How We Do Business in 2010

As I write this, Christmas is around the corner. Parties are in progress, shopping is reaching a frenzied peak, dinner menus are being planned. Trees are being decorated, rides to sacred services are being arranged. There's a cup of eggnog next to my computer.

But in January, we're back to the business of business, and in a big way. It's the month that planners get really introspective, trying to figure out which way the economy will go and how it will affect the meeting and events profession.

At the International Special Events Society convention Jan. 12-15 in New Orleans, there are more than 100 professional development topics to consider. If you want to learn about something specific, chances are you'll find it at the ISES convention.

Some topics are perennial, including wedding trends, floral arrangements, and award-winning menus, while others are focused on today's realities, such as how to reinvent yourself, how to work with nonprofits in a for-profit world, and how to make meetings and events ever greener. Many topics are practical, covering such issues as event insurance and beverage management. ISES members even will look inward, examining the relevance of professional associations.

For participants who want to give back or pick up practical experience, the Hands-On Hundred program offers a learning experience to the first 100 who register for it. Those volunteers each will provide 10 hours of work in event set-up, clean-up, tear-down, or assistance to such professionals as floral designers and photographers.

ISES is not the only group trying to get things figured out in January. The Association for Convention Operations Management meets Jan. 8-10 in Dallas, and ACOM members also have the economy on their minds. They'll attend a session titled Weathering the Storm and will consider how to control costs and help clients overcome financial hurdles. They'll re-examine negotiating skills and how best to form intergenerational and cultural partnerships. Most of their topics will follow two tracks to make issues relevant both to junior and senior convention services professionals.

The topics at these two conventions are a barometer of issues that are important to meeting planners and convention management professionals as we enter 2010. But one thing is clear: These professionals aren't afraid to tackle the hard questions. We'll all be watching to see how these issues play out. And here's hoping 2010 is a better year for all of us.