Lessons In Leadership Escape Velocity – Part 1 CEOs must resist polarization. It’s not your imagination. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer confirmed what many of us feared — the world is gripped by distrust and divisiveness. Specifically, the Edelman report notes that 65 percent of respondents characterize the lack of civility and mutual respect as “the worst I’ve ever seen.” And only 20 […] Written by BPH March 14, 2024March 14, 2024
Lessons In Leadership Searching the Research It’s time to read between the lines. Freeman recently released a new Trends Report that offers robust analysis of the current events industry with specific focus on 2024 Attendee Intent and Behavior. It contains insights that will prove invaluable to any CEO, CMO or Brand Manager navigating media channels to sustain brand trust. But it […] Written by BPH February 29, 2024February 29, 2024
Lessons In Leadership Small World Diverse backgrounds — shared humanity. Recently Janet Dell and I joined colleagues at the UFI Global CEO Summit in Amsterdam. It’s something I always find rewarding and, because Janet will take the helm as CEO in July, I asked her to join me. It’s an invitation-only event, which makes it uniquely intimate and allows for […] Written by BPH February 15, 2024February 15, 2024
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Doing What’s Right Hint: There are a lot of right ways to do something. Here’s a paradox that most leaders are familiar with — the skills you’ve perfected to achieve individual success aren’t necessarily the skills you need to achieve success through others. There are any number of right ways to achieve success. Knowing the best way to […] Written by BPH February 2, 2024February 2, 2024
Thoughts from the Zeitgeist A Community of Community Builders – Part 2 It’s not only what’s new — it’s the nuance. As I posted previously, community building is a worthy calling — one I discovered in my days at Seybold Seminars. My next lesson in community building involved understanding how nuanced the language of an esoteric community can be. And by “language,” I mean all the ways you […] Written by BPH January 18, 2024January 18, 2024
Thoughts from the Zeitgeist A Community of Community Builders – Part 1 If you build it, they will come. One of the best things about working with incredible people for the last 30 years is that they are now working across the events industry — some as corporate clients, some as event organizers, some leading amazing associations, and some working with me right here at Freeman. Most […] Written by BPH January 4, 2024January 4, 2024
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist The Only List That Counts A lesson from Buddy the elf. Is it just me, or is there a social media conspiracy to reduce the holidays to a series of check lists? Shopping lists. Decorating lists. Baking lists. “Must-see” and “must-do” lists. Everyone seems to be pushing the five or ten things without which your holiday will be incomplete. I […] Written by BPH December 21, 2023December 21, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Empty gestures Do you walk the talk? I suppose it sounds like a platitude now, but when I was an idealistic young man, the advice to walk the talk really made me stop and think. Was I honoring the beliefs I publicly expressed, or just spouting things that I thought people wanted to hear? Being self-aware and […] Written by BPH December 14, 2023December 14, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Still Learning The secret to success: always work with amazing people. By now, you may have heard that I will be officially retiring from Freeman at the end of June 2024. I’ve already received notes and calls from so many of you — which is humbling and deeply appreciated. This wasn’t a sudden decision. In fact, it […] Written by BPH November 30, 2023November 30, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Have Your Digital Twin Call My Digital Twin Technology isn’t just getting better, it’s getting more personal. Back in August, Brian Cooley, senior technology editor at CNET for over 25 years, spoke at our leadership conference about how the point of AI is to amplify the human experience. One of the many opportunities he presented is the emerging technology behind digital twins. The […] Written by BPH November 9, 2023November 9, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Remember Slide Modules? It’s not about the window — it’s about the view. I wonder how many people today in the business of producing meetings and shows remember the unparalleled beauty and unmitigated terror of running programmed 35-mm-film slide modules. A friend who worked with me back in the day shared a recent article in MIT Technology Review […] Written by BPH October 26, 2023October 26, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Why We Need to Connect Thinking about Comic Con and Taylor Swift as a force for good. I’m not sure why the arrival of New York Comic Con at the Javits Center lifts my spirits every year, but it does. I think anything that brings people together in a playful way is worth celebrating. People crave connection. And while fan […] Written by BPH October 12, 2023October 12, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Getting Serious About Playtime We’re going to need a bigger sandbox. Research has affirmed that play time is important for adults overall sense of well-being, both mental and physical. But at our recent leadership conference, where we intentionally included time to play, I again experienced the joy of living and learning in the moment. Children learn best through creative […] Written by BPH September 28, 2023September 28, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Resist the Urge to Isolate Thoughts while streamlining airport interactions. I love the way technology is helping streamline some of the more tedious parts of my day. Because I’m in the events industry, I travel a lot. I have a strategic routine to minimize annoying airport interactions. I have a boarding pass on my phone and a printed copy in […] Written by BPH September 14, 2023September 14, 2023
Lessons In Leadership Thoughts from the Zeitgeist Good News Behind Daunting Data Boiling the ocean and other idioms. Anyone who follows my posts knows that my perspective is based on a long career in the events industry. I am no doubt biased in my belief that the world of events is a force for good that is too often undervalued. But more objectively, my experience has shown […] Written by BPH August 31, 2023August 31, 2023