Living Outside the Box

I know the phrase “think outside the box” has become a bit overused, especially after the great shake-up of 2020, but I was in conversation with some friends and we were talking about how we’re not just thinking outside the box, we’re living outside the box. The Hospitality and Tourism industry (among others) has changed dramatically since 2020. Events that were planned for that year and early into 2021 were switched to online events with less-than-ideal timelines, postponed, or canceled, forcing us to completely reimagine how, where, when, and why events were done. We basically burned down the box.

As such, there is no going back into the box. It’s like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube. We are now permanently outside of the box. I think it is ok. We were probably relying far too much on the box anyway. How many of us were entirely too comfortable with the status quo? How many of us have now learned skills we never thought we would ever need to know? I know I definitely have. And, I feel I am a better event planner as a result. I had to find creativity within myself I didn’t realize existed, to problem-solve in an entirely new way. I learned technical skills and a language that was a lot more like Chinese to me just a few short years ago.

I kind of like it out here. I get to be and do and think and act differently now. I personally am a change-maker so I don’t mind being pushed outside of my comfort zone. I would have preferred not to burn down the box in the process. I’d prefer to have walked steadily into this brave new world with my map and a flashlight, but that’s not what happened. We were all kicked out of the nest with our wings tied behind our backs and with blindfolds on. Nevertheless, here we are.

So, now that we’re here, how are you going to take advantage of this unique opportunity? We are at a point in history where we can question the status quo. We can revisit our organization’s mission, vision, or values. We can re-evaluate the goals and objectives of the events we plan to ensure they still line up with their intended purpose. Is this the year when the stakeholder structure gets a makeover? Did your events become too focused on being the biggest and the best in your field that the attendees and/or the quality started to suffer? Do you need to do some soul searching as a team? May I suggest that while we are out here, homeless, without our comfortable boxes, we have the gift of being able to bring ourselves, our events, and possibly our organizations back into alignment?

Imagine the possibilities.

If you would like to brainstorm what other opportunities might be lying outside of your box, send me and email and let’s set up some time to talk!

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