Figure 2: An overview of the "Master Simulcast Document" that I created, which linked together all simulcast-related information (e.g. coordinator information, digital assets, email scripts, etc.).

Figure 1: The key information page from the TEDxUW Simulcast Package, which informed interested participants about the event's details. 

TASK

During the Fall 2016 term, I worked as the Outreach Manager for TEDxUW. As an Outreach Manager it was my role to create partnerships with other internal organizations to help promote TEDxUW and increase brand awareness through event calendars, press releases, email correspondences, and stakeholders meetings. However, to expand the conference’s reach beyond the University of Waterloo, this year’s TEDxUW team implemented another initiative called the “simulcast”, inspired by TEDxCERN. Simulcasts encourage those unable to attend the conference to host their own livestream viewing of the event. As Outreach Manager, I exercised my leadership skills by leading the project management of these simulcast events.

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MY ACTIONS

I first began my role as the TEDxUW simulcast lead by making sure that my team was onboard with the project and understood its purpose. At our weekly team meeting, I prepared and gave a brief presentation to inform my team about what a simulcast was, the process of organizing a simulcast, the motivation behind it, and what they could do to support the project. After I gave the presentation, I encouraged my team to ask questions or provide any immediate feedback to this new outreach initiative. Some team members voiced concerns about the simulcasts taking away from the main event since I called them to action to help promote and advertise this opportunity to our audiences. I addressed my team members’ concerns and I encouraged them to think of the simulcasts as an opportunity to expand our reach since only 100 participants are able to attend the conference. I challenged them to think that the simulcasts could expand the viewership beyond 100 participants and further motivate an expansion of next year’s conference to accept even more TEDxUW applicants. After the purpose of the simulcast events were made clear and confidence was built, I moved onto the next stage of planning and began to plan the logistics of how to execute this initiative. To advertise the simulcast opportunity, I needed to create a package for interested participants, as well as promotional materials. I created a draft of a simulcast package, which contained information about TED itself, TEDxUW 2016’s conference theme, key simulcast information (e.g. date, times, equipment needed, contact information) and an FAQ to address any questions (refer to Figure 1). I recruited the team’s Content Manager, Graphic Designer, and UX Designer to help me edit a copy of the package and design it according to the TEDxUW brand, as well as put all these materials on our TEDxUW website. Once the simulcast package was complete and put onto our website, I emailed our partners about this opportunity, encouraged the team to share it with their networks, and requested that the TEDxUW’s Social Media Manager to share it on our social media channels. As the simulcast lead, I received the contact information of those interested in becoming a simulcast coordinator for their community. In order to consolidate all of the information, materials, and contact information received, I created a “master simulcast document” that organized all relevant simulcast information into one place (refer to Figure 2). Additionally, I set up an outreach plan that helped me track my communications with simulcast coordinators to make sure that they were prepared for their events come conference day.

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RESULTS

During conference day, we had about 10 simulcast partners from Waterloo, Cambridge, Toronto, California and Saudi Arabia tune into the livestream. Each of these simulcasts had around 15 attendees each, so the conference had an additional 150 virtual viewers in addition to the 100 participants who attended in person. My leadership skills helped drive this result as I organized the simulcast plan, and encouraged my team members and TEDxUW partners to advertise the simulcast opportunity. The TEDxUW co-chairs were pleased with the results of the simulcast pilot and said they would advise that next year’s team implement the initiative again. Although taking on this leadership role was challenging, it allowed me to help expand TEDxUW’s reach beyond Waterloo, and create a concrete plan with materials to help make next year’s simulcast events an even bigger success.

Setting direction, creating a vision, and having the determined attitude necessary to motivate and support my team. 

LEADERSHIP