“For Mums” by Nana B Agyei is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

It’s Mothering Sunday this weekend, so as we all consider how we’re going to thank our wonderful Mum’s for all their help and support over the year (and try to avoid the usual, last-minute dash to buy a £5 ‘bouquet’ of flowers from the local petrol station), here are 5 lessons I was taught that are equally useful to event organisers.

1. Be Punctual

My Mum hated us being late! She thought it was rude, and would get flustered at the merest thought we wouldn’t arrive anywhere on time, meaning we were usually a good half hour too early instead.

As an event organiser, punctuality should be your middle name. Events are complex, multifaceted beasts, so if an organiser is going to stay on top of them and deliver a great experience, it’s very important that time management is a core strength.

You never want to arrive at a venue late, only to realise the room has been set out all wrong. And if you’ve ever been at a conference where the speakers each overrun by 10 minutes, you’ll know how painful that can be, so it’s up to organisers to keep everyone on time.

2. Invest in Quality

Mothers tend to have a reputation as thrifty. Well, mine wasn’t thrifty, and we often joke she’s the reason bosses at Marks & Spencer get their annual bonus!

However, what she didn’t teach me about saving per se, she did teach me about the importance of investing in quality. Skimping on the essentials or shopping around for the cheapest possible solution might seem smart for the immediate future, but is it a false economy?

This is the question event organisers have to ask themselves when purchasing goods and services for their guests.

What kind of long-term brand image are you conveying? What kind of service and experience are you offering your attendees? Would you be impressed? Answer these questions honestly and see if you still want to go for the cheapest possible alternative.

3. Be Kind 

The variation on this is to ‘treat others as you’d like to be treated,’ and it’s not an idea that should be used exclusively by parents with their children.

Even putting aside the moral and ethical reasons for treating people well, there are extremely strong business reasons to do so, and these are only heightened in a world of social media.

An unkind email or tweet can go viral in a matter of minutes – they have done, and they’ve ruined careers – so think before you press ‘send’ whether or not you’d be completely happy with the whole world seeing what you’ve written.

Think you’re safe to be unkind verbally? It’s easy for people to record you, or share your comments through their social channels.

Beyond the fear of public shaming, you should also be aware how connected today’s workplace is, and the events industry is a particularly well-networked and tight-knit community. Sometimes it feels more like a village than a global industry with tens of thousands of employees.

That junior volunteer you’re thinking of being mean to could just be the person who decides whether you win a big contract – or get a job – in a few years time; and people can have memories like elephants.

4. Be Honest

My Mum hated lying, even the little white ones. ‘Honesty is the best policy’ she would say. And I have to agree, because it’s possibly the lesson, out of all of these, that has served me best when in tough situations.

I can’t tell you the number of times a small little lie, exaggeration or omission felt like the best thing to do, or at least the easiest way out of a situation. But every time that little voice would reiterate this lesson from childhood, and I would grasp the more difficult truth and embrace it. I’ve never once regretted it. Long-term, the truth prevails.

Event organisers often feel pressure to inflate their attendee numbers to speakers or sponsors so they sound better; suppliers might consider adding in a little extra margin ‘just because they can’, and employees might exaggerate certain metrics to look good. There are many situations in the events industry where the truth could be sacrificed or manipulated to the suit a particular situation.

The problem with doing this is that the truth is just an email, phone call or Google search away. You don’t want to be the organisers boasting of a sell-out show, only for attendee’s pictures to tell a very different story on Twitter and Instagram.

Stick to the truth, and it will serve you well!

5. Be Presentable

My clothes were always ironed, and despite the protests I would be scrubbed clean every day. My Mum cared about me being presentable, because despite always being told ‘not to judge a book by its cover,’ we know it’s human nature to do so, and therefore first impressions count.

This couldn’t be more true than at events, where the first impression an attendee gets will be the most important.

You therefore want to ensure your branding is top-notch (remember, invest in quality!), your check-in process is smooth (*cough* you’ll want to use Eventbrite) and your staff are polite and courteous (see lesson three!).

It’s also true of individuals. While the world has generally taken to dressing down in the office (myself included) there are still times when you should make more of an effort with your appearance. Whether it’s for an important client meeting, an interview or a speaking opportunity, dressing to impress can still matter.

Conclusion

The lessons sound straightforward and common sense, but the reality is that day-to-day life and the pressure of organising events can test our resolve.

So I’d like to thank my Mum for taking the time and patience to instil these in me deeply enough that they always remain top of my mind.

What important life lessons has your Mum taught you? And most importantly, how are you going to say thanks on Sunday?