The radio segment that I posted about a while back–where Jeff Brown of TradeShowBlues and I took to the airwaves to talk about blogging–is now available online at AssociationNation.com. The good news is that I don’t sound as idiotic as I thought at the time! The bad news is, well, have you ever listened to your voice tape-recorded? Do I really sound like that? Anyway, it’s a quick 15-minute listen, and while you’re there, check out some of their other interviews: The one with new PCMA head Deborah Sexton is particularly good.

Some organizations really know how to leverage their meetings. Take this snip from an article on MSNBC:

The organizers of the upcoming conventions in Milwaukee for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are successfully raising millions of dollars from the local corporate community to cover expenses for the events.

The article also shows some of how they’re doing it. Good food for thought, I thought.

I know none of our fabulous face2face readers miss the three-martini lunch of yesteryear, but this article from hotel-online is interesting nonetheless. And it offers this list of do’s and don’ts, which could be a good pass-around to any new staffers you have working a meeting:

Keep it clean and sober during business lunches, workplace experts advise. Confine the business drink to off-site evening functions, and limit yourself to one or none.

–The manner in which you handle your drinking conveys impressions you sometimes can’t control. Nothing will sour your reputation faster than when others hear you slurring your words or witness you in a drunken stupor.

–If no one else is drinking, don’t drink.

–If you need to drive yourself home, don’t drink.

–If clients insist you join them in a lunchtime drink, say, "I’m not drinking today, but you go ahead."

–Self-control and restraint are characteristics of success — in office politics, business negotiations or personal conduct. Don’t put your reputation on the line.