You’re not just a New York event planner. You’re a business-savvy entrepreneur with fierce dedication to succeed and grow. But sometimes, especially when you’re knee-deep in planning efforts, tasks, and operations, you can forget about your leadership skills. As a business owner, it’s mission-critical that you always find new ways to learn and grow your skills, not only as an event planner but as an industry leader. And to help you refocus your betterment efforts, these are the leadership skills today’s titans say are always worth improving.
1. Practicing Discipline
Task management you have down. But what about discipline? People become leaders because they’re also disciplined to do whatever it takes to achieve success, even when the results aren’t apparent or immediate. It’s not different from a workout regimen. You can run five miles on the treadmill and hit the Hot Yoga studio every day for a week and still not see results. But it’s the discipline that gets you up in the morning on days seven, eight, and ten, knowing the long-term results will come. Your event planning business can operate much the same way. Steps you take today to improve your marketing, train your staff, or close more deals may not be fruitful today. But you continue to take those steps because you’re disciplined, and you know the long-term results will pay off.
2. Being an Inspiration, Not a Dictator
When your life is driven by to-do lists, confirmation lists, and client checklists, it can be easy for leaders to fall into the dictator mold of task management. Your delegating quickly turns into barking orders, not leaving room for inspiration or employee growth. Look for ways to identify that dictator behavior and work on your skills as an inspiration to your teams instead. When you delegate tasks, allow trust and convey confidence in your team’s ability to perform. Be an inspiration to them by making mistakes and correcting yourself. Admit when you’ve made an error, apologize for moments of unprofessionalism, and be liberal with your praise of others.
3. It’s Ok to Be a Follower
Leaders sometimes assume they must always be blazing trails to be successful. But when you’re in the event planning industry, you know the greatest leaders are those who are willing to collaborate and follow, too. Strategic relationships and partnerships foster an environment of continued learning and problem-solving. No one leader has all the answers. And any leader who is too proud to follow another’s advice or form alliances with colleagues will soon fall behind those leaders who do come together for the betterment of the industry.
4. Improving Conflict Resolution Skills
Leaders are people who get called in when the situation gets rough. When the scenario calls for a diplomat who can smooth the rough edges and identify solutions everyone can support, it requires a true leader. With that said, what can you be doing to strengthen your leadership skills in conflict resolution? For most people, avoiding conflict altogether is the default method of engagement. But leaders, especially those within the event planning industry, aren’t afraid to tackle problems head-on and find an immediate resolution. Look for ways to improve your skills as a professional problem-solver, and you’ll become a stronger and more effective leader in the process.
Other leadership skills to add to your self-improvement list include practicing empathy, mastering situational awareness, and solidifying your communication effectiveness. Make a conscious effort to recognize where you, as an event planning leader, can fall short, so you can continue to grow and sharpen your leadership skills. And to really amp up your leadership game, make sure you get in the room this October at The Event Planner Expo 2022, when thousands of professionals, executives, marketers, and decision-makers gather to help us celebrate 10 incredible years! You can showcase your brand as a leader in the industry, too, when you become a sponsor or exhibitor. Contact us today!
