That’s right. Give that person a big hug. Why? Not because he may be strikingly handsome and answer to the initials “JT”, but more importantly because this manager is an integral part of your program’s success.
We are all well aware of the amount of time and effort that is afforded to planning a General Session. The look of the set, the arrangements of multiple different cues, seating arrangements, etc. Months are spent planning, no detail is overlooked, and rightly so. But what about the breakouts? What kind of attention to detail are they getting? Often times, not enough. And not for lack of planning, but for lack of having a crystal ball.
And this is where your Breakout Manager comes in. At Digital Blue Global, we understand how important this often overlooked position is. This is the person that is everywhere at once. This is the manager that realizes there is a panel of five and we have an order for one microphone. This manager is the one that informs you that one of the sponsor’s presentations requires a DVD player and afore mentioned “Mr. Difficult” is not happy about the situation because this presenter is the most important person on the face of the earth. Why do I always get the technicians with the weak bladders? Why would somebody steal a projector? Where did the rip in my blazer come from? Why did I sign up for this? This manager has 8 different rooms with 8 different needs with 8 minutes to go until the rooms kick off.
Then, after putting out fires for what seems like an eternity, silence. All rooms have kicked off. “Mr. Difficult’s” DVD is playing. The panel of five is speaking without passing a microphone like they are hippies in a drum circle. All technicians have peed 10 times and are now safely in their respective rooms trying to stay awake. The missing projector was actually in the store room where I left it. I needed a new blazer anyway.
And then the big sigh of relief. Wait… did I just hear feedback?
At DBG, the Breakout Manager position is a priority, not an after-thought. Breakouts are just too important not to have a trusted, capable member of our team executing them.
My little blurb may not encompass how stressful and important a Breakout Manager’s job is, but hopefully you get the idea. So go ahead, hug your Breakout Manager after the show and don’t be alarmed if he falls asleep in your arms.
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