The Florida Department of Transportation awarded the American Maglev Technology company this week the opportunity to lease right-of-way space between the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center.

The train system will run approximately 15 miles, and a one-way trip will take around 30 minutes. Construction is expected to be completed in 18 months.

“The Orange County Convention Center is very pleased that the Florida Department of Transportation cleared another hurdle for a potential fixed guideway transportation system,” said IAVM member Jan Addison, CFE, deputy general manager at the Orange County Convention Center. “A quality transportation system providing easy connectivity is a critical component for all destinations. Also, having a system that would eventually provide for connectivity from the airport to the convention center would not only be valuable for our attendees, but would also support sustainability efforts by having fewer cars on the road. [It’s a] win:win.”

The rail line is a privately funded project, and it’s expected that more than four million passengers a year will use it.

(Image: American Maglev Technology Inc.)

Imagine the most influential person in your life. Perhaps it’s a parent. A friend. Maybe a former boss. Now imagine why this person is influential. Was it the way she lead? Or could it have been the way he conducted himself?

Influence, while not always acknowledged directly, is what drives progress.

“Without the driving forces of influence the standard trade tools, no matter how cultivated or polished, can be blunt instruments,” Rob Cotter wrote for our cover story in the April/May issue of FM magazine. “Within influence’s realm, quantum leaps of progress can be made, and industry leaders are fully aware of its strength and the key role it plays in achieving their goals.”

To determine the venue management industry’s influencers, we sent out three calls for nominees, and those nominees were then asked to nominate their influencers. We put the process completely in our members’ hands. We featured as many names as we could in the infographic; however, a list of influence can never be complete, because every day brings with it new ideas and inspirations.

“As today’s industry leaders continue to plant seeds of change through their daily decisions and connection building, they make sure that their seeds are watered with the nectar of influence,” Cotter wrote. “Successful leadership is driving forward industry change for the organizational and the greater good, and in the spirit of their great American forebears is proving to be doing so through a solid declaration of influence.”

Please read “The Declaration of Influence,” and share with us who influences you and why. Influence is a conversation that will never go out of style.

The Institute for the Future—an independent, non-profit research group—recently released its “Future Work Skills 2020” report.

“Global connectivity, smart machines, and new media are just some of the drivers reshaping how we think about work, what constitutes work, and the skills we will need
to be productive contributors in the future,” the report’s authors wrote in the introduction. “This report analyzes key drivers that will reshape the landscape of work and identifies
key work skills needed in the next 10 years. It does not consider what will be the jobs of the future.”

Let’s get right to it and understand what those 10 skills will be.

1. Sense-making
The ability to determine the deeper meaning or significance of what is being expressed.

2. Social Intelligence
The ability to connect to others in a deep and direct way, to sense and stimulate reactions and desired interactions.

3. Novel and Adaptive Thinking
Proficiency at thinking and coming up with solutions and responses beyond that which is rote or rule-based.

4. Cross-cultural Competency
The ability to operate in different cultural settings.

5. Computational Thinking
The ability to translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts and to understand data-based reasoning.

6. New-media Literacy
The ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new media forms, and to leverage these media for persuasive communication.

7. Transdisciplinarity
Literacy in and ability to understand concepts across multiple disciplines.

8. Design Mindset
The ability to represent and develop tasks and work processes for desired outcomes.

9. Cognitive Load Management
The ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximize cognitive functioning using a variety of tools and techniques.

10. Virtual Collaboration
The ability to work productively, drive engagement, and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team.

“To be successful in the next decade, individuals will need to demonstrate foresight in navigating a rapidly shifting landscape of organizational forms and skill requirements,” the authors wrote. “They will increasingly be called upon to continually reassess the skills they need, and quickly put together the right resources to develop and update these. Workers in the future will need to be adaptable lifelong learners.”

Which of those 10 skills do you think is the most important to have in the workforce? Or do you have other skills you’d list? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

(Image: Institute for the Future) 

One of the first things I wanted when I began working at IAVM was a Tumblr site for the association. That wish has now come true, and I’m happy to present to you the IAVM Tumblr site.

You may be asking yourself, “Jason, why do you want a Tumblr page? What’s its purpose? And what is a Tumblr?” Great questions. I like the way you think.

Let’s start with that last question. Tumblr is a micro-blogging platform. It’s very visually driven, and it encourages rapid reblogging of content.

“Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything,” the site says in its “About” section. “Post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos from your browser, phone, desktop, email or wherever you happen to be.”

Next question: For our purposes, we’ll use it as content stream for education and excitement. Think of it as another way to engage our members and future members about the venue management industry and profession.

Finally, why did I want IAVM to have one? See the answers to those first two questions. That’s primarily why. I’m in support of any means we can get our great content out to as many people as possible, and if we make it simple by focusing on visuals over words in one medium, then let’s do it. Plus it’s a fun platform.

For those of us who like facts, consider these about Tumblr from Search Engine Journal:

• The average Tumblr user visits about 67 pages every month.
• The average visit on Tumblr is around 14 minutes, which is more than on Facebook and Twitter.
• Between June 2012 and 2013, Tumblr has grown globally by 900 percent by jumping from 10 million unique visitors to 90 million per month during this period.
• Tumblr is one of the top 20 sites in the United States.
• Among 13-25 year-olds, Tumblr is more popular than Facebook.
• In 2013, Tumblr grew 74 percent. Twitter and LinkedIn grew about 40 percent in the same period.

If you haven’t joined Tumblr, please do and follow us. If you’re on there, please follow us, and we’ll follow you back, too. Happy Tumbling!

(Image: Tumblr)

My co-worker, Sarah, shared with me a story the other day that I believe many of you will find interesting (or at least cause you to think). It’s called “30 Things You Need to Know to be Successful in Life,” and it comes via Inc. via Quora (and now via this blog—that’s just how the Internet works, y’all), and I thought I’d give you a taste of the advice offered.

People Don’t Care as Much as You Think They Might
“Most people won’t notice that you bought a new car or got a promotion, and you shouldn’t be basing your happiness on their judgments anyway,” Richard Feloni wrote for Inc. “On the flip side, if they’re showering you with attention, don’t let it go to your head.”

Focusing Your Life on Money Won’t Make You Happy
“Focus on your passion, not your paycheck,” Feloni wrote.

Stay Focused by Living in the Present
“Accept that the past can’t be changed, and make the most of what’s in front of you,” Feloni wrote

You Don’t Know Everything
“If there’s a task you can delegate to someone better suited for it, then do it,” Feloni wrote. “If there’s a discussion about something you’re not sufficiently knowledgeable about, resist the urge to jump in.”

Happiness is a Choice
“Your attitude is a decision,” Feloni wrote. “Choosing to be happy and optimistic, regardless of the situation, yields more success than negativity.”

Please read the article for the remaining 25 pieces of advice, and please share your own tips in the comments section for a successful life.

(photo credit: Lakbay 7107 via photopin cc)