Why Aren’t More of You Here?

It’s getting to be high season for fall conferences, meetings, and book launches. Pet peeve: events that start with an announcement of disappointment that so few people chose to attend. What a downer! The only people to hear it are those who did show up. Low attendance is hardly their fault. The message is that they don’t count, or at best they are insufficient.

​You don’t have to believe everything happens for a purpose in order to suggest that the number in the room or on screen is exactly the right number, with exactly the right people. Make it part of your quickly revised plan. Move the chairs closer. Adopt a more conversational style. Take advantage of  the intimacy instead of bemoaning it. Dinner with close friends can be as meaningful as a banquet. When attendees feel honored to get up close and enjoy individual attention for their questions or comments, they’re more likely to leave on a high.