Michael V. Ivanov, author of “The Traveler’s Secret,” and former Kansas City Chiefette cheerleader Candy Whirley discuss mastering the art of speaking and communication at Smart Meetings Leadership Experience at Margaritaville Kansas City, Kansas.
Smart Meetings Leadership Experience at Margaritaville Kansas City, Kansas promoted personal and professional development by focusing on a few core areas: courage, communication and creativity. These were triggered the joy of discovery in a brand-new venue and an often-overlooked destination that is growing fast.
Believe in Yourself First
The author of “The Traveler’s Secret,” Michael V. Ivanov, promoted the concept of speaking with power, dreaming with courage and moving with purpose. You never know who you will inspire.
As an immigrant descended from a Ukrainian mother and Russian father whose parents survived the siege of Leningrad, finding his voice in the midst of 13 siblings required finding role models. His inspiration came in the form of a second book and he has written five books so far in an attempt to play the same role for others in search of encouragement.
“Dream without limits, see beauty in life’s smallest moments,” he said. Be the person that would inspire your younger self.
Embrace Diverse Teams
Former Kansas City Chiefette cheerleader Candy Whirley illustrated the fine art of communicating by getting people to self-identify their default operating system.
“The secret is to treat people the way they want to be treated, not the way you want to be treated,” she said. That means, if they are a no-nonsense lion (in her animal metaphor of personality types), send them bullet points. If they are analytical owls, send a spreadsheet. If they are peacemaker lambs, tell a story.
“People aren’t difficult; they are different,” she concluded.
Release the Creative Child
Competition can bring out the best in teams, whether it is an old-fashioned arcade takeover or a movie theater mystery immersion experience at Atlas9. Meeting planners, hoteliers and destinations worked together to face challenges and solve logical problems in fun new spaces.
By meeting in a destination that is rapidly growing into a sports entertainment center, guests had a front row seat on a dynamic future prime for hosting in the middle of the country.
