Leaders And Event Planners Can't Please Everyone

Perhaps the first reality of leadership is that a leader is never able to please everyone. Tied for first place, however, should also be that a true leader must understand that he shouldn't even try to. Leadership is about taking actions that drive one's vision, and in doing so, a true leader must prioritize motivating others to follow and help take needed and timely actions in order to reach important goals. Great leaders realize that they must not concern themselves unduly about their personal popularity, but rather about doing what they feel needs to be done for the best of the organizations, and its membership in general. Leaders must view things from short- term, intermediate- term and long- term perspectives, and take all things into consideration when taking decisive, well thought out, timely action. Human nature and the dynamics of any group are such that one can never please everyone. Bill Cosby wrote, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

1. Let's take for example the decisions that need to be made by an event or conference coordinator. When certain events are run on a regular and/ or repeat/ cyclical basis, while the objective of the event and indeed the need for the event may remain nearly the same, certain change is often necessitated because of changing times, evolving needs, group dynamics, demographics, competitive forces, financial considerations, etc.

A true leader must understand the need to prioritize and to think outside the box, and maintain the integrity of the event, while making certain tweaks or alterations to enhance the event's attractiveness or possibility for success. Invariably, when this occurs, certain "regulars" to these events end up comparing it the "good old days," and it is impossible to please these individuals. A plan is generally ineffective if you pick and choose details rather than thoroughly plan all aspects and details based on needs, goals, objectives, finances, and the organization's present day needs and realities.

2. Organizers of fund raising events often find certain events extremely risky based on factors such as economic reality. Effective not- for- profit fund raising professionals and event planners must analyze things on a risk/ reward basis, and see what can be done to maximize their results and eventually get the greatest success. This often upsets certain individuals, who may have liked some of the features that needed to be changed. That factor, however, does not mean that the changes are not essential to make!

3. Event planners must manage their budgets carefully, and make sure that they get the most bang for the buck, and provide maximum perceived value. That means that certain changes might be needed, based on priorities, because tweaking often creates enhanced value. Obviously, some people will resist these changes.

4. Leaders of organizations need to periodically review their mission, and assure that it is evolved to reflect today's world. Organizations that lose relevancy generally cease to exist. Obviously, there are always some that resist any sort of change.

Organizations and their leaders must make often difficult decisions regarding how they operate, budget, communicate, etc. Effective leaders always understand they will not always be popular, but they must take essential timely decisions.