Most meeting professionals probably agree with Patrick Lencioni, author of “Death by Meeting,” who says that a table is still the most important piece of technology for groups of people who want to get things done. “There is simply no substitute for the basic idea of people sitting down together around a table to resolve the critical issues around their business,” the mission statement of Lencioni’s consulting firm The Table Group says.
But does it matter what that table looks like? Does it need to be tall or long or come apart? Or should it be flat on the floor with beanbag chairs? Does one table facilitate better discussion than another?
The event and meeting industry is a fast paced world, much like the world of technology where one day it is focused on this and the next that. The focus could be on greening your meeting, helping the community, finding more value or simply contract negotiations and clauses. The real focus needs to shift and I mean for everyone (hoteliers, venue owners and planners), towards being more mutually transparent. Hoteliers need to be upfront on all the little things about costs and services. Planners need to be upfront on their needs and the budgets they are working with. I am willing to step up and say we all need a little work.
