What is the elephant's dilemma, and how does it apply to marketers?
Jon Bostock explains that during an elephant's early years in a circus, it was typically restrained via massive chains and was physically unable to break free. Soon, these majestic animals learned it was useless to try to escape, so they stopped trying. Ultimately, despite their true power, they could be controlled by a simple rope tied to a small wooden stake in the ground.

The book uses this idea to explain how the structure of large businesses have turned their workers into elephants. The pachyderms running these firms are much stronger than they think, but they often stay chained to old ideas that hold them back.

How is our industry "chained"?
In one respect, COVID has been an inflection point that has added another set of chains to restrain us and our marketing programs. For those with the elephant's mentality, COVID is crippling. But others have broken free of this mindset and used COVID to actually explore new options that will give them greater independence and growth opportunities in the future.

For example, many exhibit-industry suppliers quickly adapted their products to support mobile hospitals, temporary testing and treatment facilities, and COVID-relief efforts. Similarly, corporate exhibit managers that saw past the confines (whether real or imagined) of virtual events have discovered new opportunities for growth and customer connections.

I would also argue that the event industry is a bit of an elephant. It's a pretty big beast, but it hasn't changed in any meaningful way for many years. Although it's way more powerful than it thinks, it's been chained to a small post that limits its movement and actions. The book challenges us and the industry to break out, move on, and seek new opportunities.

How does the elephant analogy apply as the industry eases back into hybrid and in-person events?
COVID has changed the event landscape forever. Sure, eventually we will all gather again, and I can't wait for that day. But if we don't continue to push boundaries and challenge the landscape restraints as we've done this last year, the industry won't be nearly as relevant once we return to face to face.
We've all changed. The needs and desires of our audiences have evolved, and so have their expectations.

If our industry goes back to the status quo after the pandemic, it'll be just another old gray giant putting up temporary tents. It could be so much more if we all shake off our mental chains and take small steps toward a fresh future.

What's one critical concept from the tome?
Aim big, but start small. Change can be overwhelming if you tackle it all at once. The old adage is true: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Thus, as you break out of your restraints, you need to visualize both your goal and the steps you'll need to get there. Then you just take one step at a time.

Part of the book focuses on how to create a business with a competitive advantage. How does this concept apply to exhibit and event managers?
You'll be hard pressed to find a landscape that's more competitive than trade shows and live events. Every person walking that aisle or browsing a virtual experience is a possible lead that can turn into cold hard cash. Each person's time is precious, and every exhibitor or event host is vying for his or her attention.

In essence, marketers have to create a competitive advantage within this environment that sets themselves apart in a way that's relevant to the audience and authentic to the brand. If you succeed in this endeavor, you can dramatically grow the business via lead captures and mouse clicks.

What are some personal takeaways?
Thanks to the pandemic, many of us are soul searching not only about how to do our jobs, especially as we navigate new roles and responsibilities and gain competencies in our new digital landscape, but also about our personal lives.

Though this is a short, lighthearted read, "The Elephant's Dilemma" tackles all of those challenges head on, and gives us tools to redefine our paths and enact meaningful changes both personally and professionally.

What's the crux of the book?
Odds are that another firm is offering something nearly identical to your products or services. Therefore, to win over prospects and get them to "fire" your competition and choose your company instead, you need to relay your strengths without overtly comparing yourself to the competition.

If you think about it, putting down your competition can raise the hackles on their customers (i.e., your prospects). And that's no way to start a business relationship.

Rather, if you focus on making the extraordinary things that you do seem ordinary, customers start doubting their current suppliers, they look to you as the expert, and often they "fire" the competition willingly – and gleefully.

Author Randy Schwantz often uses the term "wedge." What is it, and how does it work in this context?
A wedge is the one extraordinary thing your company provides. Using the book's methodology, you downplay your wedge with prospects so that your extra-special thing seems ordinary.

That way, the prospect starts to wonder why his or her current supplier (or others under consideration) isn't doing this seemingly ordinary thing at all or to a lesser degree than you are. The wedge instills doubts about prospects' existing providers and ultimately separates the hold your competition has on them, enabling you to swoop in and establish a new relationship with them.

Does the wedge approach only apply to prospects already ensconced with your competitors?
No, the concept also relates to prospects who haven't chosen a provider just yet. It helps you win over new-to-market customers and aids in convincing prospects to ditch your competitors.

The book talks about consultative selling. How does this apply to face-to-face marketing?
Consultative selling is all about the customer rather than the product being sold. The approach uses open dialogue and face-to-face relationship building, which forms the backbone of in-person events.

For a salesperson, seeing someone's body language or the way their eyes focus on or turn away from something provides important cues and insights he or she can't get during a phone conversation.

Even a Zoom call or online event doesn't provide the same context nor equal customer insights. So a consultative approach is the heart and soul of effective face-to-face events.

How has the book helped you as a business owner?
Schwantz's ideas have transformed the way we approach sales. Instead of looking at ways to differentiate my company and our products in an aggressive "we're better because x" way, we've moved to a more nuanced sales approach.

Now the conversation is: "I am willing to bet you are already getting this added value from your current supplier, but we do it this way" – knowing full well they weren't getting that added value at all. This approach prompts potential customers to ask for more information and sets us up at the experts with which they want to do business.

Marketing isn't the same as sales. So how does this relate to marketers, particularly amid the pandemic?
This book is important for anyone that's in any way involved with sales, regardless of their area of expertise and whether sales are occurring online or in person. In fact, given the recent spike in online shopping, it's critical that salespeople and marketers recognize that customers have options outside of what you're selling.

Too often salespeople believe customers should easily recognize the intrinsic value of your offering. Buy buyers have options – tons of them – and you (and your booth staff and online-event staffers) need to be able to clearly and effectively wield your wedge.

How might an exhibit manager implement these sales-related tools in their own careers?
Today, there are more options than ever to get in front of potential customers, including everything from online events and mass email blasts to social-media marketing and video conferences. And while not as effective as face-to-face endeavors, these options are usually cheaper, and that makes them attractive to some internal stakeholders. Plus, in the age of COVID, online options are safer than the in-person exhibits of yesterday.

If they haven't already had to do so, sooner or later exhibit and event managers will likely need to "sell" the in-person event model to stakeholders. They're going to need to convince management to "fire" or at least downgrade digital marketing mediums – and any marketing efforts that may be cheaper but less effective – and to reinvest their dollars and their confidence in the trade show program once again.

Eventually marketers will need to sell or re-sell in-person events to internal stakeholder, and the wedge can help them win that sale.

What led you to this book? I'm an avid reader, but I'm also a passionate podcast enthusiast. One I eagerly await to drop is Pivot, where Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway discuss the news of the week in business, government, and tech.

In Pivot, Galloway is acerbic, funny, insightful, and most importantly honest. He just "does him" every time come hell or high water, and the interplay between the two is hilarious. He makes incredibly insightful predictions, and I learned of the book through this podcast. I highly recommend giving the latter a listen.

Why is this book a good read for marketers dealing with the new digital landscape?
The book explains where we've been and predicts where we're headed. The insight it provides can help guide our way forward with virtual events.

Because like it or not, life as we knew it has changed. There is no going back to pointing a camera at the CEO as she delivers a 45-minute keynote. Even if massive shows return, virtual events or virtual extensions will no longer be afterthoughts, and they will require new thinking to ratchet up effectiveness.

What's a critical, yet applicable, prediction from the book?
Prior to the pandemic, dispersion (i.e., the process of distributing things or people over a wide area) was well underway. Netflix dispersed movies to our living rooms at the expense of theater chains.

A similar scenario ensued between Amazon and retail stores, Uber and taxicabs, and Airbnb and hotels. The middleman was punched in the head at scale, as content and services were dispersed in the most low-friction way possible.

Post pandemic, we'll see even more of this as commercial real estate gives way to home offices, medical clinics to telemedicine calls, and university campuses to online learning programs. So what this will mean to us?

Will 40-by-40-foot booths get dispersed to mobile road shows? Will you still pay someone to have a guy watch a guy watch a guy hang a monitor in your booth if the show floor is only at 25-percent capacity?
Market forces are going to course correct, bringing the status quo into question. The industry stopped, and it will restart. But thinking we're all going to start playing the same old game is wishful thinking.

How has the book helped you on a professional level?
In March 2020, our world exploded. Google cancelled IO, Facebook blew up F8, and our mobile tours and popups went on hold. Initially, we told ourselves: "It's temporary; this won't affect us." And then it did.

Everything from our speaking engagement at SXSW and 10-year agency celebration in San Francisco to almost all of our client programs cancelled overnight. Poof â?" gone!

But not long after we got done feeling sorry for ourselves, we took a really hard look at the void ahead. It was dark, and in order to survive we knew we'd need big changes. We pivoted, struggled, and grappled like every other agency and client.

The book offers another way to look at the world – allowing you to examine the market forces in play. This way you can apply your conclusions to your own businesses and programs and flex rather than break with the times.

What's one concept from the book that really hit home?
Galloway shared his experiences of teaching MBA classes virtually, and the takeaways directly correlate to online events. He writes: "Without the power of physical presence, you have to be much more animated, waving your arms and raising your voice, changing your tone and pace. You have to be in the students' faces, requiring they keep their cameras on. Constantly call on them and seize the opportunity to get better guest speakers, as it's much easier (zoom versus commute). Breaking up the monotony of talking head is essential – learn how to use the screen sharing function and prepare charts and illustrations that express information in new ways and keep students engaged. A good role model is representative Katie Porter's use of small whiteboards in her congressional hearings."

If an exhibit manager only had time to read one chapter, which one is best?
Chapter 4: Higher Education. Coasting on your brand value (e.g., "We're Harvard; just pay us") in the world of Zoom doesn't quite have the same appeal. Customers and prospects are ready to pay less for more. You can learn a lot from higher education, which has plenty of parallels to our industry. Since we're not gathering in person, is this book still a timely choice?
We're still gathering, just not necessarily face to face. So Priya Parker's insights absolutely apply. In fact, now is the perfect time to consider the book's core concepts because we're all at a fork in the road. The main ideas will help us choose a more effective path going forward.

For example, Parker talks a lot about what works, what doesn't, and why. Often, event marketers forge ahead without a firm understanding of their "why."

Rather, we need to challenge our own assumptions and always ask why we're gathering. Using this line of questioning will be amazingly beneficial, whether the meeting is virtual, hybrid, or in person.

Did you discover any personal takeaways?
The book runs the gamut of gatherings, covering everything from baby showers and flash mobs to conferences and courtrooms. Parker offers fresh perspectives for each of them. So I have no doubt that anyone managing a gathering – be it a massive online customer conference or a Zoom-based family reunion – will discover killer ideas.

If an exhibit manager only had time to read one chapter, which one should it be?
I'd check out Chapter 2: Close Doors. It's about the kindness of exclusion.

It sounds counterintuitive to marketing events. But it explains how it's often more effective for events to only include those people who help fulfill the gathering's purpose – and to exclude those who will detract from that endeavor. It's definitely something to think about as we tiptoe back into the world of in-person events.

What gave you an ah-ha moment?
There's a quote from Jerry Seinfeld that I love: "The room is doing 80 percent of the job." He's talking about how the environment makes a direct impact on the outcome. You can certainly apply this to our industry.

A setting can elevate – or downgrade – a conversation. In fact, you can have a brilliantly successful sales conversation in one locale. But if you have that same conversation at the same time in a space that's somehow wrong, be it for the customers, the content, the company, or more, it's simply not going to be as successful.

This says a lot about virtual events. If the "room" is off, it may lack effectiveness. And if it's downright wrong, you really have to go back to your "why" and examine your reasons for hosting the event in the first place.

Do you agree with Parker that face-to-face and digital-marketing endeavors are more conventional than they are creative and audience-focused?
Absolutely. Many marketers get stuck in a rut. They stay on the hamster wheel doing the same thing year after year because that's the way it's always been done – or because they're flying around so fast that their perceptions are blurred.

It's time to get off the wheel and take a good look at what you're doing and why you're doing it. And it's time to question whether there's a better, more effective way of achieving your goals.

Now that we've taken a step back from in-person events, we have the distance and perspective to closely examine the purpose of our events. With Parker's insights and our own analysis, we might just find new, more-effective routes to achieve our marketing goals.

I'm not saying in-person or virtual events are dead. I'm merely suggesting that we reinvent them to one degree or another to make sure they're still achieving our core purpose.

How would you describe this unique, crowd-funded book?
This is a book of two halves. The first is abstract and features unexpected storytelling that covers culture and history. It helps contextualize the second half, which offers a practical suite of tools, tips, and frameworks. It's an easy read, and Mark Pollard covers complex topics in a simple, accessible way.

Why is the book particularly apropos for marketers today?
Strategy is about making meaning from mess. And there has been a lot of mess recently. Plus, during the pandemic, everyone has been on a quest for meaning.

This is a good read because rather than being a typical how-to book, it's part personal handbook and part professional guide. It will help you to develop better ideas and aid you in helping others do the same. It'll also prompt you to ask good questions, listen better, and focus more – both in your job and at home.

Filled with real stories and contextual examples, the book shows you how to examine problems differently and seek out hidden opportunities. And as a side note, there's a good amount of empathy and humor, which we all need right now.

What's one of your favorite concepts from the book?
One idea is never enough. Think laterally and keep going, generating more and more ideas. When you have lots of solutions, you have more context to help you identify a handful of good ideas, and from those you can select the one or two that are truly golden.

How has the book helped you on a professional level?
After I read the book, I found myself altered. My field of view was different somehow, as I was more focused around simplicity and the purity of ideas. Simple isn't easy, which makes the pursuit of simplicity all the more complex.

What's your favorite quote from the book?
I love this line: "At some point, everything is words. If you can see it, it's words. If you can think it, it's words." For marketers, this is a great reminder of the importance of our early creative conversations and explorations.

As we start to talk about our marketing objectives, exhibit designs, dreams, goals, ideas, and more, all of ours words are critical. They ultimately shape the direction of the project. Long before anything is sketched out, the upfront thinking must be right, or the rest is doomed.

One of the chapters is Problems Are Worth Having. What is Pollard referring to?
Problems are powerful. They appear in every great story. They captivate us, shock us into action, and appeal to our ideals and our empathy.

But problems also challenge us to find solutions. Pollard helps us unpack problems in new ways, find the proper problems to address, and identify the right solutions.

What prompted you to read this book?
A few years ago, the author, Allen Gannett, was a keynote speaker at the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) Access conference. Due to the birth of my daughter, I was unable to attend. But my team brought back some really positive energy around his session, which pointed me toward the book. It's a pretty easy read in terms of a professional-development book; plus, many of the examples involve familiar subject matter, which elevated my interest even more.

What's the creative curve, and how does it apply to our industry?
The creative curve is a concept that asserts that there's a sweet spot between something novel and something familiar – and finding this spot is the key to developing mainstream appeal. If the concept is too novel, it will only have fringe appeal. If it's too common, it will appear out-of-date.

This probably isn't a new concept for most exhibit and event managers. But if you actively set your sights on this sweet spot (while leveraging the four laws of the creative curve also highlighted in the book) your creative output will be more effective.

With regard to these four laws, which one is particularly fitting for face-to-face marketers?
The first law, consumption, states that you need to spend 20 percent of your time familiarizing yourself with your chosen field. That is, in order to deliver creative ideas, you must continually educate yourself. After all, you need a personal library of relevant information to pull from as you strengthen your creative muscle.

I also believe that if you could only focus on one of the laws, consumption of relevant material would be it. Even if you stop there, you're already in a better position to address problems because you have a more extensive creative toolkit.

What's the key takeaway from the tome?
Creativity isn't a mystical talent that only a few possess. It's a process that can be achieved by anyone with a little practice.

I regularly find myself collaborating with professionals that are eager to tell me they're not creative. That's baloney. Most of these folks possess all of the content and ideas needed to create a remarkable experience; they just don't exercise that muscle enough to realize it.

Gannett pulls back the curtain on creativity and lays out actionable items to help people realize their creative potential.

Why is this book a timely read?
The exhibit and event world is anything but predictable right now, and this will likely be the case going forward. The book offers creative problem-solving skills, which will be critical as we move forward amid the volatility.

Further, these skills aren't just important to developing creative strategy. We'll need problem-solving capabilities for a host of obstacles we'll encounter when live events return.

How has the book helped you professionally?
Anyone can be creative. I've been waving a flag about this for a while, but I haven't been able to fully bake the idea nor figure out how to effectively communicate about it. This book provided an excellent framework and language for the idea.

Leveraging this framework allowed me to tap into resources internally and with clients that would previously consider themselves noncreative. By offering a safe, collaborative space for all involved, we achieved more dynamic collaborative discussions, improved creative processes, and higher quality output.

If an exhibit manager only had time to read one chapter, which one should it be?
I like The Creative Curve, as it pretty much summarizes the core concept of the book. It's laid out in enough detail that you could walk away with the gist from this chapter alone. However, the chapter titled Learning a Lie is also extremely valuable as it clearly debunks the myth of natural-born creativity.

Nature or nurture? Are people born with creative talent, or is it learned?
Professor George Land and Beth Jarman conducted a research study in 1968 where they identified traits of genius-level innovation and creative thinking and measured them with a controlled group of individuals at different ages. At age 5, 97 percent of study participants tested at genius levels. But their levels dropped rapidly over time until that number was only a few percent by adulthood.

So by and large, we are all are born with bulky creative muscles. It's just that some of us choose to exercise them more than others. Thus, in some, these muscles are strong, and in others, they've atrophied. But with some regular calisthenics, you can tone up pretty quickly.

Based on your experience, do exhibit and event managers usually sell themselves short with regard to their creative capabilities?
I believe that everyone has creative potential, and the first step is recognizing that. As part of a collaborative process, particularly one with professional creatives involved, marketers don't usually do the heavy lifting. So you might say they sell themselves short.

But if they choose to contribute their ideas openly, they can yield massive gains in the overall creative success of a project. They're closest to the projects and typically have the most knowledge of the brands, the companies, the players, etc. When they become active creative contributors, it's a whole different ballgame in terms of what can be done.

Why is now the right time for exhibit and event marketers to read this book?
COVID-19 has been one giant reset. Industries and economies are in turmoil, unemployment numbers are through the roof, and the exhibit and event industry has been decimated. Given the global interruptions, we've all had to stop, reset, reelevate, and create a new road map. And things will continue to change.

Trade shows that have run in the same month every year for the past three decades will switch months and formats. Shows will merge, others will die, and still others will forever become hybrid events.

While we might not like it, the global reset is forcing us to get out of our routines and to question what we're doing. The book provides a format to help us discover our own reasoning. This is a great opportunity for people to personally redefine their "why" and for businesses to reset back to their most important "whys" and realign their practices accordingly.

How has the book helped you reassess your business?
As a company in the events and exhibition space, we, like so many others, have been devastated by COVID-19. The book's concepts have helped me to reset and think about why we exist.

It has made me consider our future and what kind of customers we want, what kind of staff we need, what our values are, and what we can do to make the world a better place. Ultimately it has prompted me to take stock and to fix our fuzzy whys.

What are some personal takeaways from the book?
A couple of key points really hit home. The first is: If you find your why, you'll find your fulfillment. If you know why you are doing things in life – like why you are getting up early or why you're driving an hour to work – it makes it a lot easier to get through the discomfort and push on.

Second: Life is better when we all work toward a goal that is bigger than us. Having a sense of community, a feeling of partnership, the sense that we belong and are working toward achieving something bigger than ourselves, gives us purpose.

How does purpose impact happiness?
The book provides a great example to illustrate this impact. Let's say two men in the Middle Ages are building a cathedral.

One man approaches it negativity with thoughts along these lines: "This is back-breaking work out in the hot sun in summer and bitter cold in winter. I've been building this wall my whole life, and I'll be dead before it's done." Clearly there is no reason or purpose to his work except getting paid. As such, he finds it difficult to push through the discomfort and is unhappy.

The second man has a positive perspective and thinks things like: "Yes, the work is hard, but I am part of something amazing. I'm building something bigger than myself, as this structure will be here for hundreds of years and it'll bring happiness to others when they visit it." Clearly, his purpose – which is larger than himself – changes his perspective fosters happiness and contentment. Purpose supports happiness.

What led you to read this book?
I'm not sure where I first ran across the book, but I know the title grabbed me. Little kids ask "Why?" 500 million times a day. Yet adults rarely pose the question. We keep our heads down and get the job down rather than pausing to ponder. So the "why" hooked me.

The book suggests that before customers buy into a product, service, or idea, they need to know the "why" behind it. What does this mean, and how does it apply to marketers? Let's start with a good example of a brand people buy because they understand the why. When people buy a Tesla, they think of Elon Musk and his passion for the environment. The also think about Nikola Tesla, who developed AC generation and transmission technology, and they consider how Tesla is revolutionizing the industry.

What they don't think about is why a Tesla costs $10,000 more than almost all other electric cars. They don't care. When they're buying the car, they're joining an exclusive club. The company knows its why, and it's constantly communicating that why to consumers, who happily buy in.

For exhibit and event managers, that means you need to communicate your big whys via your experiences. If your event is all about your why, it becomes a congregation of like-minded people. It's a family reunion or a social club, not a sales activity. When everyone knows the why, you build a strong bond between customer and staff – and you bring an event to life.

The book summary says that leaders with the greatest influence on others communicate in a manner that's the opposite of what everyone else does. How does this affect trade shows? Leaders with great influence talk in grandiose terms. They converse about the visons, missions, and problems that must be overcome. And in the process, they inspire people to do significant things.

Successful expos and events are about the big things, too. They have new products being launched, fresh product pipelines, and solutions to customers' big problems. Exhibitions are a great forum to be talking in an inspirational way as well. In effect, they're your annual chance to be a leader and an influencer and to help the world see and believe in your "why."

Why should exhibit and event marketers use data to tell a story or create empathy?
First, storytelling is critical because the human brain is wired for connections and for processing stories. Second, exhibitor and event marketers are constantly tasked with presenting data, so it behooves us to use relatable narratives to engage the audience.

By transforming your data message into a story, you're triggering the brain to respond emotionally – therefore making the audience feel like they are part of the narrative. Emotional connections, or empathy, create lasting memories and evoke action, both of which are important for exhibitors and marketers.

How does the book help marketers deal with the digital landscape?
Over the past year, event managers have been forced to create new "locations" in which we can share content and showcase thought leadership. In her book, Nancy Duarte discusses how storytelling engages our senses, brings us closer together, moves us to feel, and propels us to act.

Specifically, as we have shifted to the digital landscape where we do not have the human-human interaction we crave from in-person events, this book reveals the power behind transforming data into relatable, memorable, and impactful moments – even if they're virtual.

If used correctly, marketers can employ storytelling to connect with their audience on a deeper, more engaging level. A relatable story will help define brand, inspire action, and increase engagement. In fact, storytelling can transform an entire event, start to finish.

Duarte talks about various high-performing brands and how they communicate with data. Can you give us an example to illustrate the concept?
When it comes to using a data story to evoke empathy, Microsoft Corp. truly nailed it. It created an interactive infographic that explains why its security solutions are so important, but there's a twist.

It tells the story through the lens of a data heist. It shows us, using actual statistics and clear messaging, exactly how data is stolen. Microsoft cleverly creates an engaging story about security vulnerabilities, using real consumer data, and in doing so, shows consumers how to better protect themselves.

What are some of the most important takeaways from the book?
As an event marketer, I homed in on two key concepts. First, the art of storytelling, whether you're talking about a booth, a virtual platform, or printed signage, is a powerful tool for delivering your organization's content (data) that is engaging and memorable to your audience.

Second, knowing who you are communicating to is just as important as what you are communicating. You must understand your audience to craft the best relatable story with the right data.

How has the book helped you on a personal level?
Duarte discusses how best to communicate points of view and how parts of speech have different impacts on driving action. Although her work specifically looks at the vocabulary of data vs. nondata communications, the takeaway for me is to be intentional with my words – especially when I want to inspire action. These are skills that can benefit me both in my business and personal life.

How has the book aided you on a professional level?
Our job as event marketers is to generate demand for our products, build awareness for our brands, and engage our partners, customers, and prospects. Our jobs go beyond the trade show floors and often require us to generate business proposals, along with recommendations and/or observations that almost always include communicating data to some degree.

"DataStory" expanded my approach to creating impactful data delivery. Whether I'm using data for an event or in the boardroom, by employing storytelling as a connection tool and a powerful way to drive adoption, I know how to structure content in ways to get the audience to care about the data.

What's one ah-ha idea from the tome?
To me, aside from the how-to piece of this book (which is also fantastic), it all comes down to this quote Duarte referenced from a Native American proverb: "Tell me the facts, and I'll learn. Tell me the truth, and I'll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever."

This is the essence of her message: Stories resonate and have long-term impact.

Why did you recommend this book?
There are many reasons to like this book. Adam Grant is immensely likable as an author, and his smart and funny observations make for a fast read. Plus, he gives examples and suggestions without being preachy.

In a time when exhibit and event marketers may be questioning their roles at their companies (or even their places in the industry), this book imparts personal and professional action items to help guide them through this uncertain time.

What are some of the tome's most important takeaways?
First, one of the chapter subheadings really caught my eye: The Worst Thing About Best Practices. So often, we find a best practice, and we set our sights on that standard. But just because that's the way "they" say something should be done may not actually be the best way for your company or personal situation. It's important to question everything, including best practices.

Second, the best way to convert someone to your way of thinking is not to belligerently shout out your opinions (or facts, even). Rather, it's far more effective to listen and ask pointed and thoughtful questions as to why the person holds his or her position.

Finally, the book introduced me to the word "kummerspeck." I don't even recall the context in which it was used, but apparently, it's a German word that refers to the extra weight we gain from emotional overeating. A more literal translation is "grief bacon." Anyway, it's my new favorite word. And after the year we've had, I think everyone in this industry can appreciate it.

How has the book helped you on a personal level?
I just finished the book but definitely plan on doing some social experiments in my life. My son has been struggling in school. There are some nuggets in here, such as Grant's point that grades are not a strong predictor of work performance, that I will share with him. I also plan on asking some questions that will, hopefully, get him to rethink his approach to schoolwork, consider next steps, and perhaps, reconsider what success means to him.

Also, I am a person who likes to be right. I like to win. There are numerous studies and lessons taught throughout "Think Again" that illustrate how important it is to look at things differently to make the world a better place.

And having to be right is an obnoxious and counterproductive trait that I should definitely try to work on. In fact, the book espouses the joys of being wrong! I'm shooting to achieve the level of confident humility that Grant highlights in the book.

What's one particular line or concise concept from the book that made you pause?
The book explains that requiring proof is an enemy of progress. In our industry, we put a lot of stock in ROI. Obviously, I understand why it's important and that companies don't want to feel like they're wasting capital.

I wonder, though, if the promise of metrics doesn't limit creativity. Are ideas too quickly discarded because ROI is difficult to measure?

Grant also offers a quote from FDR issued as the country was recovering from The Depression: "The country demands bold, persistent experimentation." I'd argue that this is also what the events and exhibits industry needs these days.

How would you describe the tone or voice of the book?
Despite being a super-intelligent, Wharton School professor/social scientist, Grant is never condescending to the reader. His balance of scientific jargon, study results, and examples – which range from a black musician's relationship with the KKK to the Unabomber – keeps the reader engaged throughout. The way he uses humor and simple charts, graphs, and comics to support his message make this an enjoyable, understandable, and effective read.

The book summary says Grant argues like he's right but listens like he's wrong. How can exhibit and event marketers leverage this skill?
The book suggests that when conflicts arise, you don't need to make someone think you're right. You just have to make them think that they could be wrong.

For exhibit managers, this is all about asking the right questions of vendors, superiors, coworkers, and yourself. If you truly listen to the answers, you're likely head off in a perhaps new but productive direction.

Why is mental flexibility more important now than ever?
The world seems so divided over so many polarizing issues that it behooves us to try some flexibility and empathy in our personal and professional lives. As Grant recounts time and time again, a new perspective can be the difference between success and failure and even life and death.

What's one example of a flexible thinker that's particularly applicable to our industry?
Grant references a woman who applied for a job that she wasn't necessarily qualified for and didn't have the presumed experience needed. But in her cover letter, she took a different tack than most.

She stated, flat out, that she did not have experience in this field but then proceeded to list the many things that she did bring to the table. She got two phone interviews, asked the right questions, shared her knowledge on and enthusiasm for the company, and was awarded the position, which has been elevated numerous times since.

I think this story is useful for anyone who is looking to transition to a different position or those doing the interviewing. Again, it's about embracing what we don't know to get where we want to go.