Finding the balance between “yes” and “no”

Saying “no” appropriately does not indicate a lack of professionalism, according to Karolina Bednarz.

“On the contrary: A properly communicated and motivated ‘no’ leads to the certainty that we are true professionals,” says Bednarz, sales manager for CKF_13 Fabryczna Conference Centre and VP of membership for the MPI Poland Chapter, who will be a leading a session called “NO!...Why Not?” during MPI’s European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC), March 3-5 in Luxembourg. “Appropriate management of the word ‘no’ in our professional life is a guarantee of success, although it is difficult to realize it.”

Why did you decide it was important to present “NO!...Why Not?” at EMEC?

The MICE industry is very dynamic. As professionals, we are used to a lot happening in a very short time. In order to meet the expectations of clients and meeting participants, we often agree to a lot and thus burden ourselves with work that often causes a lot of stress and may lead to overwork. We try to prove that we are able to complete any task, even if time does not allow us to complete these tasks properly. At the same time, we lose awareness that we are not only a contractor for the client, but also an advisor.

We learn during the various MICE conferences how to awaken creativity and how to manage time, but we lack the ability to recognize the significant role of the word “no” in our lives. That’s why it’s important for me to show success based on the balance between “yes” and “no” in our lives using appropriate examples.

Can you give us an example of how meeting planners are responding to “no” in the wrong way?

Of course! Very often we say “no,” thus linking refusal with something very negative. Therefore, the feelings that accompany us then are anger and even frustration. This also has a big impact on the reception of our “no.” We are angry with ourselves when, for example, we say “no” to a boss or a client, while when our “no” is justified and constructive, it does not have to be associated with a sense of guilt or negative emotions.

How has the pandemic impacted the power/perception of “no?”

During the pandemic, the MICE industry was close to collapse. The canceled events, mass layoffs and financial losses among both MICE professionals and the clients themselves mean that now, when we are catching our breath after the pandemic, we want to make up for all the losses. Therefore, the balance between “yes” and “no” in our lives is especially important now. The vicious circle is self-winding. We want to make up for the losses and it seems to us that we cannot afford to refuse, which may result in the customer resigning from our services. However, we must remember that constantly saying “yes” may lead to a loss of quality due to too many responsibilities and coordinated projects.

Can you tell us about a meeting trend you’re keeping an eye on in 2024?

I believe that everyone learns in a different way. Moreover, each of us can learn not only from professionals who have more experience. And although it seems obvious in our industry that every meeting is educational, we often forget about it. And it seems that an increasingly noticeable trend is to prepare the environment during meetings in such a way as to provide everyone with the opportunity to learn tailored to their needs. I am glad that lectures are being shortened in favor of discussions, networking and other types of meetings. I can’t wait for this trend to become popular among organizers of medical and scientific conferences, for example.