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Fight Procrastination: Tips for #MeetingProfs

For professionals working in the meeting and events industry, demanding deadlines and challenging client requests are part of the job. Staying on target often means resisting the urge to put things off. Fighting procrastination is crucial in the journey to getting things done.

We all procrastinate from time to time, but it hurts our productivity and holds us back. Here are several proven tips to help you overcome inertia:

1) Be aware of your thoughts. Whether you’re dreading a conversation with a client or simply sick of the monotony of filling out your timesheet, psychologists suggest that negative thoughts might be holding you back more often than we recognize. Be ready to call yourself out for procrastinating by practicing mindfulness.

2) Set time-bound goals for yourself. Most meeting professionals have time-bound goals set by our clients and vendors, but taking this a step further and applying it to each task on your list can provide that extra motivation to check things off.

3) Treat yourself! When you’re really dreading a task, it can be helpful to balance out the negative energy with something positive. For those big, daunting tasks, make crossing the finish line even more appealing by promising yourself the treat of something that you enjoy and look forward to – like a mani or time reading your favorite book or time to enjoy a relaxing soak in the tub.

4) Phone a friend. Introduce accountability by asking someone else (a colleague, a friend, or a family member) to check in with you. Knowing that someone else will be aware of your procrastination is motivating!

5) Finish the big rocks. Sort your to-do list by priority and task size. Always start with the “big rocks” – the most important or most time-consuming tasks, before moving on to the “small rocks.” If you fill up your day with “small rocks,” you’ll never get around to the bigger ones.

For more ways to make meeting planning simple and successful, contact us – we love sharing about our Centers in Atlanta, San Francisco, New York City and the Washington, DC. area.

AMA Is Now New York City’s Largest Conference Center

AMA Executive Conference Centers, a leading provider of professional meeting and conference spaces, announces the completion of a 13,000 square foot expansion and renovation project of two floors of the New York Center. This Center is now over 90,000 square feet and features 43 meeting rooms in total – making it the largest conference center located in New York City.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW SPACE

• New Meeting Rooms – A variety of rooms have been added, with access to new lounge area, built-in beverage stations, and customer service desk. Several rooms have natural light.

• Business Reception Lounge – This new sixth floor space is 2,500 square feet that features arched windows overlooking Times Square and a modern customer service desk that’s perfect for meeting registration. Offering lots of natural light, the reception lounge is perfect for post meeting and conference cocktail receptions.

• Private Executive Meeting Suite – The 900 square foot, stand-alone suite includes two meeting rooms, food and beverage area, a lounge area and restroom. This private meeting space is perfect for small focus groups, board meetings, and can be used as a hospitality suite.

AMA Executive Conference Centers is a premier network of meeting and conference centers with locations in four convenient U.S. cities: Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco and the Washington, DC area.

For more information about the AM New York Center, call 212-903-8060 or email: nyccenter@amanet.org and visit us at www.amaconferencecenters.org.

Five Tips To Help You Perfect The Art Of Thinking On Your Feet

Experienced event planning and meeting professionals know that it is impossible to plan for everything. Even with weeks of preparation, a talented support team, and multiple contingency plans, it is inevitable that something – a last-minute change, a weather event, or an unreasonable request from a client – will derail your carefully laid plans, even if only temporarily.

In a profession that requires planning for the unknown, one of the most valuable skills to have is the ability to perform well under pressure. Here are five tips to help you perfect the art of thinking on your feet:

1. Develop a pre-event ritual.
Putting yourself in the right mindset before a major meeting will help you to keep your cool and power through any challenges that may come your way. Think about actions that are energizing and familiar to you, and build them into an event-morning ritual that will get you ready for a successful day of work. Your ritual might include a workout, your favorite breakfast, or an extra half hour to enjoy your morning coffee.

2. Stay calm and confident.
Remaining calm under pressure will help you project confidence and make effective decisions. Large events are very stressful, but keeping things in perspective can help you keep calm. In most cases, incidents that seem like catastrophes in the moment are really inconveniences that can be easily overcome.

3. Buy yourself time.
When you’re thinking on your feet, you might feel pressure to respond to questions immediately. It is okay to stall and give yourself a moment to collect your thoughts before you speak. Some ways to do this include repeating or paraphrasing what was said to you for clarity, focusing on direct communication, and simply pausing the conversation.

4. Save the blame.
In the event that something does go wrong at your meeting, reserve making judgments or assigning blame. In the rush of an event, communications sometimes break down and it is not always clear what transpired until later. As a leader, you should strive to make your team look good and avoid going on the defensive.

5. Review your own performance after each event.
Whether there was a major mix-up or everything was smooth sailing, take the time to honestly review your performance at each event. Identify your strongest areas, and where you could stand to improve. This exercise will build self-awareness, which leads to confidence.

Hosting your next meeting at a top venue can help make your role as a planner less stressful. Contact us today to learn about AMA Executive Conference Center’s convenient locations in Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC.

The San Francisco International Airport Serves AMA San Francisco

The San Francisco International airport or SFO at dusk

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is one of the busiest airports in the United States: more than fifty million passengers make their way through its gates each year. SFO is in an optimal location for visits to the West Coast and those visiting the AMA San Francisco Executive Conference Center. It’s also convenient for flights to and from Asia, and an ideal departure airport for mainland Americans traveling to the Hawaiian Islands.

The most traveled-to domestic destination from SFO is just a short flight down to the city of Los Angeles, less than two hours gate to gate. The San Francisco airport is heralded as one of the top energy-efficient airports in the United States, being the first in America to receive a LEED Gold Certification at one of its terminals. Picturesque, SFO has been featured in a number of films over the years, including Four Christmases, Bullitt, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Blue Jasmine and Steve Jobs.

History

The San Francisco International Airport began in 1927 as a tiny airfield called Mills Field. The airport offered limited commercial travel accommodations and was used mostly for storage and mail delivery aircraft, until the early 1950’s when the postwar travel boom began and the airport facilities were updated to accommodate more passengers. In 1954, a new terminal was added to house international passengers. The 1960’s and 1970’s saw enormous growth for SFO, and by the 1980’s, the interior of the airport featured a post office, medical clinic, shops and restaurants.

SFO Today

The San Francisco International Airport has become a tourist destination all on its own, and in 2017, SFO celebrated its 90th anniversary. Today, the airport includes an SFO Museum Gallery, an Aviation Museum, and a convenient BART station. One of the terminals even features a yoga room, where passengers can peacefully seek Zen in a silent room away from the hustle and bustle of airport chaos. Catering specifically to yoga-loving San Franciscans, the yoga room is the first ever in any airport in North America. The airport also features local restaurants to not only give visitors a taste of Northern California but also a break from standard airport fare. The San Francisco International Airport has come a long way from a dirt runway in the middle of cow pasture to the incredible, five-terminal titan that stands in San Francisco today.

Travel through SFO or make a day trip to the impressive airport while attending your next business meeting at AMA San Francisco Executive Conference Center, located just 15 miles from San Francisco International Airport. Our state-of-the-art conference centers include built-in audio visual equipment and spacious seating designed to meet your specific conference needs. Contact us to book your next business meeting in San Francisco.

Top Leadership TED Talks To Listen To During Your Work Commute

TED Talks have given professionals around the world the opportunity to ascertain knowledge from a wide variety of people, all of whom have “ideas worth spreading.” These talks are short, accessible, and offer great insight into a variety of topics, particularly for busy leaders looking to expand their skill set. Here are a few of our favorite leadership TED Talks that are perfect for morning and afternoon commutes!

How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek

In this talk, Sinek discusses the concept of his “Golden Circle” and how purposeful organizations are more successful, inclusive, and inspirational. One of the most well-known TED Talks, this is a great listen for meeting and event professionals, and leaders across all industries.

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Lee Duckworth

This short and enjoyable talk discusses the psychology of success. Specifically, the speaker emphasizes the importance of determination and work ethic – a great reminder for all of us.

The Surprising Ingredient That Makes Businesses Work Better by Marco Alvera

In this TED Talk Marco reminds us of one of the most overlooked aspects of a company’s culture that all leaders must prioritize.

How to Manage for Collective Creativity by Linda Hill

Hill’s talk focuses on the significance of collaboration in innovation, using a number of familiar examples to illustrate her point. This video is a particular favorite as it addresses the importance of collaboration. Collaboration is a critical enabler for leaders in the meeting and events industry, and we strive to encourage it amongst all business professionals.


Is your company looking for answers to collaborative meeting and conference venue needs? AMA Executive Conference Centers has answers. We’re conveniently located in four of the country’s major metropolitan areas, including: Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Each of our Centers offers multiple setup configurations, packages, and amenities to meet unique meeting needs. Whether you need a location for your next board meeting, or you aspire to hold your own ‘TED’ style conference, we have the capability to assist you. Contact us now for more information – we look forward to helping you succeed at one of our facilities!

Fabulous Times Square is the Heart of New York City

If you find yourself in New York’s Times Square for a meeting at the AMA Executive Center, you are in luck. It is a bevy of excitement and a neon world of energy. The streets teem with crowds representing nations from all over the world. It is an irresistible hub of interesting venues and activities. Here are a few must-see Times Square destinations.

Caroline’s Comedy Club

Caroline’s on Broadway has been around since 1982 and offers first class live comedy entertainment all year long. It is located at 1626 Broadway right next to many of the famous theaters. Caroline’s impressive 300-seat venue is state-of-the-art and features some of the best comedic voices in America. You can catch a comedy show there seven nights a week.

M & M’s World

M & M’s World is just adjacent to the AMA Executive Conference Center. It is a three-story marvel of chocolate fun. The store is a colorful wall-to-wall world of your favorite candy and signature merchandise. Visitors can create their own customized M & M’s with personal messages or choose from a large variety of images. It’s a sweet foray in the heart of Times Square.

National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey

National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey is an adventure not to be missed. It’s an interactive ocean journey using immersive technology. It gives visitors up close and personal encounters with some of the ocean’s most majestic creatures. You’ll meet great white sharks, giant squid and humpback whales. You can find them at 226 West 44th Street.

Gulliver’s Gate

Gulliver’s Gate takes you to a land of miniatures like you never imagined could be possible. It’s a 50,000-square foot world of tiny cities including New York. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of Central Park, Staten Island and the Brooklyn Bridge. No detail is forgotten and you may even be able to spot your own hotel. You’ll be mesmerized and entertained for hours. Gulliver’s Gate is at 216 West 44th Street.

Did you know that Times Square was once known as Longacre Square? New York Times publisher, Albert Ochs, brought the newspaper’s headquarters to the square in 1904 and the name stuck ever since.

AMA’s Executive Conference Centers are in four U.S. locations (Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC) and offer customized meeting spaces for all business needs. For more information, you can contact us anytime.

Tips to Help You Manage Your Remote Team

The internet is such an important and useful tool that many businesses are quickly learning to use it to their full advantage. One thing that has emerged recently is hiring remote workers, or employees who collaborate online with other team members who are in other cities or countries. It allows businesses to hire talent from all around the world, save travel costs, and offer employees a more flexible work schedule. These are our top tips for managing a remote team:

Have A Communication Plan
The most important tip for helping manage your dispersed team members is to make a plan for communicating. Make sure all the team members have clear expectations and a set schedule of how they will interact, such as email, video conferences or through a cloud-based communications platform, like Slack.

Encourage Collaboration With Other Members
Running a remote team can have its benefits, but it can also be difficult to keep track of everyone. One way to help manage a team that’s not based in one central office is to make sure they are collaborating with each other, as much as possible, rather than trying to go off by themselves to complete tasks.

Provide A Solution For Online Chat
As a manager of a remote team, utilize the explosion of chat based technology that’s available to you. Create a chat-room, instant messenger application, or even Facebook private group that all the team members can access at any time. This will help you manage your team by making sure that everyone stays connected and everyone’s ideas are voiced.

Centralize All Work With A Project Management System
A project management system, like Asana, helps organize important documents, timelines and project information that needs to be dispersed across all team members. This type of system will allow you and your team the ability to keep all important information together and organized. It can also be a location for storing and sharing files in an online area that’s secure.

Make Meeting In Person A Priority
When possible, make meeting periodically in person with your team a priority. Face to face, in person meetings as a team can be a great way for them to bond and connect personally – which projects will often reap the benefits from!


The next time you and your remote team come together in person consider meeting at one of AMA’s Executive Conference Centers in Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco or Washington D.C. Perfect locations for team retreats, project meetings, and more – for details on our convenient meeting spaces click to connect with us.

How to Incorporate Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year Into Your Meeting

Recently, Pantone announced Classic Blue as its 2020 Color of the Year. The company called the hue reminiscent of “the sky at dusk.” Traditionally, Pantone’s Color of the Year makes a big impact on the design, decor and fashion around the world. It won’t be surprising to see the color show up at weddings, on invitations, conference branding, social media platforms and more!

Yet fashion designers, wedding planners, graphic designers, interior decorators, and social media influencers aren’t the only ones who can employ this color. Here are ways meeting and conference planners can incorporate Classic Blue into meetings and events:

Branding

The branding for your meeting or conference is often tied into the brand of your company (or client’s company). However, no matter how big or small the business is, how you interact with customers, what you’re selling or where you are, one truth is consistent across the board: you need consistent and engaging branding. This year consider bringing the ‘Color of the Year’ into that color mix!

Signage

Wayfinding is an important component of conferences and other multi-room events. Classic Blue would be an excellent alternative to black for arrows and the font on the signage. Another option is to use eye-catching white text and arrows while Classic Blue serves as the background color on the signage.

Digital Presentations

Create a beautiful presentation with Classic Blue as your digital backdrop or the color of your text. It’s subtle. However, for meetings that largely have the same attendees year after year, introducing an unexpected color element can be a refreshing change.

Conference Badges, Bags and Swag

Classic Blue can work as the color of branded conference bags or the swag that goes in the bag. The shade is a gender-neutral choice if you’re handing out t-shirts or polos as swag. Classic Blue is complimentary to lots of other colors that you can pull from your event’s branding.

Collateral

A calming color that doesn’t bring undue attention to itself like Classic Blue is an option for printed collateral and meeting paper products. Unlike more vibrant colors, Classic Blue won’t be distracting during the meeting.


At AMA Executive Conference Centers, we organize thousands of meetings every year. We have centers in New York City, Atlanta, San Francisco, and the Washington DC area. Organizations appreciate amenities in our facilities such as complimentary beverage service, free PC use, and executive chairs. Contact us to schedule your next meeting or event.

Planning Steps To Move Your 2020 Meeting Forward

Planning a meeting can be a complex process, but with the right direction and planning tips the tasks can be paired down into some pretty simple and manageable steps.

‘Big picture’ is the most important thing to consider first – that includes details such as agenda, venue, speakers, food, setup and time of day. We’ve seen that a meeting that is ill-planned will not only impact the planner, but it also negatively influences the goal and purpose of the meeting. Agendas must have a purpose and flow, speakers must impress the attendees, and food must be plentiful and items that the guests enjoy. When essential elements go wrong your meeting can take a fast lane to unproductive-town. Below are a few suggestions from our team on how you can plan for your meeting’s essential elements to go right!

Brainstorm and decide on the purpose and goal of your meeting. Work with others on your team to determine what is being addressed and what should be accomplished. Take notes, get feedback, make checklists. Brainstorm with colleagues to insure the best ideas are taking root.

Have a budget. Find out, or decide what your budget is early on. Without being conscious of financials, meetings can meander or get bogged down in their own procedure. With a budget, your meeting planning will have more focus and will force you to make the best choices. Sometimes when doing research for your overall items the budget will take shape on its own. All in all, it will be your job to make choices that will shape the best meeting from what you’re working with– and then to keep it all under control.

Narrow dates and secure a venue. Much of picking a meeting date and location for your meeting depends on the focus, audience size and availability of the people attending. However, we suggest never scheduling something where people will have to juggle their schedules too much to attend or worse, not be able to attend during the busiest time of the day or during a week that’s in their ‘peak’ work season.

Get your speakers lined up. Not all meetings have speakers, but when they do you’ll need to start organizing this aspect earlier than later. Seek references on speakers in the areas that you want to address from colleagues. Or, work with a professional booking agent if you need to find someone outside your own expertise. Be sure to communicate in advance of the meeting with your speakers regarding their preferred room setup and any technical requirements for their presentation.

Secure the necessary equipment and services. This means food, beverages and technical needs. Meeting facilities like AMA Executive Conference Centers are there to help with many of these details. AMA Center planning staff are available to make suggestions and then help you plan the right choices of catering and technical support for what’s needed for your meeting. We’ve found that having the right snacks and delicious meals during breaks helps to keep attendees focused and their energy up. When it comes to food, beverage and technical planning be sure to take notes and make a checklist. Most venues will have what you need, you just have to articulate those needs in advance of arrival.

Rely on expertise. Aside from help from the venue, don’t forget to ask colleagues who have planned meetings before for their ideas. It’s also helpful to connect with others in a similar role at your local industry association or even another planner that might offer a consulting call to help answer any questions you might have. If your meeting is large enough or has the right budget, you might even consider hiring another planner that can help support you while working through all the details of planning.

Get the word out. Once the planning is out of the way, and all logistical decisions have been made, don’t forget that you still must have people attend. All meetings, whether internal or external to the company, should be publicized in some way. Even if a meeting function is mandatory it’s still a good idea to get people excited with some publicity whether through a special company email or a printed announcement. For functions that have no mandatory attendance, publicity is a must. Without getting the word out no one will be there. So make sure you’ve tackled this important piece of the puzzle early so that news of the meeting has time to travel to your potential attendees and they have time to make arrangements or ask you questions, get answers or register if necessary.

Because conference planning is complex, it needs to be handled with an overall plan in place and specific steps to execution. We’re looking forward to a 2020 filled with productive and successful meetings. Click HERE and let the AMA Executive Conference Centers team know how we can help you plan yours!

Getting Your Team Back On Track After The Holidays

It’s not easy to come back to work motivated after a fun season of holiday cheer, short weeks, and festive distractions. Suddenly workdays seem longer and Friday is so far away. Your team is probably in a slump now that the holiday parties and Secret Santas are gone until next year, so you’ll want to do your part to fight away those post-holiday blues. Consider these 5 tips to get your staff motivated in the new year:

  • Offer healthy snacks in the break room. Encourage healthy New Year’s Resolutions by treating your team to delicious and nutritious goodies. By now, everyone is ready for a break from the endless homemade baked goods and sweets, and any special reward to interrupt the 9-to-5 workday will raise morale in the office.
  • Encourage walk breaks. Studies show that walks during the workday can boost mood and help combat stress. Show your staff that you care about their mental and physical health by prioritizing breaks for getting fresh air and a little healthy activity.
  • Set goals for the new year. Start the new year strong by making sure the whole team is on the same page with goals and expectations. Morale is improved when staff are part of a joint effort and working toward the same purposes. As a plus, include incentives to get everyone on board.
  • Make time for short pow-wows. Bring the whole team together for energizing meetings to update staff on any upcoming changes in the new year or exciting plans ahead in the company. Use these meetings to inspire and empower staff to bring their very best.
  • Schedule an office retreat. If it’s feasible, plan a weekend retreat for team building and relaxation. If only a couple hours can be spared, cater a lunch or plan an in-office activity to show your staff they are appreciated.

AMA Executive Conference Centers are located in four beautiful areas of the United States: Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C., perfect for that office retreat or team meeting. To learn more about our state of the art, convenient meeting spaces, contact us today.