Well first of all a big thank you to everyone who

took the time to complete the survey on barriers to

engaging communication. Over 400 of you took part
and the results make for really interesting reading.

Planning
times
are tight

Not just about

stand and tell

Measurement
is important

Healthy ou

tlook

Responses show that live events are predominantly being used

as strategic communication platforms rather than for tactical
initiatives and there is general acknowledgement that audience
involvement is an essential element in engagement, with most
of you reporting a move away from stand and tell delivery.
Its revealing to see the level of importance respondents
assigned to understanding the audience mindset and agreeing
objectives for events at an early stage.
Planning times are generally pretty tight, with almost 50%
having a lead time of less than three months.
Again where evaluation is concerned its great to see there is
widespread support for meaningful measurement.
Its apparent that coaching for senior leaders is seen as
an important aspect of the service available from external
partners, whilst acting as trusted advisor was also high on the
wish list. A lack of budget is widely regarded as a barrier to
working with external partners.

There is a perception that leaders ability to communicate with

passion, their understanding of the audience mindset and time
commitment are all major barriers to communicating effectively
at live events.
The overall outlook for live events appears to be healthy, with
most respondents believing they have real value in engaging
teams.
We will be further dissecting the responses and drawing
conclusions in a forthcoming article in SCM and for those
who are interested in delving further into the statistics,
please follow this link to request some additional data.
We hope you find the contents useful and would be keen to
hear your thoughts.

If youd like a chat about anything in this report, give us a call on 0845 612 6121
and ask for Nick (hes our M.D.) or drop him an email: nick@top-b.com

Q1. What typically are the main areas of focus of your leadership / management events?

77.4%

50.4%

70.9%

Informing employees

Reviewing

on new initiatives,
products or services

Communicating

past year & laying

out priorities going

16.7%

the company vision

& direction

11.1%

A single priority

Other

(e.g cost saving)

Q2. What media do your business leaders tend to use to communicate at an event?
(Score each option 1-5 where 1 = dont use to 5 = primary method)

The primary method of presentations is still

through standard bullet point presentations

5.7%

5.7%

2
3

17%

19.7%

52%

Percentage of leaders using striking

visuals with strong imagery as their
presentation method

14.9%
18.1%
23.7%

1
2
3
4

27%
16.3%

Percentage of leaders using video

14.4%

1
2

25.0%

24.5%

26.9%
9.3%

Percentage of leaders using no media

60%
11.3%

2
3

14.5%
6.5%
7.3%

4
5

Q3. Please briefly describe the most effective tactics you have used and found to engage the audience
most effectively.
The word cloud picks up on the tactics most respondents believed to have greatest impact including audience involvement
and video.

VIDEOS LIVE STRONG

EMPLOYEES MEETINGS COMMUNICATION INTRANET

FEEDBACK
INTERACTIVE
COMMUNICATION

POWERPOINT

GROUPS LEADERSHIP
SMALLTAKE
KEY MANAGEMENT

WELL PRESENTATIONS
SENIOR ACTIVITIES

VIDEO
PEOPLE

SESSIONS AUDIENCE
STAFF NEW

QUESTIONS

FACE

DIALOGUE

EFFECTIVE EVENTS

Q4. To what extent are the following factors a barrier to your (messaging) leaders communicating
effectively at a live event? (1 = no barrier at all 5 = major barrier)
1

Linguistic ability of the

leaders (language & vocabulary)

4.7%

11.6%

23.3%

26.3%

29.3%

Leaders ability to present with

clarity of message

3.9%

20.2%

28.8%

28.3%

18.5%

Clarity of the message itself

6.9%

16.5%

32.5%

29.9%

13.9%

Leaders ability to communicate

with passion

9.1%

28.4%

21.6%

24.6%

14.7%

Leaders fear of presenting

6.1%

15.2%

22.9%

26.8%

25.5%

The time leaders have to

prepare their presentation

12.9%

27.6%

23.7%

20.3%

13.4%

Leaders committing the time that is

necessary to fully prepare for the event

19.3%

27.9%

20.2%

18.5%

11.6%

Understanding the audience and

their current mind set

10.7%

26.9%

28.2%

25.6%

8.5%

More focus on the sender rather than

the receievers (e.g. stand and tell)

15.9%

30.4%

24.2%

19.4%

9.7%

8.3%

22.7%

25.8%

21.0%

18.3%

Cultural barriers within the

business

Clearly leaders ability to communicate with passion combined with time commitment
and understanding of their audience are key issues here.
3

Q5. How do you think a live event partner can help

you (directly or indirectly) improve the ability
of your leader(s) to communicate their
messages more effectively?

Q6. What would you like your event partner to

do more of?
Acting as a trusted advisor was something respondents want
live event partners to offer. Bringing ideas based on best
practice and experience was also flagged as valuable.

Coaching is definitely the primary area where respondents

believe a live event partner can have impact. Innovation
was another element deemed important but for many,
budget was perceived as a block to working with an event
partner at any level.

Q7. When planning an event, how important are the following aspects?

21.9%

5
4

Knowing the
audience mindset
& relevant issues

68.6%

1.8%

2.7%

3.6% 0.5%
3 2
4.1%
23.2%

11.0%

33.6%

Commencing a
pre event dialogue
with them, e.g. by
intranet

35.6%

(1 = Not important at all to 5 = Very important)

7.7%

15.0%

17.2%

18.6%

Building a pre
& post event
strategic narrative

28.8%

4
4

41.8%
14.9%
3

5.5%

4.5%

30.9%
1

39.8%

3.2%

6.8%

Pre-briefing
managers so there
are no surprises
during the
event

The act of
storytelling during
the event

37.6%

37.7%

22.6%

9.5%

Creating pre
prepared
workbooks for
delegates

19.1%
15.4%

35.3%

20.1%
3

5.0%

4.6%
1
2

Designing
interactive, tailored
break-out
sessions

36.5%

8.2%

30.6%

28.6%

3.6%

9.1%

7.7%

Having tools
to update the
audience & keep
momentum during
the event

37.1%
3

25.5%

Briefing/training
sessions for those
delivering roll out

31.8%

33.0%

Despite much research to show that note taking helps to reinforce learning, relatively low importance was attached to supporting
this through workbooks tailored to an event.

Q8. What trends do you observe in designing and producing live events that truly engage and communicate
effectively with the leaders and managers of a business?
It was evident that PowerPoint and Tell style events are not seen as useful in engaging audiences with most respondents
indicating that interactivity was the way forward.

TECHNOLOGYCOMPANY

BIG

MESSAGE

INTERACTIVE

ENGAGEMENT

VIDEO FOCUS COMPANY

LESS INTERACTIVITY

EVENT

TOOLS FOCUS

TIME
INTERACTIVE
GREATER
STORYTELLING
AUDIENCE
ISSUES
VISUAL

DISCUSSIONS

COMMUNICATION

KEEP

SESSIONS

BECOMING

Q9. Why does your company use live events?

80.5% 76%
42.1% 48.4%

52%

26.7% 19.9%
As a key part
of leadership
& management
engagement

As a part of
the companys
strategic
planning &
communication
process

As an
opportunity
to implement
new training/
learning
initiatives

As a tactical
event for
day to day
management &
direction

To indicate
a major
milestone of
the companys
plan

As part of a
catalyst for
change

To foster
networking &
break down
silo thinking

Q10. In terms of planning and holding an event, which part of the business takes the lead for the
following elements?
Corporate
Internal
Communications Communication

HR

Marketing

Sales

Deciding to hold a live event

5.0%

3.6%

0.9%

16.3%

24.4%

42.1%

Owning the agenda

5.0%

5.9%

0.9%

16.3%

32.1%

33.0%

11.0%

7.3%

2.3%

19.7%

38.1%

14.7%

4.5%

6.3%

1.8%

20.8%

52.5%

8.6%

Organising & sponsoring the event

The main reporting channel for
progress & outcome

CEO Office

69

on
t

hs

12.7%

12-

Q11. What is the typical lead time between deciding

to hold an event and that event taking place?

nth

o
8m

2.3%

0-3 months

49.8%

12

9on
m
s

th

3-6

nth

mo

4.1%

31.2%
Q12. In the context of the objectives for an event, how important is it to your company that the live event
is evaluated to the following levels? (1 = very important 5 = least important)
The logistics, organisation &
environment of the event

24.4%
20.3%
23.5%
18.4%
13.4%

1
2
3

The way people feel & think following

the event

44.5%

20.5%
11.8%

What people have learned from

the event

39.2%

24.0%
16.1%

10.5%

10.1%

12.7%

10.6%

Q12. (Cont...)
What people do differently
after the event

39.5%
22.7%
12.7%
10.9%
14.1%

What result or impact those different

behaviours have on the business

40.4%

2
3

14.7%

11.9%

24.1%

12.4%

26.4%

20.6%

How those results affect the bottom

line - the financial ROI

20.4%

14.8%

14.4%

Excellent news that measurement is seen as an important element in event design.

Q13. In what order do you undertake the following actions?

Agreeing
conference
objectives

Budget

Booking
venue

Delegate
list

Identifying
guest
speakers

54.8%

36.4%

31.6%

49.1%

25.7%

5.9%
5.5%
25.5%

Q14. On a scale of 1 to 5 do(es) your

leader(s) treat you as a Trusted Advisor
regarding producing effective
communications at a live event?

5
3

19.1%

44.1%
7

76.4%
Q15. Do you or your department aspire to be treated
more as a Trusted Advisor regarding events?

9.1%
Yes

No

14.5%
Not part of
how we are
judged

Q16. Given the following traits of a Trusted Advisor, how do you think you score on a scale of 1 to 5?
(1 = not relied on at all 5 = totally relied upon)
1

Knowledge of the business

mission & vision

2.7%

4.5%

14.1%

41.4%

37.3%

Knowledge of the strategy & plans

2.3%

5.5%

19.1%

50.9%

22.3%

Knowledge of the audience; their

mindset & expectations

1.4%

6.4%

16.8%

40.5%

35.0%

The ability to simplify complexity &

produce key messages

1.4%

3.2%

11.4%

33.6%

50.5%

The guile & confidence to support

or challenge the top table

2.3%

10.0%

33.3%

35.2%

19.2%

The ability to advise on leadership

engagement & events in a
proactive manner

2.7%

5.5%

19.1%

38.6%

34.1%

The ability to act as a coach/mentor in

the area of excelling at communication

3.6%

8.2%

25.0%

40.0%

23.2%

A positive view on the skill set and expertise to act as trusted advisors although falling short of having the confidence
to bring this to the top table.

Brilliant
statistics!

Q17. Which function/directorate do you report to?

Q18. Which department do you work in?

HR

HR

17.5%

9.6%

Marketing

Marketing

11.6%

8.6%

Sales

Sales

1.6%

1.3%

Corporate communications

Corporate communications

35.4%

30.4%

Internal communication

Internal communication

17.5%

43.9%

CEO Office

CEO Office

16.4%

6.2%

Q19. Which sector does your business operate in? Select any that apply.

Consumer durables

2.6%

Education

5.4%

Professional services

7.7%

Healthcare

6.2%

IT

3.6%
Financial Services

Manufacturing

Media

9.0%

2.1%

Retail

Technology

5.9%

6.2%

Non-profit

6.4%
Telecommunications

6.9%

Pharmaceutical

2.8%
Transport & logistics

4.4%

Utilities

4.4%
Leisure, hotel & catering

2.1%

27.5%
Public services/admin

12.9%

Q20. Approximately how many people does your business employ?

Up to 500

500 - 1000

1000 - 5000

5000 - 10,000

Over 10,000

15.1%

10.0%

26.3%

12.1%

36.5%

Q21. Approximately how many offices or bases do your people work from?
<10

10-25

25-50

50-100

100-250

250-500

500-1000

>1000

127

64

48

41

48

21

10

18

Q22. Approximately what % of these offices or bases are outside of the UK?
<10%

11% -25%

26% - 50%

51% - 75%

>75%

34.0%

3.9%

2.7%

7.1%

52.3%

10

If youd like a chat about anything in this report, give us a call on 0845 612 6121
and ask for Nick (hes our M.D.) or drop him an email: nick@top-b.com

Specialists in Global Leadership & Management Events

0845 612 6121

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