The Hotel Bar

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to produce great meetings at many fantastic hotels across the country. I am always amazed how the power of these events can create such a positive impact over the few days that people are together.

The speakers typically do a good job delivering the content and information, and the leaders are successful in making people feel good about being part of the organization. When the evening event is over, the art and science of meetings comes together — after hours at the hotel bar.

Attendees begin to unwind after a long day of meetings. People enjoy a few drinks, nosh on some bar snacks and the conversation starts flowing. The left side of their brain is wearing down and the right side is starting to take over. I’ve found people that in these situations, people start talking louder and the ideas start getting bolder. “Wait. Did I really just tell the company president how to fix the entire organization?”

Hotels create these bars not only because they are great profit centers for their owners, but also because it is an essential part of corporate events. The right side of your brain dominates at the after meeting watering hole. The barriers come down and people become more open to bonding that can take place after meetings and events. In many cases, this is where the stories and folklore of a company are passed on and where new ones are created. This keeps the organization’s culture alive for another year.

Last year at a senior management meeting, I overheard an attendee say, “What a great meeting. I sat around the fire pit last night, and had a beer and smoked a cigar with the President.”

You can’t do that on a webinar!