Hi ,

 

Live events are not back. Yet. But some locales are seeing more of them, smaller and more controls on social distancing. I think it'll be awhile before large Vegas-style events with 100,000 people wandering free with no masks take place. But the only way we get there is one step at a time. Unfortunately, no one can tell us when we'll be back to normal. Or if we will, ever!

 

The tradeshow world is generally on hold. One client I spoke with said they won't be back into the office until the second half of 2021. So there's that. Every company seems to have a different calculus. On the blog this week, a post on the tradeshow world on hold, also a fun video on dumb things exhibitors do, and this week's podcast/vlog is a bit of a rant on the dangers of social media. I could have spent a couple of hours on this topic.

 

Soundtrack for this week's issue: Joan Armatrading's Love and Affection. I've been a fan of Joan's since 1977's Show Some Emotion. I caught one her stops on the tour that year and have loved her music ever since. Born in the West Indies and raised in England, Joan's music is a mix of blues, pop, reggae, world music and so much more. She's a prolific writer and, to my mind, a helluva performer. Good stuff. Click the link for a Spotify playlist.

Scott Monty:

 

"Our heroes are often both distant yet relatable. Their special powers or the situation in which we find them may be unattainable or unrealistic, but if we look closely, we find glimpses of humanity—perhaps foibles and flaws—that give us hope that one day we might improve our own lot.
These brief snatches of their fallibility are gifts bestowed upon us by individuals who play an important but understated role in our heroes' lives: their sidekicks.
Perhaps "sidekick" is an imperfect word to represent their role. Sidekick connotes an inferior or a hanger-on, a buddy or buffoon rather than an equal."

 

>>>>>

 

 

"Steve Jobs infamously ran Apple like a dictatorship, directly disrespecting the colleagues around him. In Microsoft’s early days, Bill Gates memorized his employees’ license plates, so he could scan the parking lot and know who was still at work. His 2 a.m. emails were known to start with comments like: “This is the stupidest piece of code ever written.” Yet now, many Apple and Microsoft alumni appreciate the time they spent working with both men, saying they learned to prepare, think critically, and put their teams ahead of themselves.
Their experience illustrates the rule of formidable expectations, writes Inc.com columnist Jeff Haden. The more you expect or demand from others, the more gratitude you must display for their effort, dedication, and loyalty. Gratitude here doesn’t just mean a nice paycheck. It’s more than an occasional “thank you” or a few words of praise. And most bosses focus solely on the demand side, which is often what sets leaders like Jobs and Gates apart."

 

 

Six Visitors You'll Run into at the Next Tradeshow. See if these people are familiar.

 

Tradeshow Marketing: To What End? Why are we doing this activity, anyway?