Meetings have the capacity to be soul-crushing events or very lively, team-building exercises if they are properly planned. Meetings that are about creative problem solving can be broken up into two stages with a break in the middle.

The first stage is one where all ideas are accepted and negativity is simply not allowed. This promotes better idea sharing and creates a more open atmosphere that allows others to build off of ideas that may or may not be practical. The second meeting is one where negativity and even constructive criticism still need to take a back seat to the priority of choosing the most reasonable plan. Emotional investment in ideas should be distributed due to the very nature of the first meeting, and thus nobody should be championing a cause to further their own ends.

Another idea would be to give people special seats on corners when they are ‘idea’ people. The seats are honorary positions that change whenever a new idea comes up that is useful. Some meeting planners have special incentives ready for whoever spends the most time in one of these chairs, such as a covered parking spot for a period of time.

By following the aforementioned ideas and/or being a little creative, it is possible to create strong incentives without having to actually spend any money. Furthermore, productivity gains from smart meeting planning can be phenomenal and almost impossible to put a price tag on.

When travelers looks for a versatile place with great sight seeing, activities, nightlife, and modern amenities, they often think of New York City. There is a reason for that: it is one of the most popular destinations in the world, with thousands of fine restaurants, an exciting history, great choices for accommodations, and an unmatched nightlife.

The price tag comes high, however. Many hotel rooms run in the hundreds of dollars as an average, and the tax on rooms went up to over 14% in March of this year. While this might make it seem like hotel owners are rolling in it while their properties go down the Hudson, just the opposite is happening–they are spending money on their properties to attract visitors away from their competition. You and your clients are the beneficiaries.

Here is an example. One of the biggest complains about hotel rooms comes from people with allergies. The Wyndam Hotel at the Midtown Convention Center is giving allergy sufferers a place to call a temporary home. They offer hypo-allergenic deep cleaning for all rooms, decontaminate the environment, and take other precautions to help those with problems. Read the rest of this entry »