The Case Against New Year’s Resolutions
From Thanksgiving through Christmas we’re sucked into a whirlwind of gorging on humongous family feasts, blowing our budget on holiday gifts, and partaking in revelry at lots of holiday parties....
View ArticleThe Meeting Attendee’s Bill of Rights
At the end of my last post I said I’d start putting together a Meeting Attendee’s Bill of Rights. Having just finished speaking at several conferences, a handful of thoughts are fresh in my head....
View ArticleConfessions of A First Class Wannabe
Many people who cannot normally afford to fly first class, like myself, sometimes get an opportunity to do so, courtesy of those great frequent flyer miles or the occasional corporate perk. However,...
View ArticleWhen to Fire Someone: Toxic Employees & The Curse of Mediocrity
[Author’s Note: Yes, I know it’s been almost two months since my last blog post. Where have I been, you ask? OK, I’ll just come right out with it: I’ve been sleeping with another audience. There, I...
View ArticleThe Day-Of Planning Dilemma
Here’s an advance peek at my next In Business column for Event Solutions magazine. “I think I can plan the event myself. I just want to hire you to be there the day of the event. You know, just to...
View ArticleFailing Up: The Blessing of Mistakes
Mistakes are part of the human condition. By nature we are utterly imperfect beings. Eventually, we screw up in everything we do: relationships, finances, business, you name it. We can’t help it....
View ArticleIf the Events Industry Disappeared Tomorrow, Would It Matter?
What we do in the events industry doesn’t matter in the world. Well, not much anyway. If you’re waiting for my typical sarcastic follow up line, it’s not coming. Sorry. That’s what the ten year...
View ArticleSteve Jobs, Calligraphy & Crowd-Sourcing
You know that game where you fantasize about whom you’d invite to a dinner party? Well, Steve Jobs was always high on my list. (Along with Winston Churchill). When I heard that he died, I felt a...
View Article“Everyone Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth”
Reporter: “I hear your opponent has a clever plan for defensing your left hook. How do you respond?” (Heavyweight boxing champ) Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”...
View ArticleConfessions Of A Blogger In Hiding: Lessons In Losing Your Creativity
My name is Howard Givner. I’m a blogger. It’s been 13 months since my last blog post. (This is where you all say in unison, “Hi Howard”). As I write this, I feel like I’m at the podium at an AA...
View Article“Beware the Daring of A Cautious Man”: The danger of a half-hearted RFP...
You’re sitting at your desk staring at an RFP you just received for a nice big job. It’s big bucks if you get it, and a high profile client to boot. The kind of event you sit around hoping lands on...
View ArticleChallenge Your Planner/Vendor for More Creative Results
Last Friday Jes Gordon was in the studio taping a class for the Event Leadership Institute (launching next month) called BWWB, short for “Big Wow Within Budget”. She covered a wide range of...
View ArticleThe Case Against New Year’s Resolutions
From Thanksgiving through Christmas we’re sucked into a whirlwind of gorging on humongous family feasts, blowing our budget on holiday gifts, and partaking in revelry at lots of holiday parties....
View ArticleThe Meeting Attendee’s Bill of Rights
At the end of my last post I said I'd start putting together a Meeting Attendee's Bill of Rights. Having just finished speaking at several conferences, a handful of thoughts are fresh in my head....
View ArticleConfessions of A First Class Wannabe
Many people who cannot normally afford to fly first class, like myself, sometimes get an opportunity to do so, courtesy of those great frequent flyer miles or the occasional corporate perk. However,...
View ArticleWhen to Fire Someone: Toxic Employees & The Curse of Mediocrity
[Author’s Note: Yes, I know it’s been almost two months since my last blog post. Where have I been, you ask? OK, I’ll just come right out with it: I’ve been sleeping with another audience. There, I...
View ArticleThe Day-Of Planning Dilemma
Here's an advance peek at my next In Business column for Event Solutions magazine. “I think I can plan the event myself. I just want to hire you to be there the day of the event. You know, just to...
View ArticleFailing Up: The Blessing of Mistakes
Mistakes are part of the human condition. By nature we are utterly imperfect beings. Eventually, we screw up in everything we do: relationships, finances, business, you name it. We can’t help it....
View ArticleSteve Jobs, Calligraphy & Crowd-Sourcing
You know that game where you fantasize about whom you’d invite to a dinner party? Well, Steve Jobs was always high on my list. (Along with Winston Churchill). When I heard that he died, I felt a...
View Article“Everyone Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth”
Reporter: “I hear your opponent has a clever plan for defensing your left hook. How do you respond?” (Heavyweight boxing champ) Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”...
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