Life Lessons from Shrek

Over the long weekend I re-watched the Shrek trilogy of movies and realized there are many lessons to be learned and applied, both personally and professionally, in today’s world.

Leadership

Throughout the three movies, Shrek evolves into a highly respected leader. First, he became the leader of all the magical creatures then ultimately by the residents of Far Far Away. How did he make this transition? He was focused, dedicated and had integrity. His quest was so simple a 5 year old could understand it and repeat it. Shrek does not waiver from his purpose yet applies extreme compassion to all face-to-face situations. If you want people to follow you, personally or professionally, do you implement these three simple strategies?

Adaptability

Like in real life, quests change and evolve. Shrek recognizes these signs, with the help of his friends (think professional peers). They improve their quest as they gather more information. Take note, I’m not talking about the bumps and curves Shrek and team encounter along the way; every business event has its share of twists and turns. Rather I’m talking about the evolution of the big picture – the 30,000 foot view that our industry struggles to reach at times.

Culture

In everything I’m reading and doing these days, an organization’s culture is a very hot topic. So it was very interesting for me to relax and watch a movie (or three), and see organizational culture developing before my eyes. In the beginning of the trilogy, there is no culture. It is every man, women, and magical creature for themselves. Using leadership and adaptability, Shrek creates a swamp-culture that everyone believes in and, ultimately, is prepared to die for. There are only a few real world examples where culture like this exists; does your organization have its own swamp-culture? If not, what are you doing about it?

Family

I like the Shrek trilogy because it strikes a balance between life and work while using comedy to relieve stressful situations. Shrek goes “to work” so that he can be with the one he loves and, in the third movie, his family. The outside world defines Shrek by his work accomplishments but Shrek, true to his core, defines himself by his family; what a great lesson for kids, and adults, to learn from.

If you haven’t watched the Shrek movies in a while, then maybe they are worth another look. After all, it never hurts to explore your inner-Ogre.

posted April 25, 2011

5 Poker Lessons for your Events

Sometimes a successful event overshadows the good and bad decisions that went into planning it. Like the card game of poker, winning big does not necessarily mean you played great. Here are five poker lessons that can be applied to planning your next event.

1. Manage the Details

In poker, a player plays dozens of hands in the course of the game. The game itself is the event and the event is won by managing each hand as if it is the most important detail above all others. The success of your event comes from managing the hundreds of details and giving each one your complete focus.

2. Anticipate Failure

During a game of poker, a player loses or folds more hands than they win. It is impossible to predict which hands will be the winners and losers. Preparing a contingency plan around your event, communicating it to the key stakeholders and bringing it on site are critical pieces to delivering a successful event. This is show business, there will be bumps along the way and you will need to throw away a few hands to get the big one.

3. Check your Emotions

I’m sure you’ve used the expression “poker face”. The best poker players in the world have a great poker face when they don’t let emotions cloud their judgment. Don’t confuse being passionate for your event with letting your emotions cloud your decisions pre, onsite or post event. Knowing “when to hold ‘em” and “when to fold ‘em” should never be emotional.

4. Experience Counts

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than smart, but a skilled poker player will always win over a lucky player in the long run. If you are an experienced planner who has run hundreds of events and experienced more obstacles than you can remember, then my advice is to trust your gut. If you are a new or part-time planner and don’t have the experience, then I’d suggest you hire some professional help onsite or at the very least build out your network so you can tap into their skills…because luck will only get you so far.

5. Adapt to Change

The best players adapt as the game changes. Planners are continuously faced with changing information from the smallest detail like onsite dietary restrictions, to union strikes at a venue, and everything in between. Great planners understand the only thing constant is change; they incorporate the changes on-the-fly and seamlessly adapt them into the game plan.

BONUS: Play to Win (self explanatory!)

See you at the next industry poker game!

Steve

thestevereport@gmail.com