The Modernists’ Post

One of the best things I heard at SXSW Sydney last week was in a conversation between Hamish Blake and Ben Shewry, founder and head chef of Attica. "People will pay to see others believe in themselves". The quote was attributed to journalist and rock critic Greil Marcus. Although, I've also seen it attributed to musician and songwriter Kim Gordon. Either way, the more I’ve sat with it the more it resonates. It’s not just about paying for a performance or experience. It’s about paying for belief, for conviction, for the raw energy that someone radiates when they are fully immersed in their craft. This holds true across the spectrum—whether it be on the sporting field, or in the kitchen of a favourite restaurant, or at a stage show or concert. But it also holds in a great novel, or album, or television show, podcast, or film. What we are really drawn to is the authenticity, the commitment, the self-belief that bleeds into these works. It’s about witnessing years of discipline, resilience, and grit come to life. Their belief, alongside every moment, every note, every word, every roar of the crowd, every victory and every loss, feeds into the creator's story. That’s what we are paying for, because, in some way, it reflects the belief we want to find in themselves. Every creation is an act of belief. And that belief is contagious. We get to buy into a piece of that person’s belief in themselves, in their ability to make something meaningful. And we get to walk away with the shared moments, memories, and stories. We want to see others believe in themselves because it reminds us that it’s possible to believe in ourselves. Whether we realise it or not, we’re paying for that feeling. And when it works, it’s worth every cent. Now, where is my copy of Daydream Nation?

At Jive Live Entertainment, we believe the event industry is the heartbeat of human connection. It's where ideas turn into experiences, and moments transform into memories. In a world where digital interactions often take the lead, live events create spaces for people to come together, celebrate, and feel the energy of shared experiences. From the smallest gathering to the grandest spectacle, events breathe life into communities, spark inspiration, and foster relationships. They’re not just occasions—they’re the pulse of culture, creativity, and collective expression. That’s why we’re passionate about every detail, knowing that each event has the power to shape and elevate the world around us.

Part of why I went to the Responsive Conference this week was observing a convergence of different parts of my life past and present among three people talking about it online: Adam Rosendahl and Robin P. Zander (who I grew up with), and 🏡 Kim Rohrer (who I admire in the HR space). And then when I got there, it only further validated I was in the right place when I ran into Jessie Jacob (who I've co-facilitated with a couple years back), Adam's mom Denise Blanc, MA, EQCC, ACC (who remembers reading with me in my first grade class!) and Ashley King-Bischof (my first onboarding mentor in tech, who I worked with briefly 12 [!!!] years ago). Having led a rather nontraditional path to where I am today, I firmly believe multidisciplinary approaches generate forward progress farther and faster. Exploring ideas from different disciplines is how we improve each one: - how chamber music is a beautiful metaphor for incredible teamwork, active listening, autonomy, adaptability, and creativity (with student performers from the The Crowden School of Music) - how government work proves a strong mission and north star can powerfully overcome common challenges in change management (Deanna Doen from Eleccion, LLC) - how communal visual artmaking can connect humans to see each other deeply, faster than any other team building exercise I've seen (Adam Rosendahl's Late Nite Art) - how studying cults (and how effective they are at fostering belonging) helps us lead companies with a more balanced approach to culture-building. (Ellen Huet of Bloomberg & Robin Zander in conversation) - and more! The puppies didn't hurt, either. Looking forward to seeing what next year's conference brings!

If you're around, do pop in and join the conversations. I'll be on the panel discussion about Embracing Disruption. See you there! #waatbp #disruption

A very big thank you to all the brilliant GCMA members who joined us for September's edition of The Control Room yesterday: Jacob Worek, SMS, Anne Marie Chebib BA (Hons), PGDip, Jon (J.C.) Corbishley FAIHS M.ISRM, Ira L. Rosen MA, CFEE, Nathaniel Kennedy, Michael Iser, Oliver Kastens, John Badcock, Kevan Jones, Ian Morrison, Simon James, Kerrie Blizard, Ben Kidd, Tim Roberts, Cathy Ricketts, Mike VanAartsen, Dean Newman, Matthew Williams, Adam Blaxter, Sander Teunissen, Sara-Jane Kickham, Dan Stockdale, Cathy Knowsley, Sabine Funk, Michael Greear, Kim James, Serena Varley CertIOSH, MIIRSM, Meghan Wilcox, Maggie Saunders, Mark Breen PgDip, SFIIRSM RSP, F.ISRM, FIPM, TechIOSH, Calum Nicholson and to our wonderful host, Rebecca Wilusz, Ph.D.. The news that Fyre Festival II has been announced sparked a wide-ranging discussion on current and historic crowd management challenges. Topics included: 👉 Big bands on small stages and venues 👉 Influencers and acts drawing unexpectedly large crowds 👉 Recent show stops and cancellations due to this phenomenon 👉 The critical role of monitoring social media and using young people to interpret trends 👉 Working with booking agents to stay ahead on who’s trending 👉 The impact of brands chasing clicks with risky promotions, where they often lack the same constraints as artists 👉 The importance of engaging with influencers and brands early to mitigate risks We also emphasised the need for dynamic situational awareness and proper training on-site. From ensuring everyone is equipped and briefed, to feeling empowered to raise a red flag if necessary—every team member plays a role. Acknowledging that despite our best efforts, bad things can still happen. Our mission as crowd managers is to minimise that potential. Read more about Fyre Festival II, here: https://lnkd.in/eMsFu_2u #ControlRoom #Networking #Crowds #Events #CrowdProfs #EventProfs #GlobalCrowds

What if the biggest brands in the world had the courage to collaborate, not compete? 🌟 In a world of customers as creators, democratised brand creation and community-centric economics, we need innovation and coopetition to find new materials and concoct new thinking. If the world can join forces during Covid to produce a vaccine in under 12 months; can’t the most creative brains come together to make better brands, more inspiring products, and solve some of the world’s toughest problems? I want to discuss this at SXSW London in June. If culture shapes brands, how can brands build our world better? A debate on creativity, climate, courage and competition. Please vote for my talk, so we can dive into the discussion https://lnkd.in/eFrbkaA4 Talk ID 4189 Scott Morrison FRSA Caroline Rush JC Oliver Charney Magri ramzi moutran Paul Polman Frieda Gormley Katy Louis Rachel Arthur Tim Brown

The 3 days of connection, discovery, inspiration, and celebration at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Music City (Nashville 🇺🇸) The bi-annual conference hosted by City Electric Supply (CES) started in 2014 for 140 attendees. By 2018, the attendee count jumped to 1,300, and it's still growing as one of the industry's biggest events — this year we had over 2,000 professionals and 60 vendor partners! In 2022, what was known as the North American Managers' Conference (NAMC) was rebranded to CES Connect, providing a unique opportunity for prominent decision-makers to build connections, engage with leaders of the company for real-time business updates, and dive into the latest and most innovative products and solutions the industry has to offer. The pillars of CES Connect: Connect: Foster meaningful relationships with vendors, team members, leadership, and customers, strengthening our CES family. Discover: Explore innovative products and solutions to fuel personal and professional growth. Inspire: Leave with fresh insights and motivation, driven by peer stories and strategies to power your communities. Celebrate: Honor the past, present, and future success of the organization, recognizing the achievements that have led us to where we are today. City Electric Supply Corporation CA City Electric Supply TAMCO GROUP

Feeling overwhelmed by household chores? Eve Rodsky’s "Fair Play" offers a revolutionary system to balance domestic tasks and bring harmony to your home. Discover this life-changing method and improve your relationships. Check out the full summary on Instaread! https://buff.ly/4e6qaLu

How to disagree with respect without attacking others Respectful disagreement seems like a lost art in our increasingly polarised world. Social media is full of people shouting at each other, with rage fuelling the algorithms. This hostility is creeping into workplaces too. But disagreements aren’t inherently bad. They’re crucial for good decision-making and team performance. We need to learn how to disagree respectfully […] The post How to disagree with respect without attacking others appeared first on CEOWORLD magazine. Copyright CEOWORLD magazine 2023.

Missed the B Lab UK festival this week? We’ve got you covered. Here are our top takeaways from the “Sustainable success” panel, featuring our very own Joshua Mihill alongside Rupert Carter, Dave Barnett, Rachel Kettlewell and Gill Green. 💁 Your brand is everything, everywhere, all the time Brand isn’t just your latest ads. It’s everything: your website, app microcopy, customer support, job specs… the list goes on. As a B Corp, our mission to do right by people and the planet is baked into all that we do – like removing customers’ carbon footprint, twice over. How does your brand walk the talk? 🔍 Focus on your biggest levers With limited time/money/people/*everything*, you’ve got to double down on the activities most likely to drive impact. It’s better all-round to pull two big levers, than struggle with 10. 💥 Creativity is your edge The big players have the bigger budgets, but creativity can outshine even the deepest pockets. Challenge the status quo, do things differently and watch your ideas steal the show 💁♂️