The devil is in the detail

Peter Gray, an independent Motivation Consultant, presents a regular Business Events News feature on current issues in the Conference and Incentive industries.

IT SEEMS, these days, that just about every Executive Secretary and Personal Assistant aspires to be an event manager, PCO or incentive expert. Indeed, there are some publications that actively promote this desire and encourage PAs (to use this as a generic term) to organise their companies’ own events and get involved when an external professional event manager is appointed.

Far be it for me to blunt these aspirations - and I’m the first to admit that where the relationship between PA and a PCO/Incentive Practitioner is well delineated the synergy can work well - but event management is not an exercise in democracy. The client sets the parameters and the event manager sets out to meet those in the most cost effective and/ or creative way possible. Once the details and the budget for the event - be it a conference, a banquet, an incentive program, an activity or an incentive travel reward - has been agreed the event manager takes control.

Within an event management company the hierarchy is well defined and everyone knows their niche within the organisational structure to bring an event to a successful conclusion. This doesn’t always work when organising events with committees whose members think they can do what they want rather than what has been decided. And don’t speak to me about pointscoring! A simple event can turn into a nightmare when everyone is determined to make their mark and disregard the event manager, the run sheet and, frankly, common sense.

The run sheet exists to make sure everyone is aware of what should be happening at any one time; who should be doing what; what food or beverages should be served and when (and when not); what AV is required…the list really can be endless but it’s all there.

It’s really not difficult to organise a straightforward conference but what most people and companies lack is time. And to suggest that a PA can simply absorb the organisation of an event into her (or his) already busy schedule means one of two things to me: they’re either under-employed or under-paid.

I have worked with many clients’ PAs and have always made a point at the first meeting to extend an invitation to help or offer advice for any other event in which they may be involved. It’s a genuine offer and, more often than not, it has resulted in a good working relationship which has extended far beyond the duration of the initial event.

But what is worse than an meddlesome PA is a client (or more usually a senior executive) who clearly thinks their position means that airline regulations, hotel cancellation policies and conditions set by other suppliers do not apply to them.

A good PCO or Incentive Practitioner can save an organisation time and money and allow the people managing the company do what they do best…and that’s not being an event manager.