I was going to write about the future of live events, about when we will be able to get together again without fear, about when it is going to feel “ok” to be in the same space with a large number of people.
But honestly, I do not want to repeat what a lot of people, very knowledgeable about the meetings & incentives industry, have already shared throughout some months now and I do not see the point of highlighting again what some see in their crystal ball.
Yes, we are witnessing a shift to virtual events in the short term, yes, hybrid is here to stay because many companies are now realizing the big potential of engaging large crowds online (with lower cost), yes, there will be many new rules to stick to going forward, and of course events will first be smaller, local, regional and not straight back to huge gatherings and celebratory events on a global level.
The real question to ask ourselves now though is: how will we seize the opportunities that are opening up in the current environment? And there are many out there, even after all the lockdown hype of finally catching up on the things you never had time for or did not even know you wanted to do or learn before.
I feel there is real opportunity now to reset and start from scratch, to build on the pause that we were all forced into and to evolve both on a personal and on a business level.
Digital is not the future any more, it is our present, accelerated by this pandemic. We need to conceive our lives and our events in a new way, not adapting what was there before, but thinking and designing with a new, fresh and open mindset.
And this is also what will eventually revive events again. A collaborative and fearless environment where past boundaries have disappeared, where creativity and engagement will be the key drivers and where the mastery of digital skills will be as important as being able to lead the change and follow your purpose.
