By Katie Corbett
Choosing a purpose for your event is necessary no matter where the event takes place. It might seem like not much planning is required for virtual events, since spaces don’t need to be decorated and not as much coordination is needed to get everyone into the same space. Even though many events now take place virtually due to the COVID 19 pandemic, choosing a purpose for each gathering is important. I’ll explain why in this post.
I recently read “The Art of Gathering” by Priya Parker. The book explained how purpose informs everything about an event, from where it takes place, to who is invited. I had seen this concept in action before, though this was the first time I had pondered the reasoning behind it.
I worked for a company that hosted a lot of committee meetings and work group planning sessions. I recall one such session that I wanted to attend. The CEO of the company had specific reasons that she preferred that I not attend. I was annoyed at first, but quickly came to realize that she valued my time and didn’t want me wasting it at an event where I truly didn’t need to be present.
To determine the purpose of your event, think about what you would like to achieve. What would you like the outcome to be? Do any special circumstances need to be in place to achieve this outcome?
The next time you plan an event, get very clear on the purpose. That will help you decide where to host it, what needs to be done beforehand, what to do once you are there, and who is best suited to attend.
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