No matter what industry or field your in, we all speak, respond and react to communication in different ways. However, there are two distinct personality types and once I have been able to identify the type of person I’m interacting with then communication is absorbed quicker and it’s much easier to achieve results.
These key areas are detail-oriented people or those who are only interested in the overarching big picture. Here is the breakdown:
Detail-oriented:
- Have a certain way of doing things
- Really focused on each step of the process and may lose focus of the big picture
- Ask questions regularly
Big picture:
- Explain and know their event visions and goals – but not sure how to make it happen
- They expect you to be responsible for the details and achieving their dream
- Usually has less time to give you, but expectations are very high
These personality types are at completely different ends of the spectrum. Of course, there are also people who fall in the middle, having a combination of both types. They usually have a mixture of attention to detail and high-level thinking.
I realized pretty quickly I needed to have a common language that allowed me to speak with everyone in a clear and productive way. That’s when I started to “categorize content into buckets”
This has two key meanings:
- A simple and effective way to organize the message and information
- Allow you to see how big the idea and content really is
Let’s face it, no one wants an overwhelming conversation, especially with a client. You would much rather connect and convert!
My mind automatically thinks in a process-driven mindset, meaning as the ideas and information are fed to me, I start to group the content into categorized buckets. By breaking this down into smaller buckets (groups) it allows me to get a much clearer understanding of the message, to think beyond the conversation described, collaborate in the conversation and provide strategic input.
Let’s take a look at each of these areas in a little more detail.
A simple and effective way to organize the message and information:
- Break large conversations and tasks down into smaller more manageable pieces
- Allows everyone to be aligned and end up on the same page much quicker
- The ability to arrange and re-order a bucket around if needed
- A clear way for information to be passed onto others, such as team members and vendors who are also part of making the event a success
Allows you to see how big the idea and content really is:
- Overall, you can see how big a conversation is (or a particular piece of the project)
- Have a clear structure (can see all 4 buckets) making it easy to monitor, track and manage the overall project timeline
- In some cases, depending on the size of each bucket you may require labor to be divided into separate designated roles (lead and assist). By making people accountable for each bucket they become responsible for their duties
You may already be thinking in this mindset, and an example would be how you organize your emails. Do you have project folders and subfolders? Breaking information using this concept is exactly the same as it’s processing information.
Once you have your buckets outlined, you must label them. This way everyone uses the same terminology, there is no correct word it’s a matter of labeling the bucket and keeping consistent. For instance, if your client calls sponsors “partners” then you should be consistent with their language and refer to them as “partners”. Another example may be a Welcome Reception, that’s taking place prior to a Conference. If they are calling it “VIP Cocktail Hour” then you need to label your bucket that. By using common language and phrases allows everyone to get on the same page.
When information is reversed, and you need to explain content or ideas to a client or vendor you can absolutely use the same principles to get your message across. Before I started writing blogs for “The Right Up”, I thought about what content value I wanted to share with you all. I broke my ideas down into THREE buckets:
- EVENTS: Strategy and experiences to produce white glove events across the globe
- BUSINESS: Tips, tricks, and a business mindset
- LIFESTYLE: Travel, wellbeing and a fun-loving life
Next time you’re in a meeting, start to break down your content into buckets, not only does it make it easier to understand the information, you’ll also be able to visually see it on the paper. I have seen this process make a huge difference in lots of people’s lives. Overall, this reduces unnecessary miss-communication and frustration. It leads you to be a more effective communicator, team player and allows you to see the complete project earlier on.
The Right Up 