2020 – Helping Us More Efficiently Do Work That Matters

Last year I traveled to Florida to deliver a keynote to 300 C-suite and executive-level leaders. All were seated at round tables in a very large hotel conference room. Everyone was wearing a name badge and there were two big screens and a stage at the front. You know the scene. The event was several days long and almost all attendees traveled for hours by plane to attend.

Two weeks ago, I delivered a keynote via Zoom. My audience was similar: over 300 C-suite and executive-level leaders, only this time, most tuned in from their (now) home office space.

Last year’s keynote consumed four days of my time, traveling door to door. Two weeks ago, it took me less than an hour to deliver an important message for leaders at this level to hear and apply.

If I had to guess, I would tell you that my presentation two weeks ago had more real impact. Why?

The audience was fresh and the event that day was short. Most participants attended by themselves and, thus, were focused. They listened in from the comfort of their own homes and were not exhausted from days of travel or time away from their loved ones.

In-person conferences can be incredible and they are important. I know many are looking forward to when we can return to live events and be together in person again.

And, multi-day events often exhaust and overwhelm attendees. After all, how much information can people really take in during one event that they are actually going to act upon? And, how many new people do any of us care to meet before we begin to close ourselves off simply because we need a break?

2020 has shown us that we really can do so much remotely, and do it more efficiently and effectively. Let’s not lose this lesson. We have trimmed the fat while also granting people more precious time with their loved ones.

This is the gift of 2020.