This book is also dedicated to my parents—Walter (Bennie) and Ruth—who have lived their lives both personally and in business with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, and to others who have crossed my path and shown me what a difference choosing to live a life with ethics can make to you, those closest to you, the people you do business with and others you may not know but who experience the ripple effect in their lives from the choices you have made. What we do and how we conduct ourselves out in the world matters. If we get to a place in our lives where we must justify our actions or the actions of others to ourselves, take time to listen to what you are saying and what is being said. Justification is often a quiet warning sign that the road you are heading down in life may be the road best not taken. The best business advice I have received—that can be applied to life in general—is to always put your cards on the table and be prepared to walk away from anything that does not feel morally or ethically right.

I would like to thank all the newspapers, magazines and associations that have taken the time to read and review my books. My first two books have been warmly received by the media and the event planning industry and the kind comments and support has contributed greatly to the success of both books—which are now being used as teaching tools, course adoption and recommended reading by universities and colleges worldwide

The John Wiley team works hard at creating quality products and are leaders in the field of professional books. Their care, commitment to quality and attention to detail shows in the books they produce. Karen Milner, Executive Editor, opened the door for my series of books on event planning and her vision continues to move my books forward. Elizabeth McCurdy, Project Manager, and Abigail Brown, Project Coordinator, once again have been the strong links between the book’s structure and copy edit process and on top of every aspect. They are dedicated to ensuring a finely crafted book is turned out. Gayathri (Guy) Baskara, Marketing Manager, and I have just begun to work together and I am looking forward to working closely with her in the upcoming year. Meghan Brousseau, Pubilicity Manager, and Lucas Wilk, Pubilicity Coordinator, do a fabulous job promoting all of my books and are always there whenever I need their help. Michelle Wright, from Accounting, is another great addition to John Wiley and has demonstrated excellent follow through and resolution on any requests I have had. I would also like to give thanks to all of the people behind the scenes that I do not know personally but who play an important part in creating all the John Wiley books which are highly regarded by business professionals around the world

Ron Edwards, Focus Strategic Communications, manages to find a way to pull an additional 20,000 words plus from me with his thought provoking comments as we move through the structural edit. Just when I feel I have shared all I can, Ron’s suggestions or inquiries from a reader’s perspective, pull one more tip or paragraph from me, which helps to build a better book. Michelle Bullard, who is spoken highly of by the John Wiley team, stepped in to do the copy edit on this book when timing did not permit Ron to do so. I would like to thank Michelle for her contribution in taking this book to its next step.

Daphne Hart, my literary agent, Helen Heller Agency Inc., is a pleasure to work with—always calm, centered and committed to the clients she represents. Her expert advice is always on the mark and I value working with her. I would also like to thank Helen Heller for her assistance as well this year, it was greatly appreciated.

A very special thank you goes to Fran Mrazek-Fanning, whose telephone message I received through crossed lines, but which came at a very timely point in the manuscript and jogged a long-forgotten memory to include in the book.

Personally, I would like to thank my family—Walter and Ruth, Marilyn and Hans, Natasha and Blair, Jasmine, Emme, Munchie, Indie, Abby, Aunt Eleanor and Uncle George, Linda, Mykila, Grayson, Aunt Dinah, Uncle Alfred, Aunt Lydia and Uncle Arch, Uncle Rennie and Aunt Gladys, Uncle Alfred and Aunt Rachel, Uncle Joe and Aunt Maria, my grandparents Hannah and James Blundon and Emma and Walter Foote for being a part of my life and who are very important to me. I am also thankful for my friends who make me laugh and I look forward to spending time with them and my family in the future.

The event planning industry as a whole struggled after September 11, 2001 when many corporate events came to an immediate halt. Before the industry recovered, corporate accounting scandals made headlines, and top executives pulled back on spending and closely monitored expenses. This was followed by talk of war. Many companies put event plans on hold as they waited to see the impact on the economy. Airlines were on the brink of bankruptcy. Hotels were sitting empty. Some destinations and venues were immediately ruled out as possible event sites. The event planning world was left reeling.

These factors contributed to an event planning industry whose members worked hard to maintain their existing client base, entice new clients to do business with them, find ways to grow their company by creating multiple money streams and look for ways to secure as much business profit as possible. Event planning companies seeked ways to reposition themselves and jockeyed for client business. Event planners started taking on the roles of suppliers and destination management companies, while some suppliers, destination management companies and hoteliers began to position themselves to clients as event planners.

Questionable business practices became more visible to the industry as a whole. Event planning associations began to create ethical guidelines—professional standards of right and wrong—in response to the effect that lack of business ethics was having on the industry.

What makes the issue of ethics so tough, however, is that one person’s ideas of bad ethical behavior might be different from someone else’s. While a kickback—be it in the form of cash, goods, dinner out or a weekend away—to a client may be perceived by the supplier as an acceptable business practice, some clients may view it as an attempt at business bribery, while still others have come not only to accept it but to expect it.

This book was written as a guide for establishing business and personal standards, policies and procedures. It has been composed specifically to open the door to discussion on the topic of event planning business (and personal) ethics and etiquette with industry peers, in the office and with yourself. It is designed to have you asking: and most importantly

It is important that proper responses are established, practiced and prepared for in advance. Left to chance or a knee-jerk reaction, the wrong ethical decision could carry a high personal and/or professional cost, as well as legal liability for you and your company. Even worse, you could become the next scandalous newscast.

The examples in the book are based on real-life instances that actually happened in the event planning industry. Reading through them will allow you to prepare a response to have at hand should a similar situation present itself. Being unadvised, ill-equipped or totally unprepared to handle sticky predicaments ethically and with finesse can lead down the road of regret and remorse, filled with If only, What if and Why didn’t I.

One noted event planning expert got caught in an ethical whirl-wind when she sold some stocks she personally owned. The timing was terrible since the stock tanked in the eyes of the business world the next day. It looked like insider trading when it was merely an alleged standing order to sell when the stock went below a certain dollar figure. The planner made a profit of US$50,000, while her actions planted seeds of mistrust in clients, suppliers and the public. The initial result was that the future of a multi-million-dollar company was placed in jeopardy for a comparably small profit. Innocence or guilty did not matter. People were quick to judge and the event planning expert’s own company’s stocks tumbled to previously unseen lows. The long-term result to the planner was a loss of reportedly more than US$400 million in stocks, advertising and endorsements.

What you do personally can hurt you professionally. Perception is everything. People are now seeing what your personal and company actions and choices say about you as a person or a business, as opposed to merely listening to the words being spoken. What you say does matter, but it is what you do that really counts. Do you “walk your talk”? What about the companies you work and do business with? Do they say what they mean, and most importantly do they do what they say? We are in the midst of an ethics backlash, and companies are being extremely cautious about who they do business with and how they themselves do business. They do not want to be caught in an ethical undertow and be pulled under by association.

A lack of ethics can and has destroyed companies and careers. When businesses or the people within them cross ethical lines, personal reputations can be ruined and company credibility irreparably shaken, and the loss of integrity may never be completely erased. Ethics violations are on the rise. Companies such as World-Com, Enron, Tyco, ImClone and various areas of government have brought the topic of ethics to the forefront with daily headlines in all forms of media. Ethics have become a defining business issue. Business practices are being called into question and all of this will have a lasting impact on the event planning industry. Corporate CEOs and CFOs will be looking closely not just at the bottom line but at how the actual bookkeeping is being done.

People will be held accountable for their actions and that does not refer to only in-house employees but their suppliers as well. Reviews of whether or not company procedures are being adhered to will not be limited to corporate organizations, but will extend to those they are doing business with.

Corporations must impart company values to their employees. They must teach what is and is not considered to be acceptable business practices and procedures and clearly outline what will not be tolerated. And, they must lead by example in both their business and personal lives. What is taught must be reinforced by constant observance of the ethical principles that have been established. In some instances, it is not the employee but the employer’s standards or lack thereof that are questionable. In these cases the employee must decide whether to stay and work under business practices that could be deemed shady, and compromise their integrity in the process by affiliation, or to go elsewhere.

Transparency is a term that will be heard more frequently in business. Openness about business practices, policies, procedures and budget preparation with clients looking for full disclosure will be moving to the forefront in the business world. Clients will be looking to do business and align themselves with companies that demonstrate corporate responsibility, have no hidden agendas or costs and whose business dealings are aboveboard at all times. Good business practices and high ethical standards—both professional and personal—work to build customer confidence and affect profits. Companies that demonstrate these qualities on a day-today basis and on all business fronts will gain a competitive edge. Controversial business maneuvers by a company or its representatives was in the past often met with a wink and a nod that said “we know we really shouldn’t be doing this but what the heck?” This sort of attitude will no longer be overlooked or tolerated. Those who choose to continue unethical business behavior and practices and the people who do business with them know that they are just one step away from being tomorrow’s front page headline.

Professionals in the event planning industry will be attempting to position themselves as leaders in ethical business practices. They will be reviewing, adopting and putting stringent guidelines in place with regard to who they associate with, how they do business and what expected business behavior will be—for themselves, for their office, for their peers and even for their clients. Working with a preferred list of clients and suppliers who have clearly defined and demonstrated ethical behavior will become an industry standard.

How you conduct yourself in business and even over lunch matters today. But event planning etiquette goes way beyond the food choices you make and what such decisions say about you to your clients and industry peers. That is just one tiny aspect of what it entails. Event planning by its very nature crosses over from business to social. And mastering social graces, displaying poise under pressure and knowing the meaning behind certain social entertaining elements is just as important as having industry business acumen. Event planning is an industry that has a playful party side and one with more serious business overtones.

In many cases, business and pleasure components are mixed. In either event, clients, their guests, event planning staff and their suppliers intermingle and interact with one another non-stop and at all hours of the day. All involved will walk through a minefield of social situations that could blow up in everyone’s face. Not being prepared to handle potentially explosive predicaments can be damaging to both company and personal reputations. Proper etiquette and protocol on your home turf and around the world needs to be discussed. Codes of conduct in the office and on site should be clearly defined and firmly established. Business behavior must be maintained at all times, whether in the boardroom or in a swimming pool at a tropical resort. Staff need to know how to diplomatically handle being asked to step into a guest’s hotel room and keep their reputation intact, as do your clients’ employees if the reverse request is made.

Issues of personal safety should also be addressed in advance before you find yourself being driven to an isolated spot by someone you think trustworthy. In the event planning business there is often an atmosphere of casual camaraderie; guards can easily become relaxed and trust can be too freely given. Knowing when and what to look out for and how to handle yourself in certain circumstances is extremely important. These general “rules” of common sense need to be set out—especially for young student planners. You must always approach event planning by expecting the unexpected and being on guard but not guarded. Above all, stay on your toes. Breaches of ethics and etiquette can happen in a blink of an eye. Think situations out in advance and develop a plan for being able to execute what is being asked of you without crossing any ethical boundaries. Positioning yourself to be poised and professional no matter what happens takes preparation and training in knowing what to do, how to do it, what is rightly expected of you and what you expect from yourself in any environment.

This book is about setting and raising event planning standards both personally and professionally. Part 1 of the book discusses what it means to be ethical, why it’s important to have an ethical industry, whether some people in the industry are straying from this path, why they are choosing to do so (a bad economy creates a desperation to win at all costs), some of the problems in the industry right now and how all involved in the event planning field—planners, clients and suppliers—can work towards an ethical career and industry. Part 1 also focuses on planner/supplier, planner /client and supplier/supplier relationships and addresses the diverse issues that event planners, clients and suppliers encounter. Event planning is a business where those involved are wined and dined on a daily, if not hourly basis, at home and around the world. The atmosphere surrounding event planning is one of allure, often involving exotic locales, hosted events where the alcohol flows freely, people traveling without partners—dangerous combinations for clients, guests, event planners and suppliers alike. It can also be stressful. One false step and a business relationship can explode and reputations can be in tatters. The stakes can be high. Events can range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to multi-million dollar extravaganzas. Some suppliers are in the business of wooing event planning business by offering special perks that cross the lines of ethical behavior—a free getaway for the planner and their loved one with all expenses paid (it is not uncommon to have air, private limousine transfers, hotel accommodations, meals and activities included) or cases of expensive wine delivered to the event planner’s home. In other cases, it is the event planner who is making the request from the supplier in exchange for their business. For example, staging companies have received requests to build backyard decks as part and parcel of being awarded the business. When is it acceptable to receive a gift, what is acceptable and when does it begin to cross company ethics is just one area that will be discussed. Preparing yourself, as well as staff, on what to expect and how to handle the unexpected with business finesse is crucial. The door to discussion will be opened using the examples provided throughout the book.

Part 2 of this book deals with event planning business (not social) etiquette and codes of conduct—what is appropriate, what is not, when it’s apropos, situations to look out for and how to sidestep them successfully. In Part 3, codes of conduct, both in the office and on site, are discussed using real-life examples. Other event planning-specific etiquette issues covered include business behavior in event planning crisis management situations (such as when Murphy’s Law hits), as well as event planning essentials and event planning dos and don’ts. This book will be of value to both the professional event planner, event planning suppliers and clients who are hiring and working with professional planners and suppliers.