Change Does Not Mean Doing the Same Thing Thom Singer When you are trying to be an agent of change in planning a conference or trade show (or any event) you will often run into those who are not willing to take risks. There is a lot of talk in the meetings industry about how to refresh events, but there is also resistance. The desire to shake up your program is often stifled by those with their own agenda or no ability to have a vision. It can often feel like you are running up hill in the mud. The experience is frustrating and lonely when you are a seeker, especially when you are not sure what you are looking to find. I spoke to a planner recently who was interested in trying something new (which involved hiring me), but she said decided her organization was not ready to take any risks this year. Her concern was that the regular attendees and her board would not understand the value in making changes to the traditional schedule. Additionally, she was scared of having a speaker and a topic that was not industry specific or a famous sports hero. Their event had not yet seen a decline in attendance, but the numbers had been flat for two years. She also felt that the environment had become routine and that people were getting bored. There was a desire to create a more engaging atmosphere and an industry "buzz", but there was no definition