Polly LaBarre, co-author of Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win and co-founder of Fast Company magazine, delivered the opening keynote address, Saturday, July 26, at VenueConnect 2014.

LaBarre challenged the attendees to ask themselves how they can create powerful connections with people.

“How do you generate innovative DNA at your workplaces? What is the walk of leadership today?” she asked.

One way to create an innovative culture is to have strategic clarity. You have to define your purpose.

“You have to advocate for a cause,” LaBarre said. “Purpose isn’t nice. It’s about sharpening your points.”

In the end, you want people to retell your purpose. This includes not only customers, but also employees.

“The most successful companies are the ones who have figured out how to unleash their employees’ potentials,” she said.

LaBarre’s presentation, sponsored by Gensler, was full of questions, and that was on purpose.

“You should always ask more questions than give answers,” she said. “Inquiry beats assertions all the time.”

Please read more about LaBarre in the February/March issue of FM magazine.

(Image: Orange Photography)

There was a great turnout for the 2014 VenueConnect Legacy Project. This year, participants built bikes for the benefit of Neighborhood House, a local Portland charity. Fourteen bikes were built and two were anonymously donated after the event.

In addition to the great cause and team-building aspect of the project, the most moving moment was when the children came in to receive the bikes.

“Seeing the kids’ faces light up was amazing,” said Brian Stovall, director of facilities for the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. “It was great see the project’s tangible results. It was also great to see participation across the board. There were so many people from different states and in a variety of leadership roles. It truly represented our industry well, and I’d love to see the Legacy Project continue.”

Check out the photos below to see the project in action and some of the kids who received the bikes.

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(Image: Orange Photography)

VenueConnect attendees kept themselves busy on Friday with several activities that let them experience some of the best of Portland, while also helping raise funds for the IAVM Foundation. From a packed golf tournament to relaxing wine tours to a leadership dinner at Ponzi Vineyards ending with a beautiful sunset behind the Chehalem Mountains, everyone came away invigorated for the upcoming conference days.

“I loved learning about the history of the wines and the tastings at the vineyards,” said Randi Peters from VenuWorks. “WillaKenzie was my favorite, but all the wineries were very kind.”

It’s true, the hospitality in Portland is phenomenal. It’s definitely leaving a great impression on attendees.

Check out some of the photos from the events (including the IAVM tent at the Oregon Brewers Festival), courtesy of our official conference photographers, Orange Photography.

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(Image: Orange Photography)

As more people continue working well into their 70s and 80s, the workplace becomes a multi-generational melting ground. Myths get mixed up with realities, and people start making assumptions about co-workers based on age.

One group that’s received the most blunt assumptions about itself is the Millennial generation. People in this generation are usually looked at as entitled, lazy, and flighty.

“The notion of entitlement is the one you read about most,” said Lauren Stiller Rikleen, president of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership and the author of You Raised Us – Now Work With Us: Millennials, Career Success, and Building Strong Workplace Teams. “They’re also labeled as not being loyal or committed to their jobs, and that they only want positive feedback.”

These labels are not always true, because every person is different and shouldn’t be defined by generation.

“People always complain about youth in the workplace,” Rikleen said. “But for Millennials, these complaints are at a different level and are more frequent.”

Rikleen will address these complaints and the myths around Millennials Monday, July 28, at 1:15 p.m. during her VenueConnect session, “Demystifying Generational Differences and Finding Common Ground to Ensure Workplace Success.”

The session, sponsored by Sodexo, will present practical recommendations to help other generations respond to the opportunities that Millennials bring to the workplace, how to motivate and inspire Millennials to navigate their career successes, and provide strategies for Millennials to employ that can help other generations see beyond the stereotypes.

“We need to understand what we’re seeing in the workplace,” Rikleen said. “For example, Millennials want feedback, and it doesn’t have to be positive. Instead of a year-end review, they want frequent updates about their performances.”

Rikleen said that attendees will learn some specific strategies for creating multi-generational teams at work.

“It’s wrong to make assumptions,” Rikleen said. “At this session, attendees will walk away with better abilities to separate myths from realities.”

(photo credit: reynermedia via photopin cc)

Congratulations to Lee Zeidman, who has been promoted to the newly created position of President, STAPLES Center. Zeidman will also simultaneously be elevated to President, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, as well as President, L.A. LIVE, the downtown sports and entertainment district where the venues are located.

“I am truly honored and look forward to this next chapter in my career with AEG as president of STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre, and L.A. LIVE,” Zeidman said. “Having been part of this venture since day one watching and participating in the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles, I could not be more eager to oversee the continued growth and success that these venues have in store. Additionally, I would not be where I am today without the hard work of the incredible full-time staff that work with me, as well as our world-class event staff and our partners and sponsors that keep these venues running day in and day out.”

Hired in 1998 as STAPLES Center’s first full-time employee, Zeidman will continue to oversee all aspects of operations and business development of each of the venues including event operations and production, guest services, booking, box office, event security, event staffing, guest relations facility presentation, food and beverage services, marketing, and communications.

“There is not a single individual in our industry who is better qualified than Lee Zeidman to manage our key flagship Los Angeles venues and the L.A. LIVE sports and entertainment district,” said Dan Beckerman, president and CEO at AEG. “STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre, and L.A. LIVE are at the heart of AEG’s core business, and their success under Lee’s leadership has fueled the growth of AEG throughout the world.”

In addition to overseeing comprehensive relationships with anchor tenants the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Sparks franchises, Zeidman leads AEG’s overall event partnership associations with organizations such as The Recording Academy, ESPN, The NBA, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Dick Clark Productions, and 19 Entertainment among others who regularly partner with the venues to create and produce annual and special events.

As part of his expanded, multi-venue role, Zeidman will continue to work on behalf of AEG to partner with producers, promoters, leagues, agencies, and other entities to develop and create new programming and events for venues both within L.A. LIVE and AEG’s network of elite facilities worldwide.

Named to AEG’s newly formed Sr. Management Committee in 2013, Zeidman serves as a member of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission’s Advisory Board and has been selected to serve as Trustee for the IAVM Foundation.

An original member of STAPLES Center’s design and development team, Zeidman has received numerous awards for excellence including Pollstar’s 2008 Facility Executive of the Year while venues under his guidance have also been honored multiple times including STAPLES Center twice being named Arena of the Year and Nokia Theatre receiving Pollstar’s Theatre of the Year award in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

“In addition to guiding the day-to-day activities of every aspect of these facilities, Lee will continue to play a significant role in the creation of new content for our venues,” Beckerman said. “As a member of our executive management committee, Lee’s experience, expertise, and valuable voice will help to ‎guide the overall strategic direction of the company.”

(Image: STAPLES Center)