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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 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!

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.

Get Ready for Oracle OpenWorld in San Francisco

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AMA Executive Conference Centers is pleased to once again welcome Oracle OpenWorld to San Francisco’s Moscone Center from September 16-19th, 2019. Oracle OpenWorld will bring together an exciting group of decision-makers and influencers focused on leveraging digital technologies and the cloud to further their business goals.

What To Expect At OpenWorld

OpenWorld is sure to draw industry experts from finance, operations, supply chain, human resources, sales, marketing, consumer service, and IT – all focused on driving transformation with cloud technologies.

While attending OpenWorld, you can expect the following:

  • 2,000 unique sessions;
  • 250 exhibitors; and
  • Speakers from more than 90 countries, including CEOs, physicists, and authors.

With this variety of speakers, sessions, and exhibitors, there is no doubt that OpenWorld will provide amazing learning opportunities and unlimited chances to connect with peers and industry leaders.

In addition to numerous educational opportunities, OpenWorld makes sure to add some fun into the experience. Attendees can check out the movie night at Oracle Park, with exclusive access to the field and the largest video board in California. They can also have a chance to focus on their health with FitFest.19 at Oracle Park. Both Tuesday and Wednesday morning, conference attendees will be able to get in exercise with a view of the San Francisco Bay.

If the above wasn’t enough, CloudFest.19 will allow attendees to enjoy an evening of inspiration and celebration with the entertainment headliner, John Mayer.

How AMA Conference Centers Helps

With all the activity around OpenWorld, our AMA San Francisco Conference Center is happy to provide a nearby, quiet location for the auxiliary meeting needs for OpenWorld attending companies and professionals. Just minutes from the Moscone Center, you can choose from any of the 13 spacious and comfortable meeting rooms, some of which can accommodate groups of up to 100 participants. Our spaces are filling quickly in advance of Oracle OpenWorld, so be sure to contact us now!

3 Benefits of Adding a Post-Conference Reception to Your Meeting

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Your upcoming conference plan is coming together nicely. You have a healthy list of confirmed attendees, your guest speakers are prepared to discuss engaging topics, and your menu is carefully selected. You’ve considered parking arrangements and hotel accommodations for your traveling guests. You have preparations for a contingency plan should there be last minute changes or cancellations. But have you considered planning a post-conference reception?

The closing reception, designed to take place after the formal conference, can be an essential part of your meeting event. Typically scheduled immediately upon closing statements of the conference, the post-meeting reception takes place in another area of the venue, offers hors-d’oeuvres and beverages. Today, we’re discussing three reasons you should consider adding the post-conference reception to your next meeting.

Fosters a Networking Environment

Attendees and vendors will come to your meeting for a host of reasons. One of the most motivating factors is the ability for guests to network. It may be challenging to mingle during the structured meeting, with limited breaks between speakers for example. A post-conference reception is the ideal outlet for guests to network, exchange business cards and discuss business. A relaxed atmosphere reception will foster an environment of natural communication and be inviting for continued relationship-building after the meeting.

Get Feedback About the Meeting

The post-conference reception is a great place to get with attendees one-on-one and ask for feedback about the meeting. In the less formal, reception environment, attendees may be more comfortable offering suggestions and discussing what they enjoyed most about your speakers or content. Get opinions and insights on how best to plan your next meeting.

Relax and Entertain

A long day (or multiple days) of structured meetings can be exhausting. Provide your attendees and guests an opportunity to unwind, with business colleagues and relax. Consider a less formal post-conference reception, with entertainment or unique food and beverage options. Guests will see this as the time to loosen their ties, meet people and network. Use this reception as a way to create a unique experience, after the meeting. You’ll find attendees will have lasting conversations and create memorable experiences that will keep them talking about your conference in the weeks to come.

Don’t allow the learning to stop with the closing announcement at your meeting. Instead, consider adding a reception and provide your guests with the additional opportunity to enjoy your event. AMA Executive Conference Centers offers unique, post-event reception venues with each location. Ask us today about booking one of our lounge areas and finish out your next conference event with an ideal reception.

VMworld Is Back In San Francisco

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AMA Executive Conference Centers is excited to announce that the VMworld conference, hosted by VMware, is returning to San Francisco, August 25th – August 29th, 2019.  The event will take place at the Moscone Center.  VMworld offers pivotal industry knowledge that will allow you to enable your company’s cloud journey and to guide your company based on trends in digital infrastructure technology and transformation.

Who will be there?

VMworld boasts some pretty impressive attendance.  Not surprising considering it is the industry’s premier digital infrastructure event.  The attendees represent a mix of IT professionals and business decision makers from a wide variety of organizations and industries.  Based on prior conferences, you can expect:

·         21,000+ attendees

·         5,000+ companies

·         230 sponsors and exhibitors

·         86 countries represented

You can also expect to learn from a variety of respected industry experts and will have ample opportunity to network with peers and colleagues.

If this is your first time attending VMworld, be sure to add the New V Session to your calendar on August 25th.  This session will connect you with other new attendees and provide tips and tricks for getting the most value out of the conference.

Why attend?

If you need help making the case to attend, the conference website provides helpful resources for justifying the value to your company.

What if I need space for additional meetings?

If you need space for additional meetings, AMA is here to help.  AMA offers conference space at its San Francisco location that would be perfect for any additional space needs you have during VMworld.  The space is just minutes from the Moscone Center and has 13 meeting rooms ranging in size from 208 to 1144 square feet.  The spaces can accommodate meetings of up to 100 participants.  Your guests will be able to meet in comfort by taking advantage of the center’s complimentary beverage service, WIFI, and accommodating reception and lounge area.

Click here to contact AMA now to reserve your conference space during VMworld.

5 Common Meeting Room Setups: Pros & Cons

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When it comes to choosing a meeting room setup, there are many factors to consider. What type of meeting is it? How much participation will be asked of the attendees? But have no fear: the options are many, and you will be sure to find the perfect fit for your next business meeting. Here are five meeting room styles to consider, and the pros and cons of each:

CLASSROOM STYLE
This style is exactly as you would imagine, with meeting participants at tables facing the front of the room as in a classroom setting.

✓PROS: it is familiar and conducive to paying full attention to the speaker. Tables are great for taking notes, organizing meeting materials, using laptops or eating a meal while listening to the speaker. This is an ideal setup for training sessions.
✓CONS: this style can sometimes feel crowded, and is not a very cutting edge presentation style as participants may feel like they’ve traveled back in time to their school days. Meeting planners must make sure the tables are not too crowded, so that the seating arrangement is as comfortable as possible.

THEATER STYLE
This style features a large area with rows of chairs, and often a stage where the speaker stands or the presentation takes place.

✓PROS: this style is great for a short meeting, or a long conference with ample breaks throughout the day. It is ideal for a large amount of people, like a press conference or product launch.
✓CONS: this is not well-suited for note-taking or meetings with a good deal of audience participation.

TEAM / POD STYLE
This style groups participants in smaller clusters together in one large room.

✓PROS: this is great for working in small groups or encouraging interaction during meetings or breaks. It fosters community, and participants can bounce ideas and thoughts off of one another.
✓CONS: this is not ideal for a less interactive meeting, where the speaker is the sole focus of the conference and attention must be paid in great detail. It is susceptible to distractions and side talk.

U-SHAPE STYLE
This style arranges tables around the perimeter of the room so that the presentation can take place in the middle of the participants.

✓PROS: this seating arrangement is great for a very visual presentation with a good deal of interaction from the group.
✓CONS: it is not ideal for a mass meeting or one where group interaction is discouraged.

CONFERENCE STYLE
This is similar to a boardroom setup, where participants are seated around a conference table.

✓PROS: this is ideal for smaller, more intimate groups where discussion and participation is encouraged. The face-to-face interaction is an added bonus.
✓CONS: this is not an ideal setup for very visual presentations or meetings where interaction or input is discouraged.

Find your ideal meeting room setup at one of our AMA Executive Conference Center locations: Washington D.C., San Francisco, Atlanta, and New York City. Our state-of-the-art executive centers will provide all of your business meeting needs, no matter what style is best for you. Contact us today.

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Vacation Time: Don’t Let it Go to Waste

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662 million days.

That’s how much vacation time Americans let go to waste in 2017. More than half of Americans (54%) failed to use all of their vacation time, and the results have broader implications than just fewer visits to the beach and a reduction in backyard BBQs.

Why Vacation Matters

Vacation is more than just a chance to explore hobbies and spend time with family (though both are important). A true vacation is a mental break from work that allows for more innovation when one returns. Without this kind of rest, employees are more prone to burnout and less likely to work at their optimal abilities when they are on the job.

What’s more, employees know that vacations matter. Even though so many people let their vacation time expire without using it, 96% of them reported that paid time off was an important factor in their jobs. If people know that vacations are important and they want them, why aren’t they using them?

Why Vacations are Challenging to Take

Forbes explored the phenomenon to try to answer this question. While they found that some of the blame lies in fewer positions offering vacation in the first place, the more pernicious reason has to do with subtle shifts in how we view work. More and more people are being paid based on the tasks they complete, so they see time off as work delayed. In other words, taking time off just shifts their responsibilities into the future, compounding the amount of work they’ll need to do when they return.

What’s more, even those who do take vacation time (often in short bursts to avoid the work pile up) are likely to continue to do work remotely while they’re “off.” The ease of connecting via email and remote computing makes true time off a luxury that is hard to access. The chime of the inbox is just too much pressure for many workers to avoid.

What Can Be Done

In order to give workers the kind of break they truly need to return refreshed, energized, and ready to give it their all at work, companies need to shift the culture around vacations by promoting time off and encouraging workers to truly disconnect while they’re away. Finding ways to cover workplace responsibilities to prevent employees from returning to a mountain of work would also make them more likely to use their vacation time in the first place.

Vacations are also somewhat contagious. If influential employees talk about their own use of vacation time and its benefits, it will have an effect on those around them, creating a sense that a vacation is truly a well-deserved break rather than a shiny illusion too burdensome to reach.

As you consider the importance of well-rested employees, keep AMA Executive Conference Centers in mind for your next meeting in Atlanta, New York City, Washington DC and San Francisco.