Plan training

Almost every task requires some training if done in professional event management. If you have untrained staff for a smaller event, you will probably give most training yourself in team meetings, but in a large event, you'll need to appoint someone to specifically oversee it.

1. Decide on a timeline for training
2. Decide what you expect out of your training:
• induction
• explanation of procedures
• competence in applied skills
• understanding of issues
• etc.
3. Select any resources
4. Determine where and the schedule
5. Are any accreditation requirements applicable?

 

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Pre-event team briefings

Some events use untrained staff, who don't need training and need only a briefing session. You need to give the impression that you are well organized and know what you are doing. People need to be told what to do clearly and simply. If anything is unclear or not yet decided, it looks like you’re disorganized and "making it up as you go along."

Plan the briefing but keep it simple. Decide who will give it (usually the team leader, but it could be the overall event manager), and what they/you will say. Invite people and take any reasonable steps to make sure they will show up. Check whether they will need to sign an attendance register for insurance purposes.

If you have several different task descriptions, separate people into teams according to their task descriptions and brief them separately. It wastes time and confuses people if they have to sit through briefings for other teams.

A briefing will normally cover the following points:

1. Inform them about the purpose and nature of the event.
2. Familiarize people with the venue and any equipment they will use.
3. Give out security passes.
4. Address any significant OHS issues.
5. Go through the task description and answer any questions. If it becomes a little complex, give each team member their own photocopy.
6. Tell them what to wear, where and when to show up, where they can park, and who to report to when they get there.
7. What kinds of problems you anticipate, their likelihood, and what to do about them.
8. Who to ask for help if needed.
9. If they are volunteers, thank them and make them feel valued. (In fact, it's a good idea for paid staff as well.)

Keep notes of the briefing and copies of task descriptions. You should review them afterwards and consider any improvements for the next time you run this kind of event.

 

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Oral communication

You may need one or more of the the following skills:

1. Speaking clearly to be understood, and listening carefully to understand.
2. Receiving booking information from the patron.
3. Asking questions to gain information, clarify ambiguities and adequately understand patron requirements in the minimum time required to complete a transaction courteously and accurately.
4. Asking the right questions to elicit special needs.
5. Explaining venue layout, seating options and venue or hirer seating policy.
6. Rephrasing and repeating back questions, requests and statements to confirm they have been correctly understood.
7. Empathizing with the patron's situation while upholding venue or hirer policy (as in the case of refund requests).
8. Giving accurate, concise summaries of information in brief verbal reports.
9. Stating opinions and points of view in a cooperative, constructive manner.
10. Negotiating outcomes where points of view differ.
11. Dealing with potential conflict situations.

 

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Special needs

Your training should cover ways of treating people with special needs such as:

1. first-time patrons
2. people who do not speak English well and want interpreter access
3. people from other cultural groups
4. people with disabilities (e.g. needing wheelchair access or hearing assistance)
5. aged people
6. children/school groups
7. parents with babies and small children
8. Very Important Persons (VIPs)

Cultural awareness normally requires training for specific skills and approaches:

1. Addressing special seating or attendance requirements of other cultures (such as separating men and women, separating different nationalities)
2. Dealing with people who have not attended a venue before, not dealt with a box office and who are unfamiliar with venue customs
3. Listening accurately to information, requests and instructions spoken with accents, or by people with intellectual disabilities
4. Rephrasing statements, speaking clearly and using plain English with a limited vocabulary, so as to be understood by patrons for whom English is not their first language
5. Responding to special needs of people with disabilities
6. Dealing with anger, frustration, or intimidation.

 

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