Building trust and rapport while having a good time!
Anyone who has worked on an event knows that you spend a lot of time with your event team. Whether it’s on pre-planning calls, attending site visits, working together backstage, or celebrating the completion of a successful event … there is no shortage of time spent together.
When you’re spending this much time around someone, it’s important to have a trusting relationship and feel comfortable relying on each other in the most important moments of a show. Enjoying working together is an added bonus!
In the best of circumstances, the relationships you create and the rapport you develop will last for more than just one event and span several decades. Because of this, getting to know each other has a lasting impact, not only on the work you do but on how much you’ll enjoy doing it.
The more teams get to know each other, the more they trust each other and enjoy working together. Of course, building that rapport takes time, which has us wondering how we can break the ice and speed that process along.
Here are three fun questions for getting to know your live event team (featuring answers from one of our go-to Project Managers, Rick Eichenberger) …
How did you get into live events?
We may not be supervillains, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun origin stories!
Perhaps the lighting designer went to a concert as a kid and fell in love with the magic of events. Maybe the audio technician had a background in theater. There could even be a crew member who started out as a client, but loved the event industry so much they decided to make a change.
Regardless of how an individual got into events, understanding why will allow you to learn more about them and why they have a passion for the industry!
Rick: My university had a production department. It wasn’t a class and was separate from the AV team. The production department supported local band concerts on campus, new release movies in the theater, and talent shows, and became the local crew for national touring acts on campus. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it.
What is the most memorable event you’ve been a part of?
Hearing about a childhood idol who ended up being a VIP speaker and left the crew member starstruck, learning about a purpose driven event that had not only the audience, but the entire crew hanging on every word, or even hearing an outlandishly funny backstage story will tell you a lot about a person!
This will help you get to know not only what somebody’s skill sets are, but what makes an event memorable or successful to them.
Rick: I was lucky enough to be a part of the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. I was on the communications team dealing with intercoms, IFBs, and wireless communications for TV, sports venues, and foreign media. It was a big project, and I had the opportunity to work in several of the venues for over a month to get everything dialed in. The people working there were the top talent in their class – I learned a lot from them.
Who is the most memorable person you’ve met or worked with on an event?
Live events are known for having interesting, notable, and engaging talent. From professional athletes to celebrities … even the President of the United States … odds are anyone working an event could rub shoulders with a VIP.
Rick: U2 set up at the Mile High Stadium for a private concern the day before their public event. I got to meet Bono and hand him his wireless microphone for the system I set up. He was very relaxed. We didn’t exchange too many words, but it was a cool experience.
For some crew members, the most notable people may not be the most famous. They could’ve interacted with a quirky crew member who kept everybody laughing backstage or a talented show caller who inspired them to learn more. Maybe somebody even met their best friend or future spouse backstage during a show!
At Encompass, we have unique backgrounds that situate us perfectly to produce high end and complex offerings. We’ve worked in broadcast television, touring entertainment, live sporting events, and countless convention facilities across the country.
We have technical design experience and a disciplined process in place that allows us to easily scale events and shift from in-person to virtual without angst. There isn’t much that’s beyond our scope and we love the intensity of putting on events!
If you’re a planner working to create an event, seeking help with virtual event technology, or simply want to learn more … we can help! Sign up below to receive our updates (we promise to keep your contact information secure and won’t “overshare”).