February 2021 - Meredith Martini, MS

Meredith Martini, MS Vice President - Membership MPI Georgia Chapter

When we think about great leadership skill and traits, there are so many: Confidence, Experience, Integrity, Communication, Influence. You can Google and find a bunch of lists that will both overlap and will have unique insights. One thing I have noticed in the past year, particularly, is that the leaders that have risen amidst this pandemic, all have the ability to be calm and make a forward motion in the midst of a crisis.

As meeting professionals, we have been making contingency plans for throughout our careers.  However, the COVID Pandemic was something we could not have seen coming, and it was not something most of us planned on. The leaders I admire so much are the ones who have been able to switch tracks quickly. We truly have seen some amazing innovations come out of this period of time in our history.

Hybrid events have come into their own and are still in exciting stages of development. Safety and health issues have taken a forefront. Personal protective equipment has become a new standard. We’ve all had to think about and create new ways to engage with our coworkers, colleagues and meeting participants.

Working on MPI committees with fellow members, I have also seen the strength and agility of people in our industry at the local level. So many well thought out plans had to change instantly within our chapter and our leaders had to make many decisions with countless of unknowns still in place. I have witnessed flexibility and grace as committee members, their chairs and board members have stepped up to put out the fires that pop up constantly within this environment. This capability to lead and learn in a crisis is critical to being a leader worth following in today’s world. I count myself as very grateful to be surrounded by such people in our very own chapter.

To get the most out of your MPI Georgia experience, to grow and learn as a person and an industry leader, JUMP IN! Join a committee, try out different roles and develop your skills. Our chapter has worked hard to create a safe space to help us grow, to try new things, and to experiment with what works. It is in this environment where you can test yourself and develop, and yes, sometimes even put out fires.