By Penny Zenker, aka The Focusologist
Did you know this not-so-fun fact about event planning jobs?
World Scholarship Vault in 2023 listed event planning jobs as third most stressful in the world, behind only military service and home health aides, and ahead of first responders, social workers, and teachers.
The pressure to ensure everything runs smoothly, the unpredictability of certain elements, and the constant demand for creativity can overwhelm even the most experienced planners.
Stress diminishes your brain’s ability to think creatively and find solutions. Stress also triggers the fight-or-flight response, which limits your focus to immediate survival rather than long-term problem-solving. In event planning, these limitations can lead to a mental block where you feel stuck and unable to move forward.
So I’m here to tell you about something that can help you address your stress, reclaim control, and keep you focused on what really matters: Resetting.
When you recognize that stress is taking over, you can take deliberate steps to reset. This could be taking a quick walk, deep breathing exercises, or even a short meditation session. The goal is to clear your mind and reclaim your resourcefulness. Resetting is a skill set and, believe it or not, also a mindset. I call it the Reset Mindset.
I’ll actually be sharing a series of three blogs over the next couple of months to help you grasp the depth and breadth of this simple but profound tool and reduce your stress. Today, I’ll give you a quick overview of the Reset Mindset and then dig into one of its key facets.
Mindset vs. Reset Mindset
A mindset is a way of thinking, a conditioned response or a mental filter that colors how we think about anything and everything we do. A mindset steers our focus and attention and shapes our reactions. We all have mindsets, whether we are aware of them or not. You have a belief system around your finances, exercises, nutrition, education, and politics, to name a few. I encourage you to consider how these mindsets and how they are shaping your world.
For instance, what are your beliefs and reactions to change? I would guess in event planning, changes happen all the time, and that creates stress. Making stress management a key skill set for anyone in the event planning industry.
A Reset Mindset is about proactively driving change, reframing setbacks, reassessing complex problems, and making new connections. The Reset Mindset encourages you to dynamically reassess the situation and prioritize tasks that will yield the best outcome. By staying adaptable, you maintain control and reduce stress.
The way to build a Reset Mindset is to intentionally condition your response. As a matter of fact, one of the most effective ways to manage stress is to have a structured process. When you have a clear roadmap to follow, it’s easier to stay on track and handle unexpected changes without feeling overwhelmed.
Think back to a challenge when having a process to follow or a framework to guide your thinking made it easier to navigate and find a solution faster.
Reset Practice
And now let me introduce you to a simple 3-step Reset Practice, which you can engage any time you face a stressful situation or come up against an obstacle or challenge.
The three steps are:
- Step back.
- Gain Perspective.
- Realign.
See? Simple. But full disclosure: just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. It does require repetition and commitment. I’ll go much deeper into the steps of the Reset Practice in the next articles, but today I want to focus on understanding one of the key skills that arises out of doing these steps: dynamic reassessment.
It might sound like business jargon, but trust me, it’s a game-changer when it comes to planning and executing events that hit the mark.
Dynamic Reassessment
So, what exactly is dynamic reassessment? In a nutshell, a way of thinking to focus on what really matters, even when distractions and unforeseen circumstances rear their ugly heads. It’s about being flexible yet purposeful, adaptable yet decisive. In the fast-paced world of event planning, where last-minute changes and unexpected challenges are the rule, dynamic reassessment is your secret weapon.
Limitations and unexpected changes can often lead to some of the most creative solutions. When things don’t go as planned, it’s easy to feel defeated. However, by adopting a solution-focused Reset Mindset and utilizing dynamic reassessment, you can find alternative ways to achieve your goals.
Imagine this: you’re planning a corporate event, and everything’s on track. The venue is booked, the speakers are confirmed, and the attendees are registering. But then, at the eleventh hour, a major sponsor pulls out. Panic? Bury your head in the sand?
Instead of spiraling into chaos, you engage your Reset Practice. You take a step back. You dynamically reassess the situation to gain perspective. And then you realign. This could mean quickly identifying alternative funding sources or adjusting the budget to accommodate the loss. You might pivot your marketing strategy to highlight other sponsors and their contributions. Most importantly, you communicate transparently with your client and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on board with the changes.Crisis averted and stress contained.
That’s the beauty of dynamic reassessment – it keeps you focused on your objectives without getting bogged down by setbacks. In fact, dynamic reassessment eliminates your fear of setbacks, because, hey, they’re part of the job, right? It’s like a game. They’re to be expected. Why fear what you know is coming? The Reset Mindset is your ready state to deal with whatever comes like a firefighter who walks right into the building on fire. They must do it with confidence to navigate the situation and adapt as it changes right before their eyes. They have a process, they know what steps to take. They are ready. You are ready.
But dynamic assessment isn’t just about crisis management; it’s not merely reactive. It is a proactive approach to anticipating how that fire will develop and mitigating the risk. It starts right at the beginning of your planning process. You assess your client’s goals and expectations, dive deep into understanding your audience, and craft an event strategy that aligns effectively with both.
Throughout the planning phase, you’re constantly reassessing, constantly activating your Reset Practice: stepping back; gathering feedback from clients, colleagues and industry trends, staying open to new ideas; and realigning anytime it makes sense to do so. This agility allows you to fine-tune your event, ensuring every detail – from the seating arrangements to the catering menu – contributes to the overall experience you want to create.
Even during the event itself, a Reset Mindset and dynamic assessment will keep you alert and responsive. You’re not just ticking boxes off a to-do list; you’re actively observing how attendees are engaging and making on the fly decisions to enhance their experience. Maybe a lively Q&A session runs long, and rather than cut the participants off in mid-flow, you accommodate their experience by adjusting the schedule. Perhaps, as you observe foot traffic and the ebb and flow of attendee demand for this booth or that speaker, you reallocate personnel and resources to smooth out logistics and maximize impact.
Because remember: you’re not just planning events; you’re orchestrating memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression on your clients and attendees.
So, whether you’re organizing a small business mixer or a large-scale festival, remember to embrace the power of the Reset Mindset. Be ready and open for changes. You now have a simple Reset Practice to make you more resourceful and creative.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series and learn more about my upcoming book, The Reset Mindset, here.
About the Author
Penny Zenker is The Focusologist, a sought-after international speaker and best-selling author of The Productivity Zone: Stop the Tug of War with Time. As a master NLP practitioner and neurostrategist, she integrates the elements of thought, communication, and behavior to provide strategies for adapting to change and maximizing results. Penny’s expertise is derived from building and selling a multi-million-dollar business, managing strategic projects and business turnarounds as a senior executive at one of the world’s leading market research firms, and later working as a Tony Robbins strategic business coach for companies around the world.
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