A2 Skills of an Events Organiser
In order for an event to run smoothly a large number of smaller tasks need to happen at the right time, at an appropriate quality and within budget. In order to meet the overall goals of an event, an events manager needs to effectively demonstrate a range of skills including;
Organisational.
Problem-solving.
Time management.
Negotiation.
Communication.
Interpersonal.
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are the ability to work well with other people and create and be part of a positive working environment. Interpersonal skills promote the development of relationships through a strong understanding of the needs of others and how to satisfy them. Empathy, compassion, open-mindedness, listening and patience all contribute to the development of relationships.
Event managers work with numerous people throughout the planning and delivery of an event. This includes the client, suppliers, legal advisors and the team of staff. Event managers need to be able to quickly understand the needs of each party and effectively communicate and motivate each person.
You may have developed interpersonal skills through group projects, voluntary work, working with younger students or planning a birthday party.
Communication Skills
Communication skills involve ensuring information is delivered and understood by all involved parties. This can be verbal or non-verbal. Important aspects of effective communication are constructing the message, choosing the right medium and receiving feedback. Active listening is an important part of effective communication.
Event managers need to ensure communication is clear and effective to ensure that all the different people involved are working together towards to same shared goal. As events managers have varied opportunities for face-to-face contact, they need to use different forms of communication for different people.
Verbal communication includes one-to-one conversations, group meetings, phone calls and presentations. Written communication includes letters, emails, messaging, flyers, memos and supplier contracts. Visual communication includes posters, presentation aids and images. Non-verbal communication includes cues through body language that are communicated both intentionally and non-intentionally. This includes open and closed body language and eye contact.
You may have developed verbal communication skills through group work, meeting with your teachers and presentations in class. You may have developed your written communication skills through school assignments such as reports and essays. You may have also emailed your teachers or classmates. You may have developed your visual communication skills by making a poster for a class assignment, creating graphs in Maths or making images in Art of Design Technology.
Time Management Skills
Time management skills include being able to effectively schedule and prioritise tasks with an appropriate amount of time so the overall goal can be achieved in a timely manner.
Event managers need to ensure that an extensive number of tasks are completed prior to, during and after an event. These tasks all have their own timelines. Some can happen at the same time as each other and some have to be completed before another can start. Tasks that involve other people need to be delegated effectively to allow the other person to fit the task into their other priorities. The events manager must plan effectively so all tasks are completed on time. This involves making realistic estimates of how long tasks will take and allowing some flexibility for unforeseen circumstances.
You may have developed time management skills through school projects, making sure your homework is completed on time and planning a revision timetable.
Negotiation Skills
Negotiation skills allow for discussions between two parties to reach a compromise on mutually beneficial goals. A strong ability to communicate and persuade is important in negotiation. Negotiations may take place on price, services included in contracts and responsibilities.
Event managers will be working towards a budget so will need to negotiate contract terms with suppliers. This may include caterers, venues, entertainment and decorators. Their aim will be to achieve a ‘win win’ situation where goods and services are supplied for a reasonable price without being so low that suppliers will reduce quality.
You may have developed negotiation skills through arranging your mobile phone contract, arranging wages and hours for a part-time job, arranging a school event or asking parents for a later curfew.
Organisation Skills
Organisational skills include the ability to coordinate resources effectively meet an objective or goal. Resources may include time, venue, people and equipment in the case of an event. Good organisation includes setting clear and effective goals, ensuring all personnel are equipped to meet their targets, setting and meeting time plans and ensuring all paperwork is completed properly.
Event managers may use a range of methods to stay organised including diaries, gannt charts or event planning software. An effective filing system is essential to ensure that all documentation is completed and can be located. This may involve having a physical binder or well organised computer folders.
You may have demonstrated organisatonal skills when organising yor school work for different subjects. You may have a folder for each subject with dividers for individual topics. Some of you may colour code different topics. On your computer, you may have different folders for different subjects and topics and have appropriate file names for documents to make it easier to find the one you need.
Problem Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills include being able to quickly identify a problem, consider the range of options available and devise an effective solution. Being able to solve a problem may involve creative thinking, collaboration with others and having the flexibility to deviate from an original plan.
Event managers need to be actively aware of all aspects of the event planning process is important in becoming aware of problems as they arise. Experienced events managers will often be able to anticipate potential problems based on what they have experienced before. Contingency plans can be developed to prevent problems from occurring and to have a pre-defined plan in place for those that occur. For example, if it rains at an outdoor wedding, the event manager may already have a backup indoor space organised. However, there may be unforeseen problems that arise. Effective event managers need to be able to think quickly and creatively to solve these problems without any negative impact on the overall goals.
You may have demonstrated problem-solving skills in Maths where you had to calculate a solution to a problem. You may have been given a brief in design technology to design an item to solve a problem. You may have been on a school trip where you had to create a solution such as a raft-building activity.