Sound n' Sight

Yes! And . . . How Event Camp East Coast led me to own my dream

I've been looking for a way to combine my passion for improv with my love of events for sometime. But as is usual with me, I have a hard time owning and acting on things I really feel passionate about. That's my fear of failure kicking in.

So when I was told at Event Camp East Coast, an unconference for events professionals, that I would be leading a session on Applied Improvisation for Business & Personal Development, I had mixed feelings.

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'I didn't plan to run a session. I wasn't planning on anything. Well, except maybe some karaoke with friends.'

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I hadn't planned to run a session. I wasn't planning on anything. Well, except maybe some karaoke with friends.  I was going to Event Camp East Coast, my third Event Camp, to gather content for two events industry blogs, network, learn what's new in events, hang out with my dear friends from the Twitter #eventprofs & #Engage365 communities, AND finally experience an unconference.

As an improvisor (I've been studying and performing improv for the past 6 years) I've wanted to experience what seemed like "improv for events" ever since I heard of unconferences. These events, where the attendees choose the program at the event, sounded fascinating and right up my alley.

ECEC did not disappoint. I had chances to talk with old friends and make new ones at every turn. And the "Conferences that Work" model used by ECEC and created by organizer Adrian Segar, was fascinating.

After an initial roundtable discussion in which everyone introduced themselves and shared what they hoped to get from the conference and what expertise they have, the group adjourned to the home of Beth Brodovsky for an enjoyable reception that included gourmet food, beer and wine.

During the reception, flip chart notes that were taken during the roundtable discussion, were posted on the wall. And blank signup sheets were spread out on the table. Adrian instructed us to use the information we now had to think of session topics we'd like to see that could be presented by the group. We were asked to write these topics at the top of the signup sheets.

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'If I write down improv, would you lead it?'

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Then we were instructed to sign up for as many topics as we were interested in, indicating if we had expertise and/or would like to be a facilitator or panelist.

I was making my first trip around the table, when an attendee I'd just met said, "If I write down improv, would you lead it?" Of course he had heard me share that I had experience with improv and wanted to explore its applications for leadership training and team building during the round table.

There it was. My chance to **** or get off the pot, as it were. And my improv training didn't fail me. I said yes.

So when I was told I'd be leading not one but two of the 12 conference sessions (the other being Social Media 101, which I co-facilitated with Jay Daughtry and felt quite comfortable with) mostly I knew it was a good thing. Finally I would be catapulted into doing what I've dreamed of doing for years. But it was scary. I tried hard not to focus on that part. Not having had enough sleep probably helped.

I wrote down a few games I thought would be good to get people moving and expose them to essential improv concepts. I decided I would teach and lead a couple of games at a time interspersed with discussion on what skills they teach and how those skills can be used in everyday life and career.

From the moment I started, I felt like I was with a group of curious friends, not a critical audience.  In fact, as the discussions went on, I found that they had ideas I hadn't necessarily thought of for improv's use in the events industry and this fueled my enthusiasm even more. 

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I have to say, this group was FUNNY! By the end of it, many of us were practically in tears.

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The group took a light-hearted approach to the games, for which I was also grateful. As we went through such elementary improv warm ups as "8 Shakes", "Red Ball, Blue Ball" and "Zip, Zap, Zop" they laughed and added their own improvisations. They actually accomplished some pretty difficult things - which I would have to put down to the average event professional's amazing ability to multi-task.

I decided to finish the session off with two games designed to help introduce the concept of "Group Mind" - how individuals in a group can influence each other positively and create something greater than the sum of the individuals. The first was the "Conducted Rant" in which individuals are given mundane suggestions that they must rant about while being conducted (as in an orchestra.)

I had to split the group into two, so while one was ranting, the other suggested the topics and served as the audience.  The suggestions ran the gamut from "Apple" to "Lint" to "Blue Cheese" to "AARP". I have to say, this group was FUNNY! By the end of it, many of us were practically in tears. And I had run out of time for the final game I had planned.

I didn't care. It felt good to go out on a high note. The group thoroughly enjoyed the session and told other participants about it. I finally knew that, yes I could run a successful and useful session on Applied Improvisation. I had finally owned my dream, and all I had done was say yes.

I can't say enough how instrumental the "Conferences that Work" model was in creating the circumstances for this to happen. I'm told by Adrian, that the way that unexpected experts are revealed during the process is one of the model's celebrated benefits. 

For me, it was much more than a benefit. It was a once in a lifetime experience that forced me to take ownership of a cherished personal goal. My deepest thanks to Event Camp East Coast organizers (and treasured friends) Lindsey Rosenthal, Traci Browne and Adrien Segar. You rock.

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