What is event leadership?

Imagine attending an event. As you walk around, meet different people, you might wonder how this all came to be. The answer to that question is the event leaders. However, what exactly is an event leader, and what do they do? 

 

Those familiar with this process likely know the steps involved. There are four different aspects towards creating and leading an event, according to LinkedIn. Essentially, the event leader is the one who creates the “vision,” the underlying idea for the event as a whole. Next comes forming engagement with those who you’ll be working with throughout the event’s duration. Third, know how to manage the delivery of the event’s vision. This helps spread what the event is there to accomplish. Lastly, you must train your team to ensure smooth operations of the event when the day arrives. This is likely the most important aspect, as it makes sure your hard work goes according to plan.

 

 However, while these aspects are incredibly important, it should be noted that these are not the only aspects to consider. To be an effective event leader and manager, there are in fact several qualities that would allow someone to operate an event successfully, according to Indeed.  

 

 Whether your event is networking or seminar based, you would need strong interpersonal skills. As you have likely experienced when managing an event, you work with a diverse group of individuals, making it vital to be patient and form a professional relationship with them. This in turn plays a further role, as the feedback they offer can help you learn how to better interact with the audience for the future. Utilize surveys/questionnaires afterward, or have some sort of giveaway, something attendees can take home with them. This all helps make a positive first impression.

 

 Planning and managing an event requires tremendous leg work, and problems are bound to arise. As such, problem solving becomes essential. This may take the form of negotiation or resolving disputes about the technical operations like pricing, location, and engaging the audience. This is part of where strong interpersonal skills come into play, as listening patiently and remaining calm will let you solve issues more effectively.

 

Another valuable skill that will prove beneficial is your creativity. You can plan an event, but how will you differentiate yourself from your competition? How will you encourage the audience to participate? Where will you host your event, online or in person? To me, these questions are vastly important in crafting a memorable event that will leave an impact on your attendees for the future. 

 

While the skills listed above lend themselves to your event’s success, you must also keep track of the technical elements relating to your presentation. If you host your event online, you need to make sure your internet connection is strong enough to keep you online, and to make sure your guests have a good experience. If your event utilizes a sort of scheduling function, or keeping track of ticket sales, technical expertise becomes useful.  

 

In my own experience. I had to use all of these skills when I participated in events for my college paper. At one event to promote it, people would come up to inquire about the paper, and would receive a free copy of the paper. Another online event required my interpersonal and creativity skills in order to answer people’s questions effectively and clearly. The most important aspect to keep in mind about these skills is that they are essential in most professional interactions to set you apart from everyone else.

 

It’s fair to say that planning and leading an event requires a hefty amount of skill to be able to ensure your event goes as originally planned. These skills are designed to help you in this regard, and make your event as successful as possible. They may take some learning, but they are worth the effort. 

 

         

 

Sources:

 https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/event-manager-skills