The Big & Small of It....

Too often we hear the clichés about living for the day or to live with no regrets. Oftentimes, we are reminded of these following a loss or other unpleasant event. Fortunately, we tend to go long periods of time between these events. Unfortunately, we get a momentary rush to do things and then life gets back to normal and we forget the “in-the-moment” promises we made to ourselves. The truth is, we need to remind ourselves of these promises each day – both in regards to our personal lives and our professional lives.

On the professional side, each of us should to be able to not regret our business decisions (or lack of decision as is more abundant) on a daily basis. How often have you had a great idea to move your organization forward, decide not to take the risk or discard the idea as unattainable, and then regret it six months or a year later when your competitor decides to implement the same idea resulting in great growth. Too often we tend to get into our comfort zone and fear change. Change often has a negative connotation as it forces us to push ourselves, learn new skills, and put ourselves at risk. Those who are truly successful, however, learn to embrace change and take risks. They live for the day. Of course, they do not do so on a complete whim, but with some sense of what they are getting into and the potential upsides and downsides.

In addition, we all get caught up in the day-to-day management of projects and processes without taking time to look at the big picture (unfortunately, another cliché). While many experts will say that true leaders see the big picture, I firmly believe that it is a balance between seeing the big picture and managing the minute details that makes a great business leader. One must be on top of the details, while still seeing where the organization is going to truly move forward. What this mean for business people – you must take time daily to create new goals for your organization, think of new ways to move your organization forward, etc…while still ensuring that the day-to-day tasks are being performed to exceptional standards. My motto – think in big ideas: implement in small details. 

In the meetings industry, we have those that are staying with the status quo, those that are moving ahead at lightening speed, and those that are somewhere in between. None of the above is right or wrong, however, we should all be open to change. Just imagine how the transportation industry reacted when the first motor vehicle was introduced. Can you even imagine the huge change that was presented? To go from horse and buggy to a motorized machine? Our industry is not making such drastic changes, but there are definitely changes and advancements being made. Making meetings green, incorporating electronic transfer of information, and conducting meetings via the internet are all new ideas being used and explored.

I encourage all professionals to reach outside of their comfort level, even just a little bit, to begin to embrace the many changes being made within the industry. For those more adventurous, I wholeheartedly hope you continue to test the boundaries by developing new and cutting edge technologies to improve the industry.

On a personal note, while we are all focusing on growing our organizations – whether it be incorporating new technology, increasing customer service, or creating new benefits for clients – be sure to take time to attend to your personal lives. Remember what all work and no play did for Jack, and don't let that happen to you. While we all live in a society of “do more with less”, we need to realize that oftentimes taking time off to attend to our personal happiness may be the best way to success. Only when you feel refreshed, satisfied, and happy on a personal level can you truly achieve success.

So, I encourage you to live each day to the fullest both personally and professionally.


Laura Shelton, CMP, is President of Fusion Meetings and Events, a full-service meeting and association management company located in Alexandria, VA. With over 12 years of experience, she has found that success in meeting and association management comes from fusing the science (logistics, financial, content, operational) aspects with the art (creativity, meeting personal needs, personal communication, visually pleasing) aspects to create the whole product. She can be reached at laura@fusionmeetings.com.