainment it’s a guaranteed way to engage with attendees. Statistics show that by the end of 2018, there will be over 170 million virtual reality users worldwide. This growing accessibility makes it the perfect time to engage with event audiences by creating unique brand experiences with virtual reality technology.

AMA Executive Conference Centers provide meeting spaces customized to both individual and company meeting planner needs. We are experts at planning professional gatherings and have convenient facilities in five locations: Atlanta, New York City, Washington DC and San Francisco. Contact us at AMA Executive Conference Centers to learn more and reserve a space for your next meeting.

TED Talks on Success for Meeting and Event Professionals

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Success can mean different things to different people. What remains the same is the desire for success as a meeting and event professional.  Let these three TED talks inspire and encourage you to greater heights in your profession!

Embrace The Near Win

Success is a journey. It does not happen overnight. What we can do is recognize the adventure for what it is and enjoy it. Sarah Lewis, an art historian and critic, explains how the almost failure and the near win can be just as important in our lives as the successes. This TED talk will inspire you to celebrate and embrace the near wins in your life.

The Difference Between Winning and Succeeding

Coach John Wooden led his team at UCLA to record wins in the world of basketball. He opens up in this TED talk about many things regarding winning, succeeding and the profound difference. Coach shares his father’s wisdom regarding success with us, as well as how he encouraged and inspired his players to monumental accomplishments. You’ll also enjoy the moments he quotes poetry. Coach John Wooden will deeply inspire you to embrace success, not just the win.

8 Secrets of Success

This power-packed,  three minute clip, brought to you by Richard St. John, will change your life forever. In under four minutes, Richard St. John an analyst and author, manages to explain in plain language (with humor) the 8 key points to success. He condensed his two hour, high school presentation down to a precise and power-filled slideshow. One that anyone, of any age and occupation, can implement immediately. This is a must-watch for everyone! He effectively breaks down the basic keys to success in life. They’re easy to follow, easy to understand and will change your outlook and aid in your success.

Success is desirable in all professions. These TED talks will encourage the event professional or meeting specialist to seek greater heights and bigger accomplishments. They will inspire you to learn, reflect and grow in your profession.

AMA Executive Conference Centers are focused on creating environments that will help your meeting and conference goals to be achieved. To learn more about our Centers in Atlanta, New York, Washington DC and San Francisco, click here to contact us.

How to Make Effective Use Of Your Time

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Time is the most precious resource we have, but too many distractions threaten to slow down progress and steal time. If you want to make the most effective use of your time, you’ll have to learn how to avoid distractions and maintain momentum.

Identify and Remove Distractions

Covey’s Time Management Grid is a four quadrant grid that divides the things that take up your time based on their urgency and importance.
Click here to view grid: https://www2.usgs.gov/humancapital/documents/TimeManagementGrid.pdf

  • Quadrant 1: Urgent and important (like an approaching deadline or family emergency.)
  • Quadrant 2: Not urgent but important (like a long-term professional or personal goal.)
  • Quadrant 3: Urgent but not important (favors or tasks other people want you to do urgently.)
  • Quadrant 4: Not urgent and not important (like watching television or browsing social media.)

It is ideal to remain in quadrant 2 as much as possible. The more Q3 and Q4 activities you can avoid, the less time you’ll spend scrambling in Q1. Remove unimportant distractions by:

Build and Maintain Your Momentum

One of the best ways to make the most of your time is to not procrastinate in the beginning waiting on perfect circumstances. According to Business Insider, it’s better to get working in the beginning, and worry about quality later. Once you get the ball rolling, it’s important to keep it rolling. A few things you can do to maintain your momentum are:

  • Keep your mind on the task at hand and worry about your long-term strategies later.
  • Split your project into smaller tasks to build momentum and progression.
  • Your mind can wander when you are tired, so be sure to start the day with your biggest tasks.

Keep It Simple

Making things simple is a great way to progress and keep your momentum going. AMA’s Executive Conference Centers have Centers in a variety of cities, and each with flexible meeting configurations uniquely tailored for training sessions, meetings, conferences and more. Click here to contact with us to learn more our Centers in Atlanta, New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco.

3 TED Talks With an Interesting Take on Grammar

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Good grammar is key to professional communication. A solid command of the rules allows you to share your ideas effectively. But for many people, grammar can be tricky and a bit mundane. That’s why we’ve gathered a few of our favorite TED talks on the subject. They each bring a fresh perspective to what can otherwise be a pretty dry topic.

The Tricky Semicolon

Oh, the dreaded semicolon. If you often wonder how and when to use this bit of punctuation, this quick video from Emma Bryce is for you. It’s part of a TED-Ed series that transforms ideas into animated lessons. The video lays out everything you need to know about the semicolon in a fun and creative way. Understanding how to use this tool can help you connect your ideas more powerfully.

Inside the World of a Copy Editor

For something completely different, check out Mary Norris’ quirky take on her experiences as a copy editor for the New Yorker. This may not be a step-by-step lesson on grammar, but it is an insightful look at how to tackle grammatical issues while maintaining the voice of the writing. It’ll get you thinking about how grammar influences the reader’s perception. Making a choice that’s not grammatically correct may do a better job of getting your meaning across.

But Really, What’s the Point?

How much does good grammar really matter? In this video, Andreea Calude poses this very question. The TED-Ed lesson takes viewers on a journey through the history of written language, explaining the cultural background of grammar rules. It explores the fascinating differences between written and spoken language. Mary Norris’ talk posits that the rules can be bent in certain situations. This video compliments that idea nicely.

Who knew grammar could be so interesting? We always enjoy how TED talks put a spin on things. It makes for a thought-provoking learning experience, no matter the topic.

3 Top Fall Attractions in New York

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New York City is home to more than 8.6+ million people. That size of a population makes it a space where there is a lot to do no matter what time of year it is. The entire city is home to a variety of great fall time activities. Whether you’re interested in pumpkin patches, sipping apple cider, taking a hayride, going Trick-Or-Treat, hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, or selecting yourselves a living Christmas tree, New York City has something to offer everyone throughout the Fall season.

Here are a few of our top fall attractions in New York:

Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival

The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival runs September 7th & 8th at the Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York and admissions run from $7 to $35. This fall festival includes plenty of tastings from wineries, distilleries, and ciders that come to showcase at the event. Choose your sampling and then decide which ones you would like to purchase. Gourmet food and food trucks will finish off your experience. Click here to visit them online for more information. 

NYC Oktoberfest

NYC natives love attending the annual NYC Oktoberfest – also enjoyed by regional visitors and tourists alike. Attendees enjoy over 50 different food vendors and can shop at over 100 different merchandisers. This event is free and takes place from Lexington Avenue to 42nd-57th streets in New York City on October 5, 2019. Click here to visit them online for more information.

Bayswater Fall Festival

The Bayswater Fall Festival takes place right outside of New York City. It’s a perfect destination, should you be looking to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a day in the quiet that comes with the Bayswater area. Attendees at this Queens, New York festival can expect to enjoy a festival for all ages that includes hayrides, pumpkin patches, arts-and-crafts, and other family-friendly activities. Click here to visit them online for more information. 

AMA Executive Conference Centers has a Center located in New York City – right in the heart of Times Square. We also have Centers throughout the U.S. and are here to help make planning additional fall activities easy for your company. Whether you want to host an executive meeting, retreat, conference, product launch or corporate reception, our four locations are available for multiple dates throughout 2019 and into 2020. Center locations include Atlanta, New York City, Washington DC Area, and San Francisco.

Click here to contact us and let’s start planning your next corporate event!

Top 4 TED Talks on Collaboration for the Meeting & Event Professionals

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There is strength in numbers. Amazing things happen when we work together and this is especially true with meeting and event professionals. The following TED Talks are some of the best conversations on the topic of collaboration – enjoy!

How to Manage for Collective Creativity

Linda Hill, the co-author of “Collective Genius” and a Harvard professor, discusses the tactics used by very successful companies in this TED talk on collaboration. She  opens up about her research into how these businesses tapped their own resources to benefit the most from collaboration and everyone’s input, not just the designated creative ones of the company.

What Happened When I Open-Sourced My Brain Cancer

This TED talk really spotlights the power of collaboration. When faced with a very difficult medical situation, Salvatore Iaconesi made the decision not to stand by and watch. He would not allow himself to be passive, but instead turned to the world and the power of people to overcome a dismal diagnosis.

The Case For Collaborative Consumption

A recognized expert and researcher of collaborative behaviors and trust-mechanics, Rachel Botsman explains that humans are wired to share. The way we live, work and play are changing. These once crazy ideas of sharing and collaborating are now gaining momentum. Enjoy watching Rachel’s TED talk on technology-enabled collaboration and their effect on us.

A Conservative’s Plea: Let’s Work Together

This TED talk discusses ways we can make a difference in a segregated world. It goes into detail on what each of us can do individually to make an impact together. Arthur Brooks breaks down the walls between liberals and conservatives. He shares his ideas that will stop the battle of the sides and usher in the collaboration. Arthur Brooks is the President of the American Enterprise Institute, and an active social scientist.

Meeting planners and professionals have the opportunity to work collaboratively each day. This includes working alongside other professionals as they are planning a big meeting or brainstorming with their own clients. These TED talks share incredible ideas on how to improve this partnership and how to tap this underrated resource. Remember: there is strength in numbers!

The Benefits of Hosting a Holiday Party for Your Company

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From large to small, hosting a holiday party for your company has a number of incredible benefits. It doesn’t matter if you’re gearing up for an elaborate black tie event or planning to host an intimate gathering for your team, there are several important benefits to your holiday party.

You’ll Encourage a Sense of Community

Holiday parties are something that most of your employees look forward to. When you host a gathering around the holidays and end-of-year, you give them something to anticipate together as well as the opportunity to share memories at the event itself, which can in turn increase the sense of community throughout the office.

It’s a Great Time to Offer Recognition

Do you have employees who have gone above and beyond this year? Has a specific department accomplished more than you thought possible? Your holiday party is a great time to offer recognition to those individuals, which can in turn significantly increase the effort that they and others put out during the coming year. Your holiday party is also an excellent time to hand out awards or note any special promotions before the new year.

You’ll Increase Employee Morale

The end of the year is rough in many offices. You have deadlines that have to be met, coworkers who are taking off extra time for the holidays, and plenty of added stress on many of your employees’ shoulders. With your holiday party, you’ll get a great chance to boost morale, improve mood, and give everyone something to look forward to.

You Get to Show Off Your Office

Are you bringing in someone besides your employees for your holiday bash? From investors to spouses of employees, the holiday party is an amazing chance to show off the office and let everyone see exactly what your team is doing every day.

Ask us today about booking an AMA Executive Conference Center for your next meeting or conference in New York, Washington DC, Atlanta or San Francisco.

Managing Team Members With Bad Attitudes

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Working with a team has many benefits: different team members bring new ideas to the table, brainstorming together can lead to creative problem-solving, and work moves forward even if one team member is unavailable. But inevitably you’ll end up on a team with someone who brings a bad attitude to the table.

Maybe your problem team member takes credit for all of the team’s work. They might refuse to listen to others’ ideas, belittle other people on the team, or walk away in a huff every time there’s a disagreement. Whatever kind of bad attitude they have, it can bring down the whole team and drain everyone else’s motivation.

What can you do when one member of a team threatens to get in the way of everyone’s hard work? Here are a few tips on how to manage a team member with a bad attitude:

Empathize

It might seem counterintuitive (you definitely don’t agree with this person!) but expressing some empathy for their point of view might change your problem colleague’s outlook. For example, if they shoot down someone else’s idea, you can say, “You’re really worried that this idea won’t work. What do you suggest instead?” When someone feels like they’re being listened to, they might be more likely to listen to others.

Set Expectations

Rather than single out the one team member with a bad attitude (which can just make them feel hurt and resentful), get the whole team talking about expectations and ideal behavior when working together. Make a list at the beginning of every project; expectations could include things like “we listen to everyone’s ideas” or “we wait until a person is done before talking.”

Find Their Strength

Some people just aren’t cut out for teamwork. You can try to force your colleague into having a better attitude, but at some point, it might make more sense to let them do their own thing. Depending on their specific talents, you could assign them some important research or ask them to draft the team’s final report.

You might have a difficult team member but finding the right venue for your next executive meeting doesn’t have to be difficult. To book meetings, conferences, and other corporate events  contact AMA Conference Centers today.

Four of the Top TED Talks About CrowdSourcing

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When it comes to crowdsourcing, you probably want to know more. With how interactive the world is, what with the internet and other communication devices, crowdsourcing has become easier than ever. Crowdsourcing is one of the best ways to strengthen your mission, by pulling in new voices and ideas, by creating a space in which others can challenge your work and fortify it. But there’s a way to do it correctly, and there’s so much more that we can learn about it. In order to help meeting professionals better understand the concept and benefits, we’ve put together a few of the top TED Talks addressing the subject.

What Humans Can Learn From Semi-Intelligent Slime by Heather Barnett
Can we, as humans, learn from semi-intelligent slime mold? Heather Barnett speaks on the subject, inspired by the design and organization of the slime systems, to tell us how we can better communicate and create with others.

The Birth of Wikipedia by Jimmy Wales
With Wikipedia being considered a “godfather of crowdsourcing” it’s a perfect example of how to build a proper crowdsourced outcome from a common goal. While it sounds chaotic, Wikipedia works, and Wales explains just how that can be.

Open-Source Cancer Research by Jay Bradner
An example of crowdsourcing at its best, this Talk about a medical firm opening up its research among their peers shows just how much can be gained from accessing the crowd. Bradner speaks about the positives of having more sources to turn to, and more ideas that come from it, when using crowdsourcing in the medical field.

A Virtual Choir 2,000 Voices Strong by Eric Whitacre
A more musical example, Eric Whitacre performs a piece of music with a choir made up of 2,000 people that have never met each other, or even sung in the same room. Using media platforms as his crowdsourcing base, he creates a massive choral piece that sounds amazing, and makes a point on how connected the people of the world really are.

If you’re in need of a venue for your meetings, or would like a venue for your crowdsourced conferences, then AMA Executive Conference Centers is there for you. Please, feel free to contact us to inquire about our centers in Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC, and we will help you have the perfect space from which to expand your business.

Top Tips For Productive Brainstorming

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Meetings are a great way to get ideas flowing, and brainstorm together for new and innovative ideas…but how do you ensure productivity? Trying to get everyone on the same page can be difficult, especially when everyone is trying to tap into their creative side.

Though there is no foolproof way to guarantee a productive brainstorm session, here are some tips that might help get things started on the right track, and help you maximize your time together:

Lay Out Aims Early On

Believe it or not, articulating your ideas even before the meeting can really help. It gets everyone in the right frame of mind and sets out expectations early on. A lot of brainstorming sessions tend to be on the fly, and while spontaneity can generate results, why not do some advanced planning.

Before you send out the calendar meeting invite, think about what you really want. Is it just to get some initial ideas, or do you want more concrete actionable steps? Explain this to your invitees in the appointment, so that everyone knows what is expected of them beforehand, and they have some time to prepare.

Ask Everyone To Bring A Few Ideas

On a similar note of advanced notice, ask everyone to come into the meeting with some suggestions or initial thoughts. The key here is to create an inviting, and welcome environment so that everyone is comfortable to share. When you ask for this, make sure to mention that no idea is unwelcome – this will help speed up the ‘sharing’ process a little bit.

With expectations set out beforehand, this gives meeting attendees a clear agenda about what needs to be discussed and gives them time to develop their suggestions for a more organized brainstorm session.

Go Off-Site Every Once In A While

Sometimes, the office can stifle creativity. Everyone is burnt out from their meetings, responsibilities, and tasks…and they just cannot seem to get in the right mindset. If you find that is happening often, it might be a signal that it is time to switch it up.

Go outside for a walk and talk, or for a change of pace all together bring your team meeting to an AMA Executive Conference Center. Sometimes conversations in new environments yield great insight and solutions – why not give it a try?

To learn more about productive meetings and what AMA Executive Conference Centers in Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC have to offer, contact us today.