Day 2: Monday May 3 (Morning)

Stream 1 - Minders
8.30am Strategic Alliances (Choosing Matrix Partners)
Speaker: Ross Dawson

In this highly interactive session, the internationally renowned author of Living Networks, Ross Dawson, shows participants how the living matrix will be at the heart of the future of events. The greatest value people get from events is by making connections with the right people and ideas. Showcasing both new technologies and innovative facilitation techniques, Ross will demonstrate how to create "enhanced serendipity" at events, making these happy accidents more likely to happen. The session is designed to bring together the right people to discuss and create together action plans for transforming the meetings industry. Participants will learn, experience, and help to create the future of events, drawing on a whole new set of technologies and specific techniques for bringing these networks to life.

10.45am Expanding your Matrix
Case study presentations by industry leaders

During this session, we will hear real-life examples of how people and organisations of all sizes have used strategic alliances to develop an offering that expands not only their horizons but also their business.

During this inside look into business ventures, presenters will cover both international and national experiences. We will hear about their approach, the pitfalls and successes in expanding their businesses and their offerings. This session may inspire you to take a new direction and seek some new alliances for your business. Like minds, common values, new ideas, clear goals...it's what the Meetings Matrix is all about.

Streams 2 and 3 – Grinders & Finders (combined sessions)

8.30am Working Within Your Matrix (Team Behaviour)
Speaker: Mark McKeon

All teams, corporate, sporting, political and even families can be classified
as one of four 'Ways': 'My Way', 'No Way', 'Our Way' and the truly high
performing 'The Way'. We will discuss how to plot your team's current
effectiveness and highlight obstacles and challenges. We will then plan,
demonstrate and practice a strategy to achieve and sustain the supportive
culture, efficient communication and smart systems common to all 'The Way'
teams. High performing teams also have fun and we'll be doing our best to do
the same.

Streams 2 and 3 – Grinders & Finders (combined sessions)

9.25am Partnering Sales & Operations Workshop
Facilitated Round-table Workshop

Our industry is quick to say “don’t confuse the role of selling with delivery”. We have all experienced situations where salespeople have made promises to the clients that are almost impossible for the Operations team to implement, or where the Sales team have to ‘pick up the pieces’ when the Operations team didn’t meet fundamental expectations. It’s not about taking sides - the only group that really suffers is the client. It’s about strong communication and working together as a seamless Sales and Operations team. When our clients don’t notice, that’s when we’re probably doing things right!

Can your left brain (operations) and your right brain (sales) work together? In this session we will open the lines of communication and put our industry’s sales and operations up against each other in an endeavour to understand and appreciate the requirements of each. This round-table workshop will be based on a ‘fictitious’ but relevant scenario where our outcomes will be evaluated by real ‘buyers’ of our industry’s services. Fun, challenging and sometimes irreverent, there will be plenty of ‘ah-ha’ moments. Join with your Sales and Operations counterpart and come along to what will prove to be a very enjoyable and valuable session.

Stream 2 - Grinders

10.45am Technology in the Matrix
Speaker: Peter Blasina

Want to know what’s new and what will give our industry an edge? Peter will show you the impact the right technology has on the bottom line and help you keep up with what is happening in our industry and around the world.

Peter is not a theorist. He’ll show you options, solutions and ideas about how businesses in the meetings industry can operate effectively using current technology. He’ll describe how to cope with the rapid rate of technology change and demonstrate technology that has a positive impact on your business and personal environment.

Stream 3 – Finders

10.45am Maximising the Living Matrix
Speaker: Ian Stephens

The practical and powerfully simple business strategies that Ian Stephens has developed have helped businesses around the world. As an internationally-experienced management consultant, Ian's entertaining and motivating presentation will demonstrate how to build rapport and develop communication skills for organisations and individuals alike. Creating and managing strong working relationships with clients is critical for those of us in the Meetings Matrix.

His techniques are modularised and measurable. Among the ideas he’ll share with us include ‘brickwalling’ our clients, customer relationship management and future scenario planning. Attendees who go through his planning process and follow the rules can be assured of success. Watch out for his “speedball’ introductory demonstration!

Day 2: Monday May 3 (Afternoon)

All 3 Streams
1:45pm The Wider Industry Matrix
Speaker: Ken Boundy (Australian Tourism Commission)

Being up-to-date with overall industry trends can assist us in planning our organisational and personal futures. If we know about the opportunities, the issues and predicted future for tourism as a whole, we are more likely to be able to plan our business strategies and personal careers to take advantage of this invaluable knowledge.

Ken will share with us his views as a leader of the Australian Tourism Commission and the commission’s blueprint for the future.

2:15pm Passion Process
All delegates, together but separate…
Facilitators: Toby Travanner, Andrew Bayly, and Siew Hoon Yeoh

We often come to conferences with fantastic ideas and a ‘fire-in-the-belly’ to want to do something about them. Here is your chance to make a difference during the MIAA National Conference 2004.

Without passion, nothing changes, and our industry won’t grow to meet the needs of our clients and customers. If you’re passionate about a topic, start a group or join a group. It may be a traditional Special Interest Group, an issue facing our industry or an area of improvement you want to do something about. It’s often easy to talk about problems and hope that someone else will do something about them. This is a chance to get the ball rolling to ensure that our industry continues to grow and develop. It’s all about getting ‘down and dirty’ and doing something.

You’ll be given a process to follow and the roving facilitators will be there to help you develop some solid action plans for the issues and opportunities you’re discussing. We’ll display the outcomes and suggestions so you’ll see all the ideas from every team. Then it’s up to the really passionate among us to keep the ball rolling. Those people who do, along with their matrix of interdependent organisations, will see continuing benefits and competitive advantages.

“Someone should do something!”…here’s your chance to be that someone.

Day 1 (Sunday 2 May 2004) | Day 3 (Tuesday 4 May 2004)