To be a leader in any organisation takes plenty of energy, dedication and an endless supply of long working hours. These things come with the territory. For volunteer leaders in MPI where time is usually in short supply and there is the pressure of exceeding the expectations of chapter members, this cocktail can lead to feelings of overwhelm.
It was fitting, then, that the European chapter Leaders Forum—led by Ciara Feely, president-elect of the MPI UK and Ireland Chapter, held 22 February during MPI’s European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) in Barcelona—was the perfect safe space for posing questions that dove into the feelings of the leaders about their roles and how they could get the most from them. After all, a volunteer role means giving time, having discipline and setting goals to help keep developing the success of MPI.
Feely asked questions about subjects like sleep, exercise and diet. These areas reveal how people feel when they “show up,” and it was clear that getting enough sleep is an area where attendees felt they could improve. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, lack of sleep can lead to irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness and fuzzy thinking. None of these conditions are good for meeting planners.
Attendees were encouraged to go with their instinctive feelings when responding to questions, which reminded me that we often already know the answers to issues, but sometimes leave things alone. It could be that this is because we’re happy with the way things are, even if they could be better. Or maybe it’s because taking action could be uncomfortable. But simply hoping things will change isn’t a plan. Nothing changes unless you start creating change.
Just being aware of the knowledge that you’re not making changes does itself suggest that you possess emotional intelligence. And understanding yourself is one of the keys to being a successful leader. Knowing why you have an emotional response, regardless of whether it’s good or bad, is also critical, especially when leading a chapter of professionals.
While many questions posed during the forum had a noticeable impact in the room, attendees paused longer to think when Feely asked, “What is your present capability to do deep work?” and “How much of your life sparks joy for you?”
Taken together, all her questions pushed us to go way beyond the surface level of our individual feelings. The final question, the one related to crucial next steps, was, “What is the one thing you are going to do differently?”
The key takeaway message was that once you understand yourself better, you’re in a much stronger position to lead. It was evident that the attendees benefited from Feely’s tough questioning. The next part of the forum looked at the chapter issues of growth plans, membership engagement and helping the meetings and events industry to evolve.
Once again, just as in previous Chapter Leader Forums, the attendees demonstrated their willingness to put the work in, to share challenges, solutions and ideas. The energy at the forum was fantastic. Attendees came up with a veritable mountain of ideas and, between them, have established some great building blocks for the future of MPI in 2026 and beyond.
How much of this is a direct result of taking the time to understand themselves better? That may be impossible to answer, but tapping into emotional intelligence clearly does help develop success.
Photos courtesy Jan Buteijn, Butino.
