I few months ago as I was going through my old newspaper clippings; I thought it was time to review old writings, the piece referenced above and attached from the Sunday Gleaner [Jamaica] came up yellowed.
Thanks to the Gleaner I was able to get a nice new copy―I miss the newsprint, but it is a nice clean copy.
There is something about this BIDEM Conference and Trade Show that reminds me of the nights we [other Toastmasters and I] spent at LOJ New Kingston, in the office of another Toastmaster planning the Conference referenced in the piece below. Then, there was a group huddled in an office working, feeding on pizza and drinks till midnight or close to it at times. Since then every international conference planning for me― except for one― has been a virtual distance planning affair.
I have had some great virtual planning and execution experience since 2004 but for some reason it has been lingering this time around.
I guess the unfolding of BIDEM 2020 International Caribbean Diaspora Conference and Trade Show has called up memories along the time continuum. Interestingly, four years and four events beep out of the digital mental timeline. And guess what, people, processes, technology and results are the standout aspects.
Drifting in and out of getting them delivered, group dynamics, time of work, how work got done, bureaucracies and no bureaucracies was all a part of the mental multitasking.
Our virtual planning committee meeting two nights ago added some new experiences and collectibles to the mental catalogue. That includes the ambiance of the workspace then and now. Many thanks to the committee and for the spirit of the session. It was certainly a pleasant and energizing meeting.
Other pleasant memories came to mind a few days ago when I responded to an Association for Strategic Planning Conference related activity. I guess this is the season for 2004, and the four most recent international conferences and related planning to come roaming in the mind. The dynamics, experiences, differences in approach of teams, people, technology, processes, physical distance etc., are all so interesting and rich.
While COVID-19 is making virtual planning, everybody’s lot this year, it has been a reality for some of us for a more than a decade now.
I have enclosed the piece referenced about the 2004 when Jamaica won the The Caribbean Public Speaking Championship for the second year in a row below.
Meegan Scott . (June 20, 2004) . J’cans win Caribbean Public Speaking Contest. Sunday Gleaner, pg. 72 .[Online] at: https://gleaner.newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner/2004-06-20/page-72/
J'cans win Caribbean public speaking contest - The Gleaner June 20, 2004Many thanks to The Jamaica Gleaner for providing the copy of the article referenced above.
Meegan Scott
Copyright © 2020 by Meegan Scott. All rights reserved
