Colleen Kruse of MyTalk (fm107.1) is a believer in adult education.  She shares her story on the air often — got her GED and went to college at age 37.   She is now thinking about returning to college for a 2nd degree.  So when I met with her earlier this summer and we began to discuss adult education, scheduling of education that enabled adults to continue working while they went to school, it was a small step for her to speak from the heart about going back to school, the ease of doing so at DCTC, AND the meeting and event program.  Colleen is an intelligent, insightful woman and if you haven’t had the opportunity to catch her show on air or by podcast, please do so.  Look for Colleen and The Boys at http://mytalk1071.com/showpage.php?show=colleen.  Here are a few of her on air testimonials.  Yeah, Colleen!

Colleen Kruse is a fan of the DCTC Meeting and Event Management program

Colleen talks about grown-ups returning to school at DCTC

Many of our students were able to take advantage of the $100 DCTC-MyTalk scholarships that were offered this summer.  Our thanks to DCTC and MyTalk for their support.

Craig Evans, faculty member at DCTC participated in a recent MPR discussion about scientific studies that indicate college students clock fewer study hours.  Instructor Evans brought to light the benefits of the accelerated teaching methodology used in many of DCTC’s programs.  The methodology is based upon the science of enhancing long-term memory through a smorgasbord of techniques.  Center to this methodology is “meeting the student where they are at” and connecting the new information to that student’s existing knowledge. Listen to the podcast of this discussion at 

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/08/27/midmorning1/

Thank you, Craig, for carrying the message that DCTC is learner focused and at the cutting edge of learning.

Thanks to the DCTC Hospitality Alumni Advisory Network for being the program’s glue AND thanks for starting each semester off with an event that welcomes new students, encourages visits of prospective students, and is a reunion for alumni.  

More photos may be found at dctchospitality.ning.com in the Forum – Student/Alumni Spotlight section.

I read a lot.  And, whether the reading material of the moment is in print or online, I often make notes of information I can use later.  These notes are catalogued by topic, and I refer to the topic catalog frequently.  None of this will surprise anyone who is acquainted with my love of research. 

In my world there is no such thing as a coincidence.  So I was not surprised to find a message that was tailor-made for me at that very moment in one of the volumes I was reading last week.  What was surprising, however, was the type of book the message was in.  I typically have three books and one journal going at the same time.  One of the books is invariably a textbook under consideration for existing or new curriculum.  The other is almost always research on a topic I am consulting on or (in those rare self-indulgence moments) a topic I want to know more about “just because”.  And, the other is what most academicians would consider “trash”.  No, not a dirty kind of book and usually not even the romance type – typically the “trash” I allow myself to escape into is a mystery of some type that allows me to step outside my life and into another’s. 

The timely message is one that I believe just about everyone can benefit from. Surprisingly, it was embedded in a mystery titled, Think of a Number.  The novel was written by Jon Verdon, © 2010.  Mr. Verdon is a new author and I am hopeful he continues writing.  The book is one of those page turners that keep you up at night, bargaining with yourself to read just one more chapter before bed.

So, without further preamble I give you the message.  The message has been excerpted from Mr. Verdon’s book and to him I offer full credit for the words and in particular, the insight.  Remember I said earlier that the message is for “just about everyone”?   This message applies to anyone who has been wronged by another individual and/or people they cannot stand or are angry at.  I’m not sure that leaves anyone out.   Here’s the excerpted “message.”  If it’s a message you can use, I’m happy to share.  If you can’t use it, please ignore this post.

Make a list of people you can’t stand, people you’re angry at, people who’ve done you wrong – and ask yourself, “How did I get into that situation?  How did I get into that relationship?  What were my motives?  What would my actions in the situation have looked like to an objective observer?”  Do not –I repeat, do not – focus on the terrible things the other person did.  We are not searching for someone to blame. We did that all our lives and it got us nowhere. All we got was a long, useless list of people to blame for everything that ever went wrong!  A long, useless list!  The real question, the only question that matters is “Where was I in all of this?  How did I open the door that led into the room?”

Bad things happen to good people.  But those good people do not then spend the rest of their lives gnashing their teeth and replaying over and over their resentful mental videotape . . . The personal collisions that upset us the most, the ones we seem powerless to let go of, are those in which we played a role that we are unwilling to acknowledge.

Make a list of the people you blame for the troubles in your life.  The angrier you are with them, the better.  Put down their names.  The more convinced you are of your own blamelessness, the better.  Write down what they did and how you were hurt.  Then ask yourself how you opened the door. If your first thought is that this exercise is nonsense, ask yourself why you are so eager to reject it.  Remember, this is not about absolving the other people of whatever blame is theirs. You have no power to absolve them.  Absolution is God’s business, not yours.  Your business comes down to one question:  “How did I open the door?”

“How did I open the door?”  Your happiness for the rest of your life will depend on how honestly you answer that question.

Think of a Number by Jon Verdon, © 2010, Published in the US by Crown Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, New York.  978-0-307-58892-0.

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In my last post I cited that employers are hiring more than I have seen in many years.  I just received a notice from a hotel that has had a hiring freeze for many months and now they have several openings.  What has changed?  Many things, I’m sure.  Likely the biggest change is that business executives have come to recognize meetings as one of the essential tools that will lead the economic recovery.  Meetings are recognized as essential for solidifying relationships, closing business deals, engaging and consulting stakeholders, deciding policy, and establishing strategy.  Organizations that cancelled meetings (as well as business travel) in response to economic woes are now experiencing the impact of those decisions. 

In a recent poll by Oxford Economics for the U.S. Travel Association, 75% of customers prefer or require face-to-face contact.  In that same poll, 95% of executives responded that face-to-face meetings are key to long-term relationships and 82% stated that face-to-face meetings are key when negotiating major contracts.

Harvard Business Review recently released that 93% of executives in their study said face-to-face is particularly important if the purpose of the meeting is to negotiate or build bridges across cultures.

There are, of course, far more statistics that support face-to-face meetings.  Most of the data clarifies the real message which is — meetings = business success as measured in sales, customers, etc.  Some of the data supports a softer side of the business community that is, at the end of the day, the foundation for all other success.  About face-to-face meetings in the Forbes and Harvard studies, 80% stated face-to-face interaction leads to teamwork; 69% saw meetings as a place to consider critical issues; overall, face-to-face was reported as the best way to build stronger client bonds.

US News and World Reports ranked meeting planning one of Top 10 on the list of “America’s Best Careers 2010: Business and Finance”.  In 2007, CNN/Money Magazine ranked meeting planners 8th on the list of “Top 20 Jobs” for people who want more money, more upside, and more control over where they’re going. And, in 2006, the profession earned 39th on the list of “the 50 Best Jobs in America” by CNN/Money Magazine. These measures speak strongly of a profession that was recognized as a profession by the U.S. government only within the last decade.  The national average income of $56,000, combined with substantial growth projection, verifies that this career is statistically well ahead of many more established occupations.

And, as our students and alumni know, it’s not simply about meetings, events, conventions, and trade shows.  We also work in venues and the many services that make this industry happen.  Indeed,  the hospitality and tourism industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world and our skills transfer to each of those three sides of the Hospitality Triangle.  Meeting and event planners manage functions for an endless number of for-profit  and non-profit corporations. From the venue perspective, there are approximately 3.5 million hotel rooms in thousands of hotels within North America alone. Add the number of convention service venues that do not lodge guests, plus non-traditional venues such as museums, zoos, country clubs, and landmark buildings, and the number is staggering. Consider the many establishments around the globe, and it is easy to see why this is the largest industry in the world.  The volume of organizations that serve the hospitality industry is equally staggering.

Vist www.mpiweb.org and www.bls.gov for the latest market statistics regularly.  Per my other posts this week, we will continue to bring you highlights of this fantastic economic recovery and this terrific industry.

As reported in the MPI June Business Barometer, the trend toward greater employment has been consistently improving since February, 2010.  Of note:

From April, 2010 to June, 2010, full-time employment grew from 14% to 27% — almost double. 

In that same time period, part-time employment jumped from 17% to 22%.

The number of organizations cutting back on employees is reducing:

Reduction of full-time employees – 13% dropped in June, compared to 22% in April. 

Reduction of part-time employees was similarly lower – 10% dropped in June, compared to 19% in April.  And, once again, we find that the use of contract employees is on the rise. 

For the first time since August, 2009, the number of organizations reporting improved meeting/event attendance (39%) was greater than those reporting decreased attendance (31%).   

In the middle of 2010, the changes to our market are striking!  Economic recovery is well underway.  Employers are hiring and the number of job openings is more than I have seen in many years.  Most interesting are the many positions that have previous employees, laid off from that same position, waiting to find work and NOT being called back for their old job.  In countless conversations with employers I am told that employees who did not have training will probably not be rehired.  Employers have told me something that you (student or alumni of the DCTC program) and I already knew – you might get the job because you knew the right people, but unless you have the skills, you’ll probably not keep the job for long.  That was true yesterday, and today has become a stringent standard.  Employers can be selective because there is a glut of talent waiting for every job.  If you have the skills (do I know a great college you can get more training), then work your network.  Your network is everywhere AND in our industry, association such as MPI, ISES, MSAE are at the core in Minnesota. 

In addition to the training you receive in the classroom or online, ramp up your personal style.  Does your resume rock?  Do you give engaging interviews and have you practiced your responses to potential interview questions?  Do you really “get” that while your resume and interview are about you, they are not really for you?  The resume and interview are for THE EMPLOYER.  In both instances you need to answer the employer’s biggest question – what does this applicant have that will benefit my organization? 

If you want to polish your personal style, be sure to contact Ramie Chackan at Ramie.Chackan@dctc.edu Ramie is Director of Career Services and her assistance is FREE to all DCTC students and alumni.  Ramie, Jessica, and I have worked together with many of our students and alumni, so I know first-hand that Ramie understands our marketplace and can help you position yourself well when applying for a job.

If the rest of your personal style needs attention, you have many resources available to you.  We worked with many students and alumni in the personal branding clinics that were part of the YOUR EDGE series this past Spring.  Lisa Bah , Director of Business and Management, is reviewing which of those clinics to roll out again.  So, if you want more about personal branding, business etiquette, or another topic that will accrue to your benefit, please let Lisa know by emailing her at Lisa.Bah@dctc.edu.

Finally, our door is always open.  As a reminder, I have included Jessica Bartram and my contact information here.  If you have questions, comments or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach us.  Our mission is to build the hospitality industry forward one student at a time.  That’s you!

Jessica A. Bartram, CM, 651-423-8607, Jessica.Bartram@dctc.edu

Rosealee M. Lee, CAE, CM, 651-423-8604, Rosealee.Lee@dctc.edu

The term “green” will have a lot more credibility in the meetings, events, and hospitality industry when the new Green Meetings and Events Standards are released later this month.   And, whether you work in the industry or just go on vacation once in awhile, the standards will impact just about everyone.

 The term “green” has long been advertised as a feature or value of the product or service being sold.  Yet without standards and comparative measurement tools, how do we really know if the vendor we have selected for any product or service is really being a responsible environmental citizen?  Just how green is “green”?

Meetings, events, and hospitality comprise the largest industry in the world.  Most of us have hosted or attended a meeting or event.  By staying in a hotel or resort, visiting a tourism destination, and in so many other ways, we have likely all participated in the hospitality industry.  And, for those readers who think they have never been to a meeting or event, consider your last visit to the Boat Show, or the Home and Garden Show.  Public shows such as these are events. 

We may be the largest industry in the world, but we are sadly second in the world for production of waste.  Indeed, recent statistics indicate that we are second only to the home construction industry in production of waste.  To illustrate the amount of waste, consider a 3 day meeting of 300 people.  Waste for each of the attendees will be an average of 61 pounds per day.  That’s 8 small cars for the meeting!  The same meeting will average 1,400 pounds of carbon emission. That’s sufficient emission to inflate 25,175 basketballs. 

The process of developing green standards was initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in discussion with the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC).  The two organizations agreed that that there was a tremendous need in the meeting and event and hospitality industry for a uniform measurement of environmental performance.  The EPA approached the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), an international standards-setting organization, to assist by developing an accredited standard.  Under the guidance of ASTM, the new standard could then be adopted as the basis of a federal purchasing program focused on environmentally preferable government-run meetings and conferences.  Together, these three major stakeholders approached the Convention Industry Council (CIC) to participate in the process.  As the unifying entity of the meetings, events, and trade shows internationally, the CIC has 31 member organizations and represents 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. The addition of the CIC to the green meetings and events initiative implemented a powerful collaboration of industry and government.

The EPA’s two fundamental goals in participating with the standards are:

1. To institute a voluntary, market-based approach to environmental performance in the meeting/event/hospitality industry.
2. To further the government’s policy of reducing its own impact on the environment by selective use of appropriated funds.  Harry Lewis, EPA’s Pollution Prevention Division attorney said, “We feel that there will be a strong incentive for service and facility providers to adopt the green meeting standards into their business practice.”  He went on to point out that the government is one of the largest consumers of meeting services in the country and intends to adopt the standards in their buying decisions. 

Where does that leave the rest of us who don’t sell meeting services to the government?  Do we really care?  Historically, when standards are adopted as a government measuring stick, private industry soon follows the same standards.  Core to private industry’s adoption is the competition within the marketplace.  It follows then that even if we don’t care about the environment, we do care about the new standards.

A green meeting or event is defined as one that incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact on the environment.  Studies show that green efforts do not have to cost more.  Indeed, green meetings and events can save money.   The new standards will have levels as determined by the meeting/event score.  At each level a measurement system for both planner and vendor is provided.  Nine operational sectors are measured:   accommodations, audio/visual and production, communications and marketing, destinations, exhibits, food/beverage, meeting venue, on-site offices, and transportation.  By applying the measurement system for each sector, a meeting/event will be able to calculate their score for each operational sector and cumulatively for the entire meeting/event.

Of the nine sectors, six are currently being balloted by ASTM’s E60 Sustainability Committee as part of ASTM’s consensus process.  When the process is complete, the standards will be officially adopted.

Last week at Dakota County Technical College we hosted a “sneak peek” public viewing of a webinar that introduced the new standards.  Much of the standards content is taught in our Meeting and Event Management AAS courses.  Ideas like collecting name badges and re-using them at the next meeting, or designing signage that can be re-used, are not innovative, but the standards allocate a “green” score to these practices.  Small changes have big impact. For example, collecting name badge holders for reuse at an event of 1300 attendees can save the organizer approximately $975.00.  

In October of last year, DCTC hosted a “Shades of Green” seminar on the topic of green meetings and events.  The seminar, chaired by Jessica Bartram (DCTC faculty member) featured leading Twin Cities meeting planners, restaurateurs and hoteliers.  Together, these experts shared their experiences and ideas on greening the industry.   Some of the experts openly advertised their green practices while others were apprehensive to share their efforts with their customers because they feared it was not fashionable.  Attendees and presenters debated just how guests at a formal gala or at a luxury hotel getaway would perceive the sustainable processes in place.   In some communities those efforts would be applauded.  In others, guests would perhaps be nonplussed, since their mindset in that experience is to be pampered.  Seminar participants agreed that in many cases, the guest would likely state, “I care about the environment when I’m at home.  I came here to be indulged – not reminded about the environment.”

With the release of the new Green Meeting and Event Standards, organizations will be able to proudly stand on the fact that they are in compliance with governmental standards.  While it’s true (for now) that unless you are selling meeting services to the government, the standards will be voluntary, it is also true that the market will drive acceptance and participation in the standards.  Suppliers will adopt the standards to maintain their competitive edge and align their practices with customer values.  Planners will adopt the standards for many of the same reasons, and to achieve alignment with their stakeholders.   The scoring process of the standard will require collaboration between planners and suppliers which will, of necessity, increase the number of planner-supplier partnerships.  Perhaps all of the enhanced collaboration will lead us to new solutions and ideas.  It is certain, however, that to achieve effective change, we must work together across disciplines.

What’s next?  The International Standards Organization (ISO), a global standard developer, has announced its intent to develop a sustainable event standard that will be finalized in 2012.  Thirty countries are already participating in the ISO process and international support is increasing.  The measurement tools that are part of the Green Meetings and Events Standards are expected to be key resources for the ISO global standard, ISO 2021. 

 Saving money is not a new concept but for many organizations it is a newly-revived imperative.   Increasingly, the old is new again.  During forty years in business I have seen the pendulum of business-culture make several swings and often revisit the past.  This time we seem to have positioned many of yesterday’s concepts as brand new and amazing. 

Maybe because I grew up in a family with meager income, it has never been a leap for me to apply the knowledge of frugal to the corporate world.   So it is thrilling to realize that being frugal is in style and makes me chuckle that perhaps to the younger generations who missed the last pendulum swing and those who never lived poor, some very old ways to shave expenses are new.  For example, consolidation of purchases to save money has been the topic of several periodical articles recently.   Bartering for products and services has been touted as a new way to do business.  And then there is this entirely new concept of creating partnerships with people and organizations to achieve symbiotic benefit. 

Let’s address consolidation of purchases to save money.  I doubt there are none among us that have not experienced the “buy 2, get 1 free” sale.  It’s a pretty simple concept wherein the merchant has made enough profit from the sale on the first 2 items that they can give you the 3^rd item free.  Simple math makes this one easy to understand.  Theoretically, one can multiply this concept as many times as you would like and the savings grow exponentially.  Whether you are purchasing pencils, sleeping rooms, air travel, or other commodities and services, the concept of buying in bulk makes more sense than it ever has.  Regardless of what you are buying, consider what your anticipated spend will be and package that spend before you go shopping.  Don’t forget the need to prove the anticipated spend is realistic and not inflated.  (Watch for more on this in the “Spinning Your Spend” segment of Value is Fashionable Again.)

Bartering is the oldest profession in the world and it is also an excellent way to shave expenses.  This simple act of exchanging goods or services with another individual or organization is an opportunity to be creative while accruing financial benefit.  Exercise caution, however, not to barter for funny money.  Funny money items don’t really save you money; they just make you feel good.  Serious barterers know to look for the value and to make certain the barter shaves a real expense.                                                

Partnerships are a dynamic opportunity to do business more intensely and with greater symbiotic benefit.  It’s a little like a one-time date versus dating for an extended period of time.  If you are on what you know will be a one-time date, you don’t really care about the other party because it’s all about you.   On the other hand, if you believe you will be dating for an extended period of time, you don’t need to date exclusively to make a promise to each other that you will each do the right thing for the relationship.  That means that sometimes one “partner” may have to give concessions to make the relationship work for the other.  In my work within the hospitality industry, I am buoyed by the relationships I share as well as those I learn about from other professionals.  Over the past year or so that pendulum has swung from vendor-favor to buyer-favor, but it is those vendors that were previously fair and built relationships with their buyers that are now experiencing the favor of their customers.   Regardless of where the pendulum is in its cycle, recognizing what you and your vendor- or customer- partner need will give you the opportunity to create a long-term beneficial relationship.  This is business at its best.